A Preview of Alibre CAM 2.0 CNC Software

The upcoming release of Alibre Design 12.1 (SP1) will include major enhancement to the basic CAM software included free with Alibre Design Expert, as well as the four- and five-axis options available for Alibre CAM Professional and Alibre CAM Expert. Improvement to the Alibre CAM Interface will make CNC programming inside Alibre Design much easier and enjoyable to do. Here is one comparison between the crowded old (left) tab interface and the new (right) cascading style:

But more than the lookand feel of Alibre CAM will change. A new entry method has been added to 2.5 axis profile milling operations allowing you to have more control over the entry angle.You can now create tabs/bridges for 2.5 axis profiling operations. You can specify the bridge height and length. You can also specify whether you want to use a particular number of bridges which will be equally distributed around the profiles or you can set an exact distance between bridges. Below is an example of the same cut-outs using 5 bridges and 10 bridges per profile.

The Tool Libraries will allow "drag and drop" of pre-defined tools into the active tool set. There will also be an option to immediately preview a tool upon creation.

Alibre CAM 2.0 will now support avoidance regions to specify where the tool should not cut, for example to avoid clamps holding the stock material down on your CNC machine. Flat faces can be directly selected as machining / avoidance regions instead of having to use sketches. You can also select the starting point for the engagement of the tool for Machining Operations defined by sketches.

Alibre CAM Standard will offer along-path-3D-entry for 3 axis horizontal finishing offers more control over surface finish for steep areas of parts. Specifying the engage angle and path height allows you to control the smoothness of the engage motion, helping to eliminate unwanted marks on the cut part that would otherwise need to be buffed out later. Alibre CAM Professional will also enjoy improvements to 4 axis milling.

Alibre CAM Expert will add a new 3D Offset profiling method, 3D Offset pocketing for making constant offset tool paths on the part surfaces, 3 axis pencil tracing now offers multiple passes & 3 axis valley re-machining allows split cuts, step over and cut control. Tool Holder Collision determines the minimum tool length required to avoid collision.

Alibre Design is sold in Australia by CADDIT. Download Alibre Design / Alibre CAM in Australia for a free 30 day "Professional" trial before software reverts back to free "Xpress" mode.

Alibre 3D CAD Software "84% Off" Sale from CADDIT Australia

Alibre has granted authorization to CADDIT Australia to offer the latest version of Alibre Design version 12 with at least AUD$1200 saving (84%) for these last few weeks of 2009. Why are we posting this to our blog? 1.This is not an Alibre 11 sale. This sale applies to the newly released Alibre Design version 12, including the features discussed earlier on our blog HERE. 2.It's a near give-away. Even if a company already uses another 3D CAD/CAM system, Alibre Design easily supplements as a stand-alone sub-assembly designer, detail drawing workstation or even just a STEP or DWG viewer.

Pricing for Alibre Design from CADDIT Australia until 12AM 1 January 2010 EST:
Alibre Design Standard: 239.84+GST
Alibre Design Standard: 859.00+GST
Alibre Design Standard: 1199.00+GST

A full version of Alibre Design can be downloaded HERE. If the user registers our download version using a valid address in Australia, you can buy Alibre software online HERE at this sale price until 1 January 2010 12 AM EST.

There are also some discounts offered on Alibre maintenance and upgrades HERE.

T-FLEX CAD CAM Short Solid Modeling Demo

T-FLEX hybrid freeform parametric 3D product and assembly design software offers maximum flexibility with an easy-to-use interface. This is our first in an upcoming series of T-FLEX CAD CAM Introductory design videos on YouTube. 8 minutes. More information about T-FLEX CAD CAM is available from CADDIT.

T-FLEX CAD CAM Requires Microsoft .NET 2.0 Runtime

It is possible after installing T-FLEX CAD CAM to experience the error when starting T-FLEX that the application has "terminated unexpectedly". One reason this could occur is if the computer is missing the Microsoft .NET 2.0 runtime.

The .NET framework is not a T-FLEX specific program. It is an optional (and commonly used) part of the Microsoft Windows operating system. The CADDIT T-FLEX CAD installer doesn't actually install this runtime automatically because most users probably already have it installed. But they must install it if they don't already have it.

Here is one trick to get it. The .NET 2.0 installer is actually included in the CADDIT T-FLEX installer's download package. Look for the "NetfxSetup" folder inside the temporary directory into which the CADDIT installer unpacks itself and then runs. Run "dotnetfx20.exe" for 32-bit XP or "NetFx64.exe" for 64 bit machines.

