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Siemens Mentor releases FloMaster thermo-fluid solution with CAD connectivity and new physics

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Mentor, a Siemens software business, has launched the latest release of its FloMaster 1D thermo-fluid system modeling product.

Combining integration with 3D mechanical computer-aided design (MCAD) with new physics and an improved user experience, the latest release of the FloMaster tool is the result of extensive years of research and development, and accuracy validated by running more than 13 million unit test runs.

The new FloMaster release offers significant advancements in productivity through automated connectivity to 3D CAD design tools.  [Read more…] about Siemens Mentor releases FloMaster thermo-fluid solution with CAD connectivity and new physics

Systems engineering: An insight from a professional systems engineer

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Systems engineering and systems design might sound fascinating to someone interested in the area of technology and building, making, developing, and organising things. 

But even to understand what the terms mean, from a beginner’s or outsider’s point of view, can be difficult.

And to summarise them probably wouldn’t explain things adequately because they really sound like a big jobs, involving a large number of tasks across many different disciplines and departments.

[Read more…] about Systems engineering: An insight from a professional systems engineer

An introduction to product design and development for manufacturing

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Many people have ideas, but actually producing something – sketch, prototype, then final product – from those ideas, and having it mass-manufactured, is a hugely complex, time-consuming and expensive process.

If that product is an electronic and semiconductor technology-based hardware-and-software product, which is increasingly in demand these days, then that’s an even higher level of complexity and stress.

This article tries to provide a starting point, or introduction, for those interested in industrial design or product development, and maybe have ideas for products and want to know how to start the process of getting them manufactured.  [Read more…] about An introduction to product design and development for manufacturing

B&R adds optimized engineering to 3D SuperTrak simulation

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B&R has added a new visualization tool which it says accelerates the development of automation solutions featuring the company’s SuperTrak industrial transport system.

The tool displays a 3D simulation of all SuperTrak shuttle movements, as well as synchronized subsystems such as robotics and CNC.

Machine builders and operators can accelerate the commissioning process by validating their designs and sequential programming in advance.  [Read more…] about B&R adds optimized engineering to 3D SuperTrak simulation

Autodesk to bundle Nastran simulation and manufacturing software free with Inventor

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Autodesk is planning to include simulation and computer-aided manufacturing software into its Inventor mechanical design suite of applications, according to a report on Engineering.com. 

Autodesk Inventor is generally used by engineers in mechanical design, and was available for $2,500 a year through the company’s website.

Autodesk’s senior director of manufacturing business strategy, Stephen Hooper, told Engineering.com that the company would now include Nastran and HSMWorks in an Inventor suite.  [Read more…] about Autodesk to bundle Nastran simulation and manufacturing software free with Inventor

The 10 most highly prized industrial design awards

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An industrial design award can launch a designer’s career, so is highly sought after, and there are plenty of design competitions out there to enter if you’re interested. 

Although most of the competitions emphasise consumer product design, and often software-oriented products, the industrial product categories are also extensively included.

And if you can’t find one that has a category that seems to suit your category now, if you wait long enough, someone will organise one.  [Read more…] about The 10 most highly prized industrial design awards

Kuka wins prestigious Red Dot design award for industrial robot

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Kuka has won a prestigious design aware from the Red Dot organisation, which runs a competition which analyses products from an extensive range of industries.

The award that Kuka won was in the Red Dot industrial product design category, and it was for its industrial robot, the KR CyberTech (pictured).

Kuka says the jury’s reasoning was: “The KR CyberTech industrial robot – with its streamlined, elongated silhouette – stretches the limits of possibility in terms of speed and reach.”  [Read more…] about Kuka wins prestigious Red Dot design award for industrial robot

Airbus chooses Stratasys system to 3D print components for new aircraft

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Stratasys has been chosen by Airbus to supply 3D printing and additive manufacturing systems for the production of components for aerospace company’s new plane. 

Airbus has already used the Stratasys FDM 3D Production System to produce 1,000 flight parts for use on its A350 XWB aircraft.

The 3D printed parts use a resin called Ultem 9085, which is certified to an Airbus material specifications to have a high strength to weight ratio and to be resistant to flame, smoke and toxicity – necessary for aircraft interiors.  [Read more…] about Airbus chooses Stratasys system to 3D print components for new aircraft

Autodesk launches generative design tool for Netfabb 3D design software

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Autodesk has released a beta version of a generative design tool for its Netfabb additive manufacturing software, with a view to a full launch early next year. 

Generative design is a term to describe an automation functionality within 3D design software which enables users to set parameters such as materials and physics and allow the software itself to conjure up a design.

Some might describe it as automated or autonomous design – or even sorcery and magic – as it uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to generate structures within the software.  [Read more…] about Autodesk launches generative design tool for Netfabb 3D design software

Dassault Systèmes boss talks about generative design and whether humans are necessary

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DAMEN PSV 5000 - PAUL A SACUTA small
Damen recently selected Dassault Systèmes software for its engineering design process

Nothing is as straightforward as it might first sound. So, for example, one might imagine that, by using generative design software, a designer could set parameters for the computer to produce a structure and then use a 3D printer to output that structure, whether that structure is a single molecule of steel or a larger, more complex structure, like a car body. Basically, you could get the computer to do almost all of the design work.

The technology is available to do those things. And any designer who’s produced countless iterations of one basic design would certainly appreciate such powerful software. But is it really as simple as that? Probably not.

If anyone would know the answer for sure, it would be Stephen Chadwick, managing director of Dassault Systèmes for the north European region, or EuroNorth, and he says it’s possible to remove humans from the design process completely.  [Read more…] about Dassault Systèmes boss talks about generative design and whether humans are necessary