3D CAD NEWS

Alibre, Inc., the other MCAD company from Texas, has just annoucned Alibre 3D Publisher for Google SketchUp. It works with all versions of the product, from the basic free-as-in-beer-not-free-as-in-speech version to the $2K Professional model. This sneaky new add-on is also free-as-in-beer-not-as-in-speech. But it is about much more than Googlemania, as I explain if you are nice enough to keep reading.

The idea behind this MCAD mash-up (never thought I'd be putting those two words together) is to allow product designers a way to get their goods on display in Google 3D Warehouse and Google Earth. I guess somebody could accurately illustrate the contents of the city dump. "Look Mommie, I drew the toaster we threw away."

"Google SketchUp is widely used for conceptual and architectural design while Alibre Design is primarily used for precise mechanical design," we are thoughtfully told in the Alibre press release.

Now, here's the sneaky stuff. Using Alibre 3D Publisher for Google SketchUp, ANY 3D model from ANY CAD or modeling system can be exported in industry standard formats such as STEP, IGES and SAT, as well as models created natively in Alibre Design. Then the model can be published directly to the Google SketchUp format, then edited or enhanced in Google SketchUp and uploaded to the Google 3D Warehouse or placed on Google Earth. As Alibre says in its press release (we are not making this up) "This means millions of visually accurate 3D designs from thousands of popular 3D design and CAD programs, including SolidWorks, Pro/ENGINEER, CATIA, Unigraphics, SolidEdge, Inventor, Rhino, Maya, and more, can be used in Google's most popular graphics programs." I guess Alibre knew that most of those big-shot MCAD programs wouldn't be caught dead playing in Google's 3D Warehouse.

Once converted to the SketchUp format, mechanical models can also be edited directly in SketchUp via its "revolutionary and easy to use "push-pull" interface" (again quoting Alibre). To continue to quote--and please note the precise techical terms about to be used: "Unlike other conversions that simply dump out a glob of unrelated facets or triangles, [those are the technical terms I warned you about-- Editor] Alibre's 3D Publisher constructs geometrically correct models which can be directly edited in SketchUp. This provides an excellent platform to modify or create new conceptual designs relative to existing precise mechanical models, such as mounting hardware or consumer packaging. Other examples include precise woodworking models like furniture or cabinetry that can be parametrically designed in Alibre Design and then incorporated into a SketchUp model of an entire house or building."

Google SketchUp is rapidly becoming the de facto standard for 3D design among the great unwashed masses who have never considered buying CATIA. It was a smart move for Alibre to hook their star to Google in this way.

Alibre would like you to know that if you want more information about the Alibre 3D Publisher for Google SketchUp, you should visit their website at www.alibre.com/Products/3Dpublisher.asp.

Alright, so Punch Software makes a whole series of 'home design' products which we all see at CompUSA, Walmart etc. But today, they announced full 3D software for a simple $99. Now, back in November 2006, they acquired CADSoft Solutions Inc (CSI) and, we believe, acquired Tim Olson with it. CSI used to develop 'conceptual design software' much of which was used by other vendors. Indeed, IMSI's TurboCAD for MAC product is reportedly built on CSI's code.

ViaCAD, as the Punch product is known, is a Windows and Mac-based product, that claims that it makes 2D and 3D design easy and fun. The image (below) of things that have been created in ViaCAD are surprisingly complex, so we would be interested to see just how 'easy' they are to create.

 

Industry commentary: Will $99 3D CAD software actually be any good? Well, we already have free 3D from Alibre Design Xpress which according to its many users is well-received, usable and functional (if slightly limited in assembly size.) We have affordable 3D software from Rhino, FreeDesign, IMSI and Alibre, and all of these kick butt in terms of creating in 3D. And despite all of that, any article you read has the mid-range CEOs being entirely dismissive...we suggest that they should, perhaps, try some of this stuff out.

Yesterday, Cocreate released its Mid-range 3D CAD software for free for a limited time. (The download is for a limited time, not using the software which is for as long as you want.)

The ViaCAD software seems good and has a pedigreed background - developer Tim Olson is not in the habit of developing crap software. We are sure he has not done that in this case either!

 

For $99 can we really go wrong? The software won't be out until March 07, but I have a feeling I'll be buying it at CompUSA even if just to try it out.

 

 

 

If the high-end CAD products (CATIA, UG) are the Lexuses of the CAD industry, so we can regard the mid-range CAD - SolidWorks, Inventor, Cocreate etc - as the BMWs and Audis, then the 'affordable' CAD (Alibre, Rhino, TurboCAD etc) are about to become the Toyota Camrys and Honda Civics of the world - used by the 'everyman' who needs to get around in 3D.

There is a documented, growing market in what we can call the 'hobbyist' market - people who don't just want to dream about designing a product in their basement, but now actually want to design and build it. And with sub-$1,000 products available, which have growing sophistication, these hobbyists are increasingly able to do exactly that. These people who used to aspire to eventually buying AutoCAD, maybe after a rare, hefty tax refund, find themselves able to afford 3D design without much thought!

Coupled with this is the rising availability of 'home' milling machines - Tormach, with its sub-$7k CNC machine, is a prime example. So now for less than $10k total, these people can go home, create an idea in 3D and then simply machine it in their garage...pretty cool. Even better, the Tormach systems do not need any additional electrical supply, and can be delivered on a truck with a hand-held forklift for placement.

While I have always been advised not to make predictions, well, here goes...Affordable 3D CAD is perfectly placed to undermine the traditional individual user-base of the mid-range CAD vendors, and this will only continue. The 'low-end' 3D CAD market has seen such an increase in sophisticated tools, functions and abilities, that the trend is already occuring under our noses. The low-end 3D CAD is rapidly catching up to the features and functions in mid-range 3D, and is blessed (most of them anyway) with newer kernels, less legacy development data and not hindered by legacy formats that can stymie new development. Their progress has been very rapid. And this will only continue. Mid-range vendors need to beware.