CCE EnSuite 2.0 Supports Point Cloud Files

An interesting announcement was recently (May 6, 2008) made by CCE Farmington Hills, MI, a leading provider of CAD/CAM data translation and viewer products.

There was announced that their EnSuite Version 2 has been upgraded to support point cloud files. A short reminder: EnSuite is a multi-CAD viewing, translation and productivity software.

 EnSuite Version 2 can be used to import point cloud files in .xyz and .csv files. These types of files are typically being produced on a coordinate measuring machine (CMM), laser scanner, or other inspection equipment.

About CCE CCE is a premier engineering software development and services company that was established in 1989. Our offices are located in Farmington Hills, Michigan and Ramsey, New Jersey. CCE's products include translation software to exchange data between dissimilar CAD/CAM systems, visualization software to view CAD data, and product configurations to dramatically reduce time for creating CAD files for highly configurable product families. CCE specializes in a Partnership Approach to Engineering Services featuring multi-discipline CAD/CAM/CAE design, engineering, analysis, and translation services. CCE also specializes in software development and support services, which include CAD/CAM/CAE application development, Internet-based collaboration software development, and software quality assurance testing. CCE serves large and small engineering organizations and independent software vendors in all manufacturing sectors including Automotive, Aerospace, Medical, and Consumer Appliances. Products and Services are sold through its direct sales force and over 100 resellers worldwide.

Point clouds imported into EnSuite can be graphically compared against a CAD model. EnSuite produces a color error map of the point cloud vs. the CAD model by displaying the differences between the two in a range of colors. Color-coding greatly reduces the time required to identify and understand differences and evaluate their seriousness. For example, if a boss is too long or too short, the top of the boss will be highlighted in red. Color error maps make it possible to analyze problems in seconds that might take hours to understand when looking at point cloud coordinates in a spreadsheet.

The point cloud feature of EnSuite is particularly useful to quality assurance engineers in two scenarios – manufacturing QA and CAD QA. In manufacturing QA, the objective is to check for conformance of physical part to the CAD design. The manufactured part is inspected to generate a point cloud and the point cloud is imported into EnSuite. This manufactured part point cloud is then compared to the CAD model and any error in the manufactured part is visualized in a color map. The color error map clearly indicates whether or not the part conforms to the design and also helps diagnose problems in the manufacturing process.

In CAD QA, the objective is to check conformance of CAD model to the actual physical part, as in a reverse engineering process. The physical part is scanned (CMM) to generate a point cloud and a CAD model generated using the point clouds. The point cloud is imported into EnSuite and compared to the CAD model that has been created as part of the reverse engineering process and any error in the CAD model is visualized in a color error map. The color error map provides a clear indication of the quality of the CAD model and identifies any areas where improvement is needed.

Regarding point cloud manipulation, EnSuite still lacks this but it is planned to come up in future.

The latest EnSuite update will be available to all active subscription license customers as well as to new customers.

EnSuite goes far beyond the capabilities of conventional viewers and translators by providing a wide range of productivity tools for accessing critical engineering information. EnSuite prevents users from saving changes to the master CAD model to protect integrity of the master model. Licenses are automatically administered and the product updated over the Internet.

EnSuite is designed for companies that work in a multi-CAD environment, such as those used by customers, vendors and partners. EnSuite provides seamless interoperability with CATIA V4, CATIA V5, Pro/ENGINEER, Unigraphics, and SolidWorks CAD systems as well as Parasolid, IGES and STEP files. Files can be translated to and from any of these formats without the native CAD software.

http://www.cadcam-e.com/

http://www.tenlinks.com/news/PR/CADCAM-E/050608_pointcloud.htm

CCE EnSuite 2.0 Supports Point Cloud Files

Cad, PLC, ICs and oth.

When I mention about computer aided design (CAD) some of you occasionally admit it concerns component rapid manufacturing electronic automation which covers thing such as computer controlled of conveyor belt and PLC programming. In fact the two are very different in nature.

The domain of CAD is solely within software. To some extent it refers to how software is used helping integrated circuit (IC) designers to design ICs. These software are also sometimes referred to as CAD tools.



At the same time the higher abstraction level stage of the IC design demands ig creativity, while the the bottom level and details part of IC design can be very routine, repetitive, tedious and boring. The CAD tools help the designers in doing the repetitive and tedious tasks.

While in collage, students majoring in electronics learn basic electronic system design using small number of components called gates. Basic system can be construct with less than 10 gates. By their final year, the students will learn how to construct larger system which consists of up to hundreds of gates. This is not how it is done in the real world.

