The Engineer's Toolbox

Electronics packaging. A hybrid of EMbassyWorks, FloWorks and CircuitWorks on a SolidWorks platform, ElectronixWorks provides a suite for designing and analyzing the outer shells and internal component fittings for electronic products. SolidWorks, Concord, MA. Free info--Circle 450. http://www.OneRS.net/107df-450

Vision software. Windows-based Sherlock 6.0 includes two suites of adaptive, pattern matching algorithms designed for optical character recognition and 1D and 2D bar code reading, for machine vision environments. Coreco Imaging Inc, Bedford, MA. Free info--Circle 452. http://www.OneRS.net/107df-452

Meshing tool for CFD. Tgrid 3.4 provides for the construction of unstructured computational mesh along non-planar boundaries. Commands have been added for defining resolution to lend more control over mesh quality. Fluent Inc, Lebanon, NH. Free info--Circle 456. http://www.OneRS.net/107df-456

Hybrid modeling package. CADDS 5 Release 12 offers improved isometric drawing creation, new surface lofting capabilities, and industry-specific drawing enhancements. It can be combined with the company's Optegra 6 PDM software, which has been given a 4-fold increase in product structure access speed. Other improvements in the software were made for aerospace, automotive and shipbuilding industry environments. Parametric Technology Corp, Waltham, MA. Free info--Circle 463. http://www.OneRS.net/107df-463

CATIA upgrades. Adding 17 products to its platform, CATIA Version 5 Release 6 has expanded its process coverage. The software now includes human modeling capabilities for ergonomic analyses, and a Component Application Architecture tool set that allows the development of new extensions to existing applications. Enhancements have also been made to the software's 2D-3D associativity and the ability to manage multiple instances of a subassembly. IBM, Dallas, TX. Free info--Circle 464. http://www.OneRS.net/107df-464

StudioTools upgrade. Chief among new features in StudioTools 9.7 is a filleting tool that speeds the process of connecting surfaces and rounding edges. Previously constructed fillets can be edited and updated automatically. Alias/Wavefront, Toronto, ONT. Free info--Circle 454. http://www.OneRS.net/107df-454

CAD/CAM. Formerly Varimetrix Corp, this company's Overdrive architecture bridges between solid and free-form modeling. Manufacturing planning and CNC machine routines are an integral part of the modeling engine. VX Corp, Palm Bay, FL. Free info--Circle 455. http://www.OneRS.net/107df-455

Computational fluid dynamics. PAM-FLOW 2000 offers aero-acoustics simulation for identifying and quantifying flow-induced wind noise sources. The feature reads surface meshes in NASTRAN, STL and DXF. ESI North America, Shelby Township, MI. Free info--Circle 453. http://www.OneRS.net/107df-453

Heat tracing. CompuTrace allows users to perform heat tracing designs and concurrently develop a bill of materials. The software also assists heat-up and cool-down calculations for non-flowing products. Thermon Manufacturing Co, San Marcos, TX. Free info--Circle 457. http://www.OneRS.net/107df-457

Acoustic modeling. A partnership has produced a module that can accelerate the acoustic modeling process. The software does this by creating an acoustic mesh for boundary elements analysis, which reduces the complexity of the structural model to features that would actually have an effect on acoustic behavior. The element size of the mesh is relative to the frequency range of interest. LMS International, Leuven, Belgium. Free info--Circle 465. http://www.OneRS.net/107df-465

Standalone behavior modeler. GrafiCalc 2.0 assists users to resolve optimization problems against shape, fit and position. Once the user selects sketch geometry and design objectives (such as area, moment of inertia, volume, cost, position, weight, clearance, distance, tolerance, stress or deflection), the software can then determine an optimal solution. GrafiCalc can also be used in conjunction with all popular CAD and solid modeling systems. GEOMATE Corp, San Jose, CA. Free info--Circle 466. http://www.OneRS.net/107df-466

AutoCAD-compatible CAD. IntelliCAD 2001 provides 100% .DWG file compatibility, as well as support for AutoCAD commands; menu, script and shape files; text styles; hatch patterns; linetypes; LISP programs; VBA and ADS/C++ programs. Complex linetypes with embedded shape and text objects can now be displayed. The software also supports rectangular and polyline clipping boundaries. IntelliCAD Technology Consortium, Portland, OR. Free info--Circle 467. http://www.OneRS.net/107df-467

Wiring harness design. Harnware is a 3D software package to simplify and speed up evaluation and preparation of electrical harness configuration. The software will soon provide actual size nail board drawings. Tyco Electronics-Raychem, Menlo Park, CA. Free info--Circle 458. http://www.OneRS.net/107df-458

High-strength modeling. The FDM Titan can produce RP models from polycarbonate material in build sizes up to 14- x 16- x 16-in. Future materials under development for Titan are PPSF and ABS plastic. Stratasys Inc, Eden Prairie, MN. Free info--Circle 460. http://www.OneRS.net/107df-460

Statistical software. Design-Ease 6.0 helps beginning experimenters to improve products or processes through the use of experimental design tools. Features include multilevel, two-level and fractional factorials. Stat-Ease Inc, Minneapolis, MN. Free info--Circle 459. http://www.OneRS.net/107df-459