PTC Creo 6 P53 Siemens NXdesign

Generative 7.0 P40P59 HP Z2 Mini P64

TECHNOLOGY FOR THE PRODUCT LIFECYCLE APRIL 2019 | £6 | € 7 | $10 | DEVELOP3D.COM

DE
V
LIV ELOP
YO E 3
PR UR C 201 D
HO EVIE OM 9
T W P
OF TEST TO LETE
TH EV THE
E Y EN
EA T
R

WRAPPED
IN BEAUTY
How Quadpack
blends style, form
and functionality for
packaging design

SIMULATION FOR SPACE FIRST LOOK: VARJO VR1 HMD FEDEX DELIVERY BOT
p01_D3D_APRIL2019_COVER-JLTfinal.indd 1 26/03/2019 14:19
 BIGGEST RE-DESIGN SINCE
ORIGINAL PRODUCT LAUNCH
NEW ABSOLUTE PORTABLE MEASURING ARM RANGE
• Offers the most compact scanning configuration on the market
• Modular wrist design makes probing in tight spaces very easy
• Wrist contains display screen for measurement result oversight
• Range available in 7 sizes from 1.2 – 4.5m radii
• Three levels of accuracy provide 36 unique arm configurations
• New RS5 Laser Scanner available

HexagonMI.com

Hexagon.indd 1 27/03/2019 10:42

 WELCOME
EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Chief
Al Dean
[email protected]
+44 (0)7525 701 541

Managing Editor
Greg Corke
[email protected]
+44 (0)20 3355 7312

Digital Media Editor

Stephen Holmes
[email protected]
+44 (0)20 3384 5297

Consulting Editor
Jessica Twentyman
[email protected]
+44 (0)20 7913 0919

Consulting Editor
Martyn Day
[email protected]
+44 (0)7525 701 542

W
DESIGN/PRODUCTION
Design/Production hat are you doing on the 17th of April? Fancy
Greg Corke coming along to our annual jamboree, celebrating
[email protected] everything to do with product development and
+44 (0)20 3355 7312
engineering technology? This year, DEVELOP3D
Live is taking place at The University of
ADVERTISING
Sheffield’s Octagon Centre, right in the centre
Group Media Director of town. You’ll be able to meet with an amazing
Tony Baksh array of exhibitors and get hands-on with the
[email protected]
+44 (0)20 3355 7313 latest in design software, engineering tools,
additive manufacturing methods and much more. We’ll also have three streams
Deputy Advertising Manager of talks, covering everything from mission-critical design tools, through design
Steve King visualisation and virtual/mixed reality, and onwards into the brave new world of
[email protected]
+44 (0)20 3355 7314
additive manufacturing.
And, if you happen to arrive in town on the day before the event kicks off, we’re
US Sales Director arranging tours of the AMRC’s Factory 2050 facility, which showcases some pretty
Denise Greaves impressive explorative projects around new manufacturing capabilities and
[email protected]
+1 857 400 7713
workflows.
In the meantime, stay tuned to develop3dlive.com for more details as we release
them in the run-up to another amazing event. Hope to see you there!
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Circulation Manager
Alan Cleveland
[email protected]
+44 (0)20 3355 7311

ACCOUNTS
Accounts Manager
Charlotte Taibi
[email protected]
Al Dean
Financial Controller Editor-in-Chief, DEVELOP3D Magazine, @alistardean
Samantha Todescato-Rutland
[email protected]

ABOUT
DEVELOP3D is published by

465C Hornsey Road, 1st floor, Unit 2,

London, N19 4DR, UK
T. +44 (0)20 3355 7310
F. +44 (0)20 3355 7319
© 2019 X3DMedia Ltd
All rights reserved. Reproduction in
whole or part without prior permission
from the publisher is prohibited. All
trademarks acknowledged
Opinions expressed in articles are those
of the author and not of X3DMedia.
X3DMedia cannot accept responsibility
for errors in articles or advertisements Join our online community
within the magazine

DEVELOP3D.com facebook.com/DEVELOP3D @DEVELOP3D groups/DEVELOP3D

DEVELOP3D.COM APRIL 2019 3

p03_D3D_APRIL19_Editor.indd 3 26/03/2019 14:25

 2019

OPTIMISE YOUR ENTIRE PRODUCT

DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
Engineering • Product development • Design • Manufacturing • 3D printing / Additive
Virtual Reality (VR) • Mixed Reality (MR) • Generative design • Workstations
CAD • Artificial Intelligence (AI) • Simulation

PRINCIPAL SPONSOR PLATINUM SPONSOR GOLD SPONSORS

D3D LIVE DPS - D3D APRIL.indd 2 27/03/2019 10:44

 17 April, 2019
University of Sheffield, UK

Multi-stream conference, workshops and over 60 exhibitors

Claim your FREE ticket

develop3dlive.com/register-now-2019

SILVER SPONSORS BRONZE SPONSORS

Professional Solutions
NVIDIA Quadro® / NVIDIA Tesla® / NVIDIA Grid®/ SSDs

D3D LIVE DPS - D3D APRIL.indd 3 27/03/2019 10:44

 Try now at www.driveworkslive.com

Configurator for Desktop

Mobile & Tablet
Create your own custom configurator that anyone can use.
Generate manufacturing drawings, 3D models and sales
documents automatically. Respond to customers fast.

Deliver custom products in record time

Reduce repetitive tasks, errors and rework

Generate custom 3D models, 2D drawings,

BOMs, sales quotes and more...

Sell more, increase revenue and profit

www.driveworks.co.uk
 CONTENTS

APRIL 2019 ISSUE NO. 108

9 NEWS
Stratasys makes its SLA debut, Keyshot goes all out for
virtual reality and Siemens PLM opens UK Machinery
Academy to showcase digital twin technology

FEATURES
12 Visual Design Guide: FedEx SameDay Bot
14 COVER STORY Models of beauty at Quadpack
21 New frontiers in simulation for space at Almatech
24 First look: The VR-1 headset from newcomer Varjo
26 Show preview: DEVELOP3D Live in Sheffield

REVIEWS
53 PTC Creo 6.0
59 Fusion 360 Q1 2019
64 HP Z2 Mini Workstation

65 DEVELOP3D SERVICES

66 THE LAST WORD

Al Dean argues that, despite the rise of algorithmically
driven design, humans will always be the vital ingredient
in human-centered engineering

The wood used to produce this magazine

comes from Forest Stewardship Council
certified well-managed forests, controlled
sources and/or recycled material

Future technology for design, engineering 10 tick

2019
0% ets
and manufacturing — all under one roof FR
EE
70+ exhibitors and 30+ speakers
Additive Manufacturing • Generative Design • CAD • 3D Printing • Visualisation
17 April 2019 Virtual Reality • Workstations • Artificial Intelligence • Simulation + lots more

University of Sheffield Octagon Free tickets @ develop3dlive.com

DEVELOP3D.COM APRIL 2019 7

p07_D3D_APRIL19_Contents.indd 7 27/03/2019 12:41

 As experts in bespoke Special
Purpose Machinery and
lifting equipment, we need
to develop concepts into
working designs rapidly.
SOLIDWORKS provides us the
tools and flexibility to model
and adjust concepