CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
November 2005
Product News
New PowerSHAPE Options Make Total Modelling More Accessible
The latest version of Delcam's PowerSHAPE CAD system has made its Total Modelling functionality much easier to use. Other enhancements within PowerSHAPE 6 include new toolbars for the software's analysis and model repair functionality, and the ability to use the morphing technology to add draft to models.
Total Modelling is Delcam's unique method for adding logos, textures and other decoration to CAD models. It enables triangle models, including those generated within the ArtCAM engraving program and the CopyCAD reverse engineering system, to be incorporated into surface or solid models created in PowerSHAPE.
The latest release includes a new Wizard to both speed and simplify the process. This allows the user to determine the exact position and orientation of the wrapped decoration, and then adjust its size and aspect ratio to give the required effect. A preview mode illustrates the final effect before the full calculation is undertaken.
In another enhancement, the software is now able to produce a complete 360° wrap around a cone or cylinder. This will be especially valuable for the decoration of the sides or shoulders of bottles, one of the main applications for Total Modelling.
The new toolbars cover all PowerSHAPE's options for the analysis and repair of imported models. The analysis tools include smoothness shading, curvature analysis and draft angle shading, plus a new wall thickness shading command, together with model compare functionality to detect modifications between different versions of the same part. The model repair functionality is equally comprehensive, including options to remove duplicate surfaces, re-trim surface edges and stitch small gaps. Grouping these two sets of commands together will make it easier to find the required command and give a more logical workflow when moving from component design to tooling design.
The ability to use morphing to add draft will solve one of the most common problems when preparing designs for manufacture - the lack of sufficient draft to remove the part from its tooling easily. While this might seem trivial, if such a change is not covered in the model's history tree, it can often require the design to be recreated totally.
With the new option in PowerSHAPE 6, morphing can be used to apply draft to multiple surfaces within a surface or solid model simultaneously. In addition, where required, draft can be applied to the external surfaces of the part without affecting the internal surfaces.
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