Delcam has launched a multi-lingual learning zone for the 2011 version of its PowerSHAPE Pro CAD software for product design, tooling design and reverse engineering. This includes full details on the new release, including “What’s New” videos from expert Application Engineers, and customer testimonials. The learning zone can be found at www.delcam.tv/PS2011/lz.
PowerSHAPE Pro is the only CAD software to offer “Tribrid Modelling” – the addition of triangle modelling to the combination of surface and solid modelling that is offered in many other CAD packages as “hybrid modelling”. Having all the different modelling techniques in a single package reduces the need to transfer data between multiple programs and so streamlines the whole product development process. The extended range of functionality, for example, the ability to undertake Boolean operations between triangle meshes and solids or surfaces, makes PowerSHAPE Pro ideal for the re-engineering of existing products into improved designs or for creating bespoke products, for example, for individual patients in the healthcare industry.
With Tribrid Modelling, PowerSHAPE Pro offers a flexible and pragmatic approach that allows the design intent to be captured from the physical model rather than simply producing a duplicate digital representation. This is particularly important when generating models from items that might be worn or damaged, and in cases where the quality of the initial data is less than perfect.
Other great strengths of PowerSHAPE Pro are in data translation and modelling for manufacture. The software incorporates the Solid Doctor, which allows users to tackle all the common problems that can be found when translating low precision and incomplete data, including gaps and overlaps between surfaces, or duplicated and missing surfaces, and generate a valid, high-precision solid model.
The Solid Doctor uses a combination of automatic data repair tools, together with surface creation and editing options for more challenging errors. This combination means that simple repairs can be carried out quickly and easily, while more complex problems can be overcome by deleting and replacing the existing surfaces within the model.