In the real world, a system such as the Intel Pentium 4 chip is constructed from 14 million gates. And with the current trend, it will not be long before we pass the one billion gates (in one chip) mark. This is so much different from what is thought in college. That is why in the real world, IC is design using different method.

On the very high level a system can be described using special languages, called hardware description language (HDL). Two most prominent HDLs are Verilog and VHDL. Verilog is widely used by designers in North America, and VHDL is widely by the european designers.

Instead of designing a system on gates level, using these languages a system is described at a higher level. Then a software is used to translate this high level description into gates level. This process is called synthesis, and the software is referred to as a synthesis tool. One line in HDL can be translated by the synthesis tool into few gates. Synthesis tool is one of the examples of CAD tool.

Even before a design using HDL is processed by a synthesis tool, there are other CAD tools that can be used by the designers to check if their HDL codes follow certain rules and guidelines. These CAD tools are called rule checker software. The HDL design is check again good circuit design guideline in order to catch possible error which can caused circuit failure when it is converted into gates.

Network of connected gates which are synthesized are called net list.There are various verification CAD tools can be used to analyze a net list. The tools can be a static tools which can look at a net list and resolve it functionality mathematically. There are also dynamic tools such as simulators which look at how the circuit behave virtually when it is operating. Simulated input voltages and currents are fed into the net list, and the simulated output is shown to the designer.

Using these verification tools, designers can verify that their design work - at least in controlled simulated environment. Final verification of the actual chip is still needed because the long and intricate manufacturing process can cause problem to a circuit which not counted in during a simulated verification.

Using various CAD tools,such as synthesis tools,rule checkers and verification tools today designers have been able to create a chip which contains multi million gates in it. Other than synthesis, there are also other CAD tools that help designers with other process of an IC design such as layout tools, and timing verification tools.

The trend is to move into high abstraction using higher level language, which is more abstract than the HDLs such as C or C++ programming languages and let the software to do more and more task in generating the gates. Enabling of the use of C or C++ in designing a hardware system is done with the goal that it will convert some of the software engineers become hardware designers.

Cad, PLC, ICs and oth.

CAD priciples, tasks and tools

Here it comes the day when I feel that I will at length reach some decent understanding of effectiveness in CAD software. It goes with :
* principles
* tasks
* tools
CAD principles is the set of rules that regulate the software work and define functions designation.

Tasks are to some extent interfere with the objectives that we strive for.

Tools are the means and methods that may be used due to some reason in implementing the tasks and with following the principles.

Three basic principles of interactive rendering for 3D are approximation, preparation, andamortization. Approximation is a basic principle of all computer graphics, as we cannothope to track all photons in their full glory, nor the placement and reactions of all atomsto these photons (including those atoms in the eye and brain). The basic building blocksof modern interactive rendering are textured triangles with vertex data interpolation. Thisbias towards triangles shows the roots of development of modern PC graphics processors.Computer games are the major driving force for the sale of graphics cards, and for themost part game developers do not have needs for fast, high quality line and pointrendering vs., say, CAD or data visualization applications.

Preparation means computing in advance or on the fly various types of data and reusingthese results. For example, one common technique used for static diffuse shadedenvironments with fixed lighting conditions is to “bake in” some or all of the lightingeffects, storing a color per vertex in the model or the light’s effect on a surface in atexture map. Doing so saves repeatedly computing the identical results frame after frame.Hand in hand with preparation is the idea of amortization. If during interaction acomputation can be performed once and reused, its initial cost can be justified by thesavings it yields over a number of frames it is used. For example, for a given view theoriginal model might be replaced by a simplified 3D model or even a 2D image (called animpostor). If the view does not change significantly for a series of frames and thesimplified model can be used, the creation cost is recouped. The idea of amortization is aprinciple important to interactive rendering. In contrast, film rendering systems normallyuse a rendering farm, one processor per frame, and so must reload all data for eachindividual image generated.

p.s.
By the way, did you know guys, that blogger tried to close my blog? Somebody hang a curtain here that covered all the blog not allowing anyone (even me !) to watch what is there. Well it doesn't contain much content yet to be disappointed about it. But it was funny to read that they closed it because it contained some forbidden materials (porn? ))) or breaking copyrights. Ridiculous...
CAD priciples, tasks and tools

Getting the best results from in-mould labeling

Nick Hudson, sales director with Logic Control, writes about how to get the best results from in-mould labeling, depending on product, process and the level of automation

In-mould labeling (IML) is the name given to the process of applying labels to injection-moulded plastics parts as part of manufacturing process. IML can be used for countless products such as food trays and lids, plastics toys, patio furniture and countless other products. * What is electrostatic IML - a plastics label or decorative element is placed inside a mould.

As this label can be fixed precisely in position using a deliberately induced static charge, no vacuum holes are needed in the mould.

The mould closes and the hot plastic compound is injected, under pressure, fusing the label with the product.

IML therefore only involves one simple extra step, inserting the label into the mould.

* The advantages offered by electrostatic IML - using electrostatic charges have proved to be more economical then the traditional vacuum adhesion method as no modification is required of the tool.

Very little additional time or machinery is required for applying a label or decorative sleeve to the product, Furthermore; there is no need for additional printing, as the print quality and degree of coverage offered by IML is much greater than can be achieved by using a follow on printing process.

Limitations of the IML process - for electrostatic IML to function and operate correctly, it is essential that the surface resistatnce of the label is high enough.

A label which will bnot accept or hold a static charge will not be suitable for IML.

It is worth bearing in mind also that some labels are manufactured from more than one type of material or polymer and may carry different charges and polarities on either side.

In addition to this, thick or curved labels or sleeves can cause creasing and adhesion problems because of their size and shape.

Therefore, it is critically important to test the labels before embarking on IML.

* Options available - given the huge variations in degree of automation, size and shape of product, space availability, etc, static control recommends three different systems, which can be customised.

Manual - this method does not require a robot arm.

Indirect - this method requires no modification to the robot arm.

Direct - this method requires a robot gripper head to be modified.

* Manual - this process is used where no robot arm is present, or is unsuitable.

The operator activates the electrostatic charge process to manually charge the label which is then placed inside the mould by hand.

A specific handling device is used to allow the safe and easy handling of the charging electrode and to protect the operator.

* Indirect - with this method, the label is picked up and then passed in front of a stationary charging electrode so that a static charge is induced into the product.

The charged label is then placed inside the mould using a robot arm.

The robot arm carries out all the picking of the label, the charging process and the placing of the label into the mould automatically.

The potential disadvantage with the indirect method is that the charging process takes place outside of the mould.

Given that an element of static discharge occurs before the label actually reaches the mould, it can be more difficult to achieve acceptable results with labels that have a lower surface resistance, whilst some modification to the robot programming will be required.

* Direct - here, electrostatic charging takes place within the mould.

This is considered to be the optimum method of IML as the label is positioned, then electro-statically fixed in place.

The charging electrode is attached to and moves with the robot arm, which in turn picks and places the label.

The robot arm will need no major modification apart from the fixing of the charging electrode and High Voltage cable.

* Conclusion - in-mould labeling provides an economic alternative to both conventional fill-line labeling as well as screen-printing.

The results are finished products manufactured in a single operation with no label edges, no adhesives but, with an erosion protected design.

Static Control's innovative and versatile electrostatic charging systems are an economical method of pinning labels to the mould, when using a robot pick and place system, this information can be stored in the machines memory for future use.

Getting the best results from in-mould labeling

Coolest Design tool among CAD Software

Seeking for the best CAD tools for a long time

Since my birth sculpting and 3d-design were among the greatest avocations of my mind. It all began with an idea that arose when I first got familiar with CAD applications, it was that they were a way too complicated to digitally reflect the traditional development, prototyping and design methodologies - be they parts, floorplan drawings or 3D models. A lot of time has passed since then. Was I ever disappointed.

The CAD Software

Every time I had to play with a new CAD Software I was very thrilled. Some of them even were not designed as 3D CAD tools, I thought they possibly were actually more than "aids" design but actually all the enhances that broaded them by extending the capabilities to creatives (including kids,oldies, and designers, who are like kids) who would never have enough patience to begin seriously working with such arrogant tools. Previously, when I was starting, I occasionally stumbled on CAD tools that were quite easy to use but with most I was frustrated by how hard you had to work to accomplish much.

This blog - Design Automation

So I started this blog to track these findings and fix everything that may later build up a better and more complex view on the CAD software sphere. The bes tool, as I understand it, should be able to help you to have a moderately interesting model built in 10-15 minutes. It should have a true modeling engine behind it, and come from the real professionals. Among other desired features there should be an ability to immediately print out the model on any of a number of 3D printers.

Coolest Design tool among CAD Software