MD_CAD CAM Monthly_: The "Fun Theory"

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The latest information on CAD/CAM software and technology

November 11, 2009

The "Fun Theory"

VW has an interesting twist to industrial design: Making stuff fun will change people's behavior for the better. The company calls this idea the "Fun Theory." Several video examples reside on the funtheory.com site. In one, designers changed a regular-old, boring staircase into a replica of huge piano keys that play notes every time someone goes up or down the steps. Not only are people following the healthy suggestion to take the stairs, not the escalator, they run, jump, and dance up the stairs. Another video shows a glass-bottle recycle bin that has been made into an arcade "game." Everytime you put a bottle into one of the several slots, lights flash, buzzers go off, and you win "points." By the end of the day, the bin had collected loads of bottles, while a nearby, traditonal bin had none.

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— Leslie Gordon
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Articles

Freehand Sketching for FEA

Freehand sketching provides a natural, efficient, and convenient way to visually represent ideas. It also mimics drawing with pen and paper, a big advantage over traditional window, icon, menu, and pointer GUIs. Users can use a freehand-sketching program with almost no training. Further, studies in cognitive science have shown that freehand sketching does not break users’ thought processes. The method is particularly useful in early stages of design where fluidity and ease of construction encourage creativity and the rapid exploration of ideas. Read the rest of the story

An Accidental Stimulus

As the official unemployment rate tops 10% in more than one quarter of all states, the hot topic of the day increasingly moves toward how to stimulate more hiring. This is particularly true in states hit the hardest in the economic downturn. With this in mind, consider the annual trade show put on by the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute last month. Despite the punk economy, show attendance was healthy. Many exhibitors reported a lot of interest in the packaging and food-processing equipment they had on the show floor. Read the rest of the story

New Products

Electronics Cooling software Works in MCAD

FloTHERM 3D CFD software from Mentor Graphics Corp. predicts airflow and heat transfer in and around electronic equipment, including the coupled effects of conduction, convection and radiation. The program tightly integrates with MCAD software such as Pro/E, SolidWorks, and CATIA, providing a concurrent workflow between analysis and design. Features include a structured Cartesian mesher that minimizes solution time, a solver engine designed and optimized over 15 years specifically for electronics cooling applications, and unique automatic optimization tools which help users find the right combination of design variables to meet their design goals. Users can quickly assemble models that range in scale from single ICs on a PCB to full racks of electronics from a complete set of SmartParts (intelligent model-creation macros) that come with the software or from a large list of suppliers from around the globe that use FloTHERM. Read the rest of the story

Engineering Design Challenge

SolidWorks Corp. is providing an online Engineering Design Challenge it says helps you gain insight and top tips for improving your products and your career. The test includes several sections, for instance, "Optimization." Select an answer and the program shows whether or not you were correct and includes a brief paragraph explaining why, in real time. Instructive videos in each section explain topics in further depth. Read the rest of the story

Desktop-like experience in your browser

You have been able to create 3D models on your desktop with non-CAD tools such as Google SketchUp for awhile. Lately, the trend has users creating 3D in their browsers. The recent open-source Google O3D program is a good example. An “interiors” demonstration shows fairly complex 3D architectural models being displayed in a browser. The application reminds me of Autodesk’s Project DragonFly except it lacks the 2D layout tools. Read the rest of the story

Desktop 3D Printer

The Alaris30 desktop 3D printer from Objet Geometries Inc. provides high-quality, finely detailed printed models in a compact office-friendly system. It creates smooth surfaces, complex geometries, small moving elements, fine details, and stand-out text. Based on the developer's PolyJet Photopolymer Jetting Technology, the Alaris30 creates models suitable for painting, vacuum forming, and functional, fit and form testing. Read the rest of the story

News from MD

Check Out the New EET Website

Are you looking for more information on energy efficiency? EETweb.com features the latest efficiency updates, information on the basics of energy efficiency and products available for energy efficient designs. Click here to visit the site and learn more!

UPCOMING WEBCASTS

Seven Critical Issues in Heater Selection for OEM Applications
Sponsored by Minco
DATE: November 19th, 2009
TIME: 2:00pm ET/11am PT

Product development is a complex process. In addition to cost and time-to-market, engineers have to address a variety of sometimes-conflicting issues that can include size, weight, speed, reliability, flexibility, ease of use, safety, manufacturability, support costs and more. One aspect of product design that may not show up on your list of top priorities is heating.

In fact, the heating technologies you choose, whether off-the-shelf or customized, can have a significant impact on many aspects of your product including performance, cost, and even time-to-market.

This 60-minute webcast will present seven factors that can help you make the most of your heating choices.

how heater choice can increase your design flexibility
how heating uniformity can improve the yield of your systems
how to speed warm-up and heat transfer for increased throughput
how to ensure accuracy and improve your product’s productivity
and much more

Click here to learn more and to register!

ARCHIVED WEBCASTS AVAILABLE FOR FREE VIEWING

Click Here for a list of archived Machine Design webcasts.

Industry Update

Best of the Recent Tweets

〜MotionSysDesign (Motion System Design): Pneumatics company Bimba is offering free samples of its air preparation equipment at bimba.com/frl – as well as basic engineering info.

〜Comsol:

¤º°¨¨°º¤ø ¸„ø¤º°¨¨°º¤ø ¸„ø¤º°¨¨°º¤ø NEW MOON¸„ø¤º°¨¨°º¤ø ¸„ø¤º°¨¨°º¤ø ¸„ø¤º°¨¨°º¤ø KEEP THE WAVE GOING ¸„ø¤º°¨¨°º¤ø¸„ø¤º°¨¨°º¤ø ¸„ø¤º°¨¨°

〜dezineforce:Webinar by Althea de Souza on practical application of CFD techniques available for download until 12 Nov: http://bit.ly/4m8ueG

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