Alternatively, you can always download it direct from Microsoft:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0856EACB-4362-4B0D-8EDD-AAB15C5E04F5&displaylang=en

Once more: users are reminded to have the Microsoft .NET 2.0 runtime installed before installing T-FLEX CAD CAM 11.x.

progeCAD CAD Free CD Give Away Offer

CADDIT Software is offering a free CD to those requesting one within Australia and New Zealand. The complimentary CD provides the same trial version of our most popular CAD products. The CDs are for those who have problems to download the applications for one reason or another. There are free trail CDs available for:

progeCAD Professional 2008
T-FLEX CAD CAM Software

Users can request the free CAD Software CD trials on the CADDIT website HERE.

You should specify:
Name
Shipping Address
Which CD
Why download is not working for you

This is a limited offer to Australia and New Zealand customers only.

Introducing T-Flex CAD Design

T-FLEX CAD Brochure - Upload a doc

Read this doc on Scribd: T-FLEX CAD Brochure

T-Flex CAD CAM Software Launched in Australia

The rumours are true. T-Flex is finally here.

What is T-Flex? High-end hybrid parametric solid and surface modeling CAD CAM software. Many of the features somewhat resemble Pro Engineer. T-Flex CAD comes bundled with basic FEA and motion simulation and kinematic study for assemblies. Sketches are defined by either outlining or hatching vector construction entities, much the way a board draftsman darkens (HB) lines from his much lighter draft strokes (6H).

But don't let the simplicity fool you! T-Flex CAD CAM has been used to develop entire factories and transport systems. It's hybrid modeling abilities allow free-form changes to be made on parametric solids or surfaces, and these free-form changes can then themselves be changed parametrically from the model history. Coupled with an extensive standard parts library and included simulation and FEA, T-Flex is a complete engineering platform.

T-Flex CAD costs a fraction of what competitive systems do. CADDIT as further reduced the T-Flex price for a limited time as part of the product launch in Australia and New Zealand. It can be downloaded and tested free from the CADDIT T-Flex Page.


Read the entire CADDIT T-Flex press release here.

2008 CAD Software Market Still Hot, Innovation Continues

15% seems to be the magic number for the CAD software industry this year. Jon Peddie Reseach, a US based research group, predicts 15% growth in the CAD software market for 2008. This is due partially to changing technologies and a continued shift toward mid-range systems.

Cambashi engineering and enterprise IT applications market research and analysis consultants in the UK confirm the 15% for 2008 but predict a slowdown thereafter.

The job market for the same sector is not so strong, but this is nothing new. Concerns about finding emloyement as a draftsman or design engineer recycle themselves every seven years or so. But new International and Asian service competition adds to the uncertainty. Engineering students are thus being encouraged to fortify their skillset with related qualifications in manufacturing and applied sciences.

See http://www.jonpeddie.com/about/press/2008/CAD-industry-to-maintain-growth.shtml
See http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BLL/is_8_21/ai_n9484078

progeCAM 2008 Released by CADDIT.net

Machinists and designers alike will be interested in this affordable, scalable solution for mechanical design, drafting and CNC machining. progeCAM will be sold in two flavours:

• progeCAM Basic: Will be sold worldwide. Bundles the "Professional Version" of the world's favorite IntelliCAD (statistically speaking) with the well-know PartMaster from Dolphin (Level 1).
• progeCAM Professional: Will be sold and supported only in Australia, New Zealand and surrounding region. Bundles progeCAD Professional with the buyers choice of professional machinists multi-axis CNC/DNC milling, lathe turning or wire EDM.

progeCAM offers the economical "best of both worlds" to mechanical engineers: progeCAD's robust AutoCAD-like drafting framework with PartMaster industrial-strength CNC machinining software. progeCAM is sold and supported exclusively by CADDIT.net and their authorized resellers. Read the entire press release on CADDIT Australia.

progeCAM CNC Software is Coming

CADDIT will soon release their own special progeCAD IntelliCAD CNC integration software for milling, lathe and wire EDM built on PartMaster technology from Dolphin.

Affordably priced and custom packaged, progeCAM will be released next week on CADDIT CAD CAM Australia. progeCAM will be a flexible solution with a starting price around $500, with more advanced bundles for industrial machinists requiring lathe, wire EDM, DNC and multi-axis CNC milling.

A formal announcement with complete information and links will be made at that time.

Special CNC Milling, Lathe, Wire EDM pricing

CADDIT has reached a limited-time agreement with Dolphin CADCAM Ltd, UK to introduce their Level 3 CNC mill, lathe and wire EDM solutions at greatly reduced cost. Buyers from the following countries qualify to purchase a full level 3 license at level 2 prices for the rest of this year (2008): Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore.

Buyers can also earn some money when they participate in the CADDIT customer referral program.

Reference links:
CADDIT/Dolphin PartMaster Level 3 CNC milling software
CADDIT/Dolphin PartMaster Level 3 CNC lathe software
CADDIT/Dolphin PartMaster Level 3 wire EDM software

More information about CADDIT CNC Software here.

Test users can download and trial PartMaster CNC here.