Manufacturing Software bridges CAD interoperability gap.
Press Release Summary:
KeyCreator(TM) v5 eliminates cases of incompatible file formats between designers and engineers. Geometry and intelligent freeform modeling capabilities allow users to import, edit, and work on non-native files and dumb models. In addition to user-definable 3D dynamic environment map rendering, software features zebra line analysis, dynamic transparent cutting plane, and background image support. It also provides pattern and feature discovery functionality.
Original Press Release:
New Kubotek Keycreator Bridges CAD Interoperability Gap
-- Version 5 of Leading Design Tool Addresses the Industry's Major Interoperability Issues, Provides Efficient Path Between OEMs and Job Shops, Designers and Manufacturers --
Marlborough, MA - October 20, 2005 - Kubotek® USA today announced KeyCreator(TM) 5, a new version of its widely used design and manufacturing software. This new version of the software attacks the major interoperability issues that the company's recent surveys (http://www.kubotekusa.com/news/press_releases/080105.asp) have tracked, bridging the gap between designers and engineers who are frequently stymied by incompatible file formats. The new features are particularly valuable to moldmakers and job shops that need to be able to detect and work with specific patterns and features within a model.
"Most engineers and designers need to reuse data and model components from a previous model, or work on a model that someone else created," said Robert Bean, chief operating officer, Kubotek USA. "Hundreds of millions of dollars are wasted every year because designers have to recreate parts that they can not access because they were originally designed in another CAD format. Surprisingly, only a small percentage of designers receive files in their preferred format.
Bean continued, "The issues created because of the lack of CAD interoperability are no different than the challenges that arise around different languages. While we like to think of English being the accepted standard for the business world, it is very similar to manufacturing industry standards like STEP and IGES; standardization is limited and will only work occasionally."
KeyCreator 5 provides substantial new functionality that builds on the company's use of geometry and intelligent freeform modeling capabilities. This architecture allows users to easily import, edit and work on non-native files. New pattern and feature discovery functionality provides the ability to quickly highlight, prune and graft distinct model elements, patterns, groups of features and "blends." Kubotek has added intelligence to KeyCreator 5 to enable the software to easily manipulate features in so-called "dumb files."
Bean explained, "Since translated CAD files are comprised of geometry alone, only Kubotek's geometry-based architecture can detect and work with them as easily as other CAD tools work with a native file. Most engineers and designers consider translated parts almost unworkable. It is only now that the hardware has become capable of handling feature and pattern discovery in real time."
"Kubotek's enhancements in KeyCreator and their leadership in conducting interoperability surveys demonstrates an intrinsic understanding of end user needs and the overhead costs forced by interoperability issues in the industry," asserts Ken Versprille, Ph.D., PLM research director, CPD Associates, LLC. "Numerous approaches have been attempted to resolve the problem of CAD interoperability, with limited success. The Kubotek vision is of a world where CAD formats are meaningless; functionality and ease-of-use are most important. Kubotek's breakthrough work in intelligent geometry within KeyCreator v5 represents a substantial step forward on delivering that vision."
Sharing CAD Files is Everyone's Problem
In June, Kubotek unveiled the results of the first portion of its 2005 CAD Interoperability Survey. The survey of more than 1,250 CAD managers showed that that there are still widespread issues around CAD interoperability. The company followed up this survey with a second one focusing on job shops. The new 2005 Kubotek Job Shop Survey studied the impact of interoperability problems on this market segment and showed that it is shouldering significant business expenses because of interoperability issues and customer CAD requirements.
o Approximately two-thirds (63 percent) of job shops are required by their customers to receive CAD files in a specific format.
o Almost one-third of all the respondents (27 percent) had to purchase a specific CAD tool just to satisfy specific customer requirements
o A majority of the respondents had to share files with multiple clients, each with different CAD requirements.
Tony Creti, president of Electromoulds, a Canadian job shop that makes plastic injection molds for the medical products industry, among others, had this to say: "Because I work with multiple clients, I receive files in at least four or five different CAD file formats on a daily basis. KeyCreator allows me to quickly and easily translate and work with all of these files. KeyCreator 5 is another successful building block in Kubotek USA's confrontation of the interoperability problem. Specifically, the new pattern and feature discovery capabilities will save a significant amount of time."
Kenneth Harris is a tooling engineer who designs both progressive stamping dies and the presses that run them. Harris has been using an early release of KeyCreator 5 and is impressed with the new version of KeyCreator. Harris is required to use many other CAD/CAM programs so the ability to translate data from one file format to another is very important. "During the quoting process, customers send many different file types, and KeyCreator can open and work with the vast majority of them. After the work is completed, customers need a 'neutral' file format in order to send the model to the CNC program. KeyCreator exports to nearly every file format and does so easily and accurately.
Harris continued, "Even with all of the new features -- sheet-metal bending, pruning, grafting, and patterns, just to name a few -- KeyCreator is still the easiest CAD program I have ever used. I have demonstrated to users of other CAD programs how KeyCreator can quickly produce a design part. They tell me the same part would take them twice the time."
KeyCreator 5.0 Adds Direct Feature Editing Toolbox Converting a CAD file to a different format (creating a "dumb" file) does not usually capture all the information that an engineer needs to do the job. The new version of KeyCreator includes a number of tools to directly edit features in dumb models.
o Face selection, pattern and feature discovery: Allows the user to find, name, select and work with any pattern or feature in a model, including blends, sheet metal bends, holes, pockets, bosses, and countersinks. Moldmakers in particular will find this function speeds the creation process, allowing them to quickly strip away extraneous parts to work on a specific feature.
o Prune and Graft: Prune can create a tool solid from selected sets of faces of an existing solid. Graft aids in dynamic orienting and positioning, and uniting or subtracting these "pruned" tool solids.
o Rich graphic functionality including user-definable 3D dynamic environment map rendering, zebra line analysis, dynamic transparent cutting plane and user definable background image support.
o And much more - click here to view a detailed list (http://www.kubotekusa.com/images/pdf/KeyCreator_V5_Enhancements.pdf).
The rapidly expanding KeyCreator product family includes multidimensional design and drafting, NC programming and the company's unique geometry-based foundation with localized feature editing and sophisticated deformation techniques. KeyCreator blends surface, solid and wireframe modeling, allowing for easy model modification and editing functionality to support rapid manufacturing.
North American pricing for KeyCreator begins at $3495, including one year of maintenance. Current, maintenance-paying customers can download the new version immediately.
About Kubotek
Kubotek USA, Inc., headquartered in Marlborough, MA, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kubotek Corporation. Kubotek USA develops and manufactures KeyCreator software (formerly CADKEY) and is also responsible for sales, marketing, distribution and support for the Americas.
Visit Kubotek at: www.kubotekusa.com
Kubotek, KeyCreator, and CADKEY are registered trademarks or trademarks of Kubotek Corporation. All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
