Cadalyst - May 2008 - (Page 41)

mcadmodeling Get the best you can. Most 3D modeling vendors have a list of supported graphics cards that they’ve tested and know will work with their software. And as long as we’re talking about things that are easier on you, get yourself an ergonomic computer desk. Even if you’ve got the best and fastest computer in the world, you’re still going to have to sit in front of it for many hours a day. In a perfect world, you’ll want the top of your monitor to be at or just slightly above eye level. You’ll want a comfortable chair. That’s pretty much it for the absolute must-haves. Now, let’s go on to the fun stuff. Food for Thought I know there are those of you out there who still haven’t heard of 3Dconnexion’s 3D navigation devices (figure 2). If you do 3D work, you need one of these devices. They are among the most productivity-enhancing devices you can buy! Each is a 3D controller that allows you to rotate, pan, and zoom your models in a fluid motion. You place your fingertips on the knob and just apply pressure. The model on the screen will move. When I model without one, I always feel handicapped. They are very reasonable nowadays. You can get a SpaceTraveler for only $99 (that’s for a commercial license — you can get one for yourself at home for $59). For all those lunch meetings where we solve the problems of the world on a napkin, another good tool is a scanner. When looking at a printer, try getting an all-in-one machine that also scans. You’ll find all sorts of uses for it. A scanner is a very important and unsung hero of the engineering office. Nowadays, there is something fairly new in scanners — the 3D scanner. This device is not frivolous. I wish I had a dollar for every time a boss has asked me to model something he placed on my desk. NextEngine makes the least expensive 3D scanner that I know of. It’s a great little machine that can really pay for itself quickly (see a full review on p. 36). Of course, when you’re in the office and an idea strikes, you grab a pen and sketch it down. Instead of having to scan it in before you can edit it in a graphics program, use a graphics tablet in the first place to create it. Many kinds of tablets are available, but the two I like the best are the tablet PC and the Wacom Cintiq (figure 3). The tablets are touch screens that allow you to draw directly on them; they’re very much like a pen and paper. I’ve saved one item until last for a very simple reason: 3D printers (figure 4) are expensive — there’s no way around it. If you design products, you probably already use some kind of rapid prototyping service. Just think how handy it would be to have that equipment in house. Too expensive, you say? Hope is on the horizon. A new company called Desktop Factory soon will release a product for approximately $5,000! That’s one-quarter of what the closest competitor charges! If there is any way to afford a 3D printer, do it. Fight for it! It’s one of the best tools you can buy. Figure 2. Short of reaching into the screen and grabbing your models, the 3Dconnexion line of 3D navigation devices can’t be beat. After only a short time with one, you won’t ever want to live without it. Figure 3. Sketching with a pencil and paper is just natural. A tablet gives you a great approximation. Figure 4. 3D printers are definitely worth their weight in gold! You can imagine all you want, but you will never know how your design feels until you hold it in your hands. The Choice Is Yours If you own or work for a small company and can make your own choices about hardware, you should count yourself lucky indeed. The only consideration you have is whether you can afford it. Ultimately, you should get as much computer as you can afford. Mike Hudspeth, IDSA, is an industrial designer, artist, and author based in St. Louis, Missouri. May 2008 cadalyst www.cadalyst.com 41 http://www.cadalyst.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Cadalyst - May 2008

Cadalyst - May 2008 Contents Editor's Window Cad Central A Solid Job in AutoCAD Today’s Power — Quad-Core Workstations Performance — Tomorrow’s Possibilities Reverse Engineering an Antique Italian Treasure Trends in Reverse Engineering NextEngine 3D Scanner — Reverse-Engineering Tool Setting CAD Standards Fight for Your Hardware Rights The Jack and Jill of Ergonomics Technology for Civil Infrastructure Cad Cartoon Issue Indexes Shortcuts and Solutions

Cadalyst - May 2008

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