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(continued...) An untrimmed base face can also be readily created that passes through a set of points read from an ASCII format point file of scanned data.
Although the value of these surfaces can be limited by ripples due to the accuracy of the scanned data, VX provides sufficient surface analysis and modelling tools to achieve high quality surfaces.
Draft can be added to faces relative to a neutral edge, face, plane or parting line.
Parting lines can be created from silhouettes, plane intersections, face edges and curve projections.
A parting face can also be generated.
The manufacturing version incorporates full 2 ½ and 3 axis CAM including manufacturing planning and CNC machine routine output.
This avoids the need for intermediate translations or the loss of associativity with the model should the design need to change.
Full sheet metal design tools are also available including tab, corner and deformation tools for features such as dimples and louvers.
When folding and folding a part the stationary face can be specified and bend radii can be selectively modified.
At present the lack of direct integration with third party analysis packages such as finite element or motion analysis could be a limitation since exporting data for use in these tools during the design phase can lead to additional revision control issues or at least additional work.
The integration of surface and solid capabilities is clearly the best route to efficient creation of the widest range of parts.
This is underlined by the number of competitor products in the mid-range, design centric market who are adding surface capabilities to their solid modellers.
Although VX have a lead and indeed pedigree in this respect, the quality of the VX CAD/CAM interface will come under intense scrutiny as other products begin to offer similar capabilities combined with extremely sophisticated and intuitive front ends.
The CAM tools do however offer the full design to manufacture spectrum and will undoubtedly appeal to installations where this level of integration is required.
The full manufacturing version costs £10,000 and the design version including all but the CAM tools £4,000.