Cadalyst - October 2007 - (Page 32)

cadlabsreview Figure 5. When you go to extrude a profile and it encloses internal details, they will come out as holes. Figure 6. The Tube Bend tool is really a neat way to work. It gives you great control over every aspect of the bend. other, and it will extrude them while keeping in mind that multiple solids generally don’t occupy the same space (at least within the same command). If you have nesting profiles, you will either get a solid with holes or multiple solids. This capability can save you a lot of time. TurboCAD Pro 14 now offers Geometric Alignment Aids, which are visual references that let you know where on an object you are going to snap. It covers things like tangencies, intersections, and parallels. The inferred snap lets you specify objects of interest. That means you can specify which objects you are interested in — right in the middle of the selection process. It might not sound like truly innovative stuff to the more experienced modelers out there, but it’s good to see in a program that costs only $1,295! One command I particularly liked was the Tube Bend tool (figure 6), which is available as part of the Mechanical Tool Set ($99.95). You select the tube, specify how far down the tube from its end you want the bend, and then choose how big a bend you want and in which direction. Badda-BING! It’s bend-o, change-o! The way it’s done is very straightforward and easy. You also can extend a tube and bend it at the same time. The Boss tool, which also is part of the Mechanical Tool Set, is very much like the Hole tool, but it creates geometry that goes away from the model’s volume. You specify the boss’ location, its diameter, and its height — even the angle of its walls. It’s pretty simple. You also have sheet metal functionality built right into TurboCAD Pro 14. It works with the Smart Dimension tool and is a fast, easy way to annotate your model. You can apply all kinds of dimensions — horizontal and vertical, angular, parallel, and radial — right to your model. The sheet metal function uses these dimensions to control the size of a flange, for example. Of course, no one models in a vacuum. If you can’t import or export from a program, you are up the proverbial creek without a paddle. Not to worry. TurboCAD Pro 14 is compatible with all kinds of industry-standard file formats, including 32 October 2007 | cadalyst | www.cadalyst.com DWG/DXF, SketchUp, and ACIS (TurboCAD Pro 14’s native modeling kernel). Interestingly, TurboCAD Pro 14’s SketchUp support retains the original material and color properties when you import objects. That makes it easy to use SketchUp as a conceptual tool and then switch to TurboCAD Pro 14 as an engineering tool. TurboCAD has many great plug-ins available that add to the product’s functionality. Add TurboSketch, an easy rendering plug-in for Google SketchUp, and you’re on your way. TurboSketch uses the Lightworks engine for photorealistic rendering. Animation Lab 4 will let you create animations of your designs. The CAM add-on will help you produce parts. The Furniture Maker has chairs and other furnishings. There’s even a Hatch Pattern Creator for when you need a new or different crosshatch. Soapbox Alert TurboCAD Pro 14 offers several training manuals to teach the program’s capabilities. (A few third-party books are available as well.) They cost approximately $50 each. I think training materials should be free. Sure, books are good, but they’re usually too expensive, and frankly, when was the last time you felt like you got your money’s worth out of a software training manual? How much does it cost to put a few videos on a Web site? I think free training should be expected of a company that wants to position itself as a developer of a high-quality product. Powerful, Simple, Affordable If you can’t afford to buy a high-end 3D modeler, TurboCAD Pro 14 might just be right for you. It combines great power, a low price, and ease of use to make what you do even better. For more information about TurboCAD Pro 14 or its addons, visit www.turbocad.com. c Mike Hudspeth, IDSA, is an industrial designer, artist, and author based in St. Louis, Missouri. http://www.turbocad.com http://www.cadalyst.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Cadalyst - October 2007

Contents Editor's Window Cad Central Tech Trends: First-Hand Architecture in Second Life Rev It Up — Graphics Cards Pack Power for Today’s Hottest Designs TurboCAD Pro 14 — 3D Modeling Software SimEnterprise R2 — Design Simulation Software CADopia 6.2 SP3 Professional Edition — 2D and 3D Modeling Software Cad Manager: Programming Resources for CAD Managers MCAD Modeling: Customer Service Horror Stories PLM Strategies: Manufacturing Across Time Zones AEC in Focus: Digital-Asset Management in AEC/O Cad Cartoon Issue Indexes Cadfidential

Cadalyst - October 2007

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