Product category:
3D CAD software
News Release from: VX Corporation | Subject: VX CAD/CAM
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 14 January 2003
Software includes new graphical approach
for CAM
Version 7 of VX CAD/CAM includes dozens of new tools and major enhancements that significantly boost performance, efficiency and ease of use.
Version 7 of VX CAD/CAM includes dozens of new tools and major enhancements that significantly boost performance, efficiency and ease of use through: easier and faster assembly modelling; surfacing enhancements for quickly generating ever more complex shapes; a new tool for optimising package design; new interface elements that boost productivity; a new graphical approach for CAM; SpaceMouse and SpaceBall support; more drafting options; mould making enhancements that extend VX's lead in integrated mould design; and more translation and healing options "VX Version 7 expands an already powerful portfolio of tools across the entire design-through-manufacturing spectrum and remains unique in its degree of integration of these tools", said Bob Fischer, Vice President of sales and marketing at VX
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 16 Aug 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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CAD modelling system keeps Gillette sharp
Further seats of VX CAD/CAM, VX's flagship hybrid modelling solution, have been added to the installed base at Gillette's Advanced Technology Centre (GATCUK) in Reading.
More control over curves from CAD/CAM software
Available now from VX Corp is the latest release, Version 6, of its VX CAD/CAM software.
"Users are learning how much more efficient and cost effective VX is than any competing CAD/CAM system and Version 7 provides a compelling reason to switch".
Assembly modelling has been enhanced to where it's now much easier and faster to begin an assembly, edit an assembly alignment constraint, position assembly components, and investigate the movement of a mechanism to diagnose operational problems.
Using a new 3D design constraint manager, the new VX variational constraint system simultaneously solves and regenerates an assembly more quickly.
VX continues to deliver surfacing tools in a system that costs far less than those offering similar capabilities.
VX interface enhancements speed surfacing, but powerful new VX tools can now develop even more complex shapes than before.
Further reading
Software gains complete milling solution
VX CAD/CAM Version 6.5 will be shown for the first time in the UK at Interplas 2002.
Input device support to aid 3D manipulation
The upcoming version 7 of the award-winning VX CAD/CAM software will support the leading SpaceMouse and SpaceBall 3D controllers from 3Dconnexion.
CAD/CAM software optimises packaging design
VX CAD/CAM provides design optimisation facilities that enable package designers to maintain design intent while staying within preset packaging requirements.
Surfaces can be deformed by pulling any point on a face in any direction.
This is much more direct surface manipulation than offered by typical CAD systems.
A new remove faces/fillets icon has been added to quickly fill in gaps created when extending, intersecting or trimming surrounding faces.
Typically, designers rely on mould makers to add draft angles so that parts will eject cleanly from a mould.
With this new VX command, mould makers can now very easily remove fillets created by the designer, add the needed draft and then refillet.
A new automatic extension function extends curves to a boundary to further speed modelling.
VX Version 7 will then trim sets of faces even if they don't intersect.
One of the powerful new VX tools is a design optimiser that allows users to easily vary dimensions to achieve a desired result.
For instance, a bottle designer may require a target volume.
Given a set height, how wide can the bottle be? A simple on-screen form with up to six driving variables tests a variety of "what-if" scenarios.
One of the major accomplishments of the last two versions of VX has been to optimise ease of use and productivity through revisions to the graphical user interface.
VX Version 7 boasts a number of new interface elements that significantly boost productivity and extend prior interface enhancements.
In general, the icon-based interface has been optimised for speed so that the entire user experience is much more fluid and efficient.
Attributes for curves, edges, lines, faces, etc.
are now presented in a pop-up panel where it's easy to quickly change, copy or save them.
After extensive user studies, menus have been arranged so that the typical user will spend less time in selecting the most frequently used commands.
In VX Version 7, the QuickMill suite of high speed machining functions has been enhanced so that users can easily control a host of roughing and finishing operations.
Accessible through both a new VX CAM graphical user interface (GUI) and the existing CAM tactic manager, this expanded functionality which also improves five-axis control is especially important for users in a deadline-driven production environment.
The new VX CAM GUI reduces the steps necessary to create tool paths, operations and output.
The interface makes it easy to modify feed rates, speed of operations, machines and tools to be used.
In addition, individual tool paths can be colour coded quickly to analyse and visually check tool path motions in large and complex tool paths.
VX extends its lead in integrated mould design with new tools and refinements, including a new single-step utility that creates multiple holes and counter-bore holes at the end of cooling channels.
By simply picking the cooling channel, a user can have VX automatically compute the correct centre point direction and any offset needed to keep a plug below irregular surface faces.
Threads can be optionally added.
A new compare components function minimises the need to recreate entirely new moulds for common or similar components by providing a summary display of changed, unchanged, deleted and new faces.
VX Version 7 also adds flexible options for modifying parting faces and parting lines in mould design.
For parting lines, users can now use a variety of intersecting faces.
Users of VX Version 7 can increase productivity by up to 30% with the SpaceMouse and SpaceBall input devices from 3Dconnexion.
Common CAD functions such as zooming, panning, rotating, and assembly modelling are more natural and realistic with these devices in streamlining user interaction and causing fewer interruptions.
While VX has offered automatic 2D and 3D dimensioning and layout for years, it now provides additional drafting refinements, including: easy modification and import/export of bills of materials, charts and tables; projection of 3D annotation text and dimensioning onto 2D layout views; quick and easy creation of hole tables to better understand the number and kinds of holes to be drilled, joined and associated with other components; layers based on line types to easily distinguish components or structure; and user-defined, view-selectable one-, two-, three- and four-view layouts that are auto scaled.
VX adds to its robust translation and healing options to include support for 3D DWG/DXF entities and export of VX STEP files to SolidWorks and Unigraphics formats.
Third-party applications that do not read all standard formats, including STEP, will especially benefit.
For STL-based prototyping, VX V7 will repair seams along mating facets in an exported STL file.
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