While looking at the shortcuts page, I stumbled across 'sheet metal shortcuts' (see pic). What's this then Tim? Some little hidden gem?? I can't find anything in the manual about sheet metal.

I don't know about you, but sheet metal tools are really useful! Can we have these tools back?? I'll buy Shark instead of a seat of Solidworks! (well actually I was going to do that anyway :D :D :D )

Lol! Well I'm firmly behind a similar reasoning to Jol. You have a dynamite application here, which has had a little neglect over the past few years- mainly I suspect because of/ from the heavy opposition such as Dessault etc. So I believe it is our duty to stand firmly by you and support you every little inch! (I think the saying goes; "Never underestimate the power of your fanbase"? :D ). That fact that you Tim, have stuck firmly in support of Apple, while so many others have dropped the platform in favour of Microsoft .NET, makes you a very important developer indeed!



I understand about sheet metal tools not being included in ViaCAD. The fact that you have ViaCAD is very important- a 3D CAD application that costs a mere 50 quid and integrates with ACAD, Iges, Step etc etc? Designing nice fancy surfaces is all very well (my degree made me realise how expensive it is to tool for complex surfaces- especially with all those drafts and shut-offs. However if you can't design the sheet metal parts that are used within your product housing that you've just modelled, without having to open Pro/E or Solidworks....well I'd think that others considering purchasing a mid-priced 3D CAD application would be thinking that because you can do roughly the same type of surfacing in these two other apps, why bother with Shark at all? So yes, sheet metal creation tools are really important! I can't emphasise this enough!



Likewise, keep up the great work! :)

The degree is over, and now I intend to get some further work. I will also be saving for a copy of Shark too (and hopefully by then, the sheet metal tools also!) :cool:

Hi Victorf57.

I disagree with you (partly). Yes ViaCAD is simple, but it is not, despite being so cheap, an 'entry level' application. ViaCAD is actually extremely powerful.

BUT,

I, like many others, and many who are now looking for an alternative to Windows Vista and XP based computers, will have come from a background that has been dominated by the big players like Solidworks, AutoCAD, SolidEdge etc etc. So it is vitally important that there is a viable multipurpose CAD alternative on this most elegant platform, OS X.

FWIW, I've just finished a BSc (honours) in CAD where my primary software has been Solidworks. I don't know if you are aware, but both ViaCAD and Solidworks are based on the same kernel, Parasolid. This means that both of these products will behave in a very similar way to each other, and they do. ViaCAD is very much like a 'mini Solidworks', and many of the functions- like for eg Young's Modulus of a specified material given to a part made in either application is available. This is a very cool 'added extra' indeed!

But you should not get into the mindset that just because it is not there, then you will have never missed it, because like current governments, if you do not champion improvement, and therefore change, nothing will ever... ahem, change, and therefore improve.

Sheet metal, like Tim quite rightly points out is a really useful addition, and I can understand totally why it wouldn't appear in ViaCAD, because like you have pointed out (Victor?), ViaCAD is nice and simple as it is (even if it isn't! ;) ). But I strongly disagree with you that a simpler toolset is better. It is not. What is bad are tools that aren't really needed, and yes, SW's has fallen foul to this a little, but then again, if time is money, then extra tools that make for better productivity have to be welcomed and NOT ignored.

http://www.spatial.com/

VC and Shark are using the ACIS kernel plus add on modules and translators from the company above. Seems to me that SW is quite restrictive about interoperability, and a Parasolids translator is probably an expensive add-on, which may be why you don't see either listed in the imports/exports list.

SW imports ACIS SAT files fine, but lacking translators, VC and Shark users will need to import a translation of a SW or Parasolids file, an inconvenience for some, but not a big deal in my opinion.

Sheet metal tools will be welcome, but I hold out hope for higher level assembly tools, and the continuing expansion of parametric capabilities.

tom

Reference files, I think, if that is what keeps track of the assembly features. If I'm not mistaken, you should have up to six degree of freedom for each assembly of two parts, and I suppose there could be multiple constraints between those two parts, like a curved slot and a pivot. I'm guessing that you would need to be in an assembly mode, and that mode would have its own feature tree as the assembly features are created.

tom

Good input Tom :)



Yes, Very similar to Solidworks; during assembly in Solidworks, a small window to the left of the main assembly screen is open showing a list of parts. One simply drags parts into the assembly screen from that window. An icon is also at the top of this small screen, that denotes an operation to continue to hold this window open (shown as a pin icon), until the designer chooses to 'release the pin' (radio button), closing the window. Items in the assembly screen can then be assembled accordingly, using the mating functions.

Actually there is a lot in favour for the existing Shark/ VC assembly method, as it is geared nicely towards creating a model from scratch (bottom up assembly). New layers can be added to create new parts, then if parts need to be milled or tooled off, STL files can be created from the individual layers.

HOWEVER.....

If there is also the type of assembly available which works in a similar manner to how Tom describes, this would make Shark exceptionally powerful, much more powerful than both Solidworks and 3DS Max.



Yes- including parametric relations to mates, like a concentric relationship on a shaft, for eg making an engine or a hinge for a door etc? Tom, it sounds like you are requesting a feature to flip the orientation of the part (also ala Solidworks) on a right click or control-click (single click Apple mouse)? A very useful feature. I'd also like to suggest being able to orient individual parts in an assembly window too. Again similar to SW's- but probably very similar to all the other Spatial-based CAD apps too?



This sounds like it either is a bug, or a hangover from a time where files were kept to a minimum in size in order to be stored on a smaller drive. My first laptop was an Apple Powerbook G3. The PB's hard drive was a tiny (by todays standards) 2gb!!!! I would imagine that Tim has never felt the need to change this- but as a timesaver, you have a very good point. :)

I know the first two requests are going to be hard to code- but I think it will be highly worth it. I imagine though that we will have to wait a while (Shark v10?), but I'm here patient and waiting (fingers crossed!). :D

Tim, didn't Ashlar Vellum Cobalt once have a flatten feature, that showed the cut out profile?

Mark, although limited, there are the existing bend tools in Shark already, and they work fairly well as they stand. Also Tim has talked about sheet metal tools a few times, so I imagine that now Punch are seeing that there is a need for them still (I for one want them back), they will hopefully get Tim's development team to replace them.

Solidworks is lovely software, but SW's also sells a lot more seats than Punch do (at present anyway), so they can afford to have bigger development teams, and therefore deliver the goods to us faster. But yes, switching back to Windows after picking up OS X can be a real shock to the system! Windows (although it works) is such a horrible operating system! LOL! :eek:

What was that Bugs Bunny line...; "You heard what the man says, that's what he said.....!" :D

I've got some ideas too with sheet metal tools in Shark, so when you're ready Tim, just shout!

Tom :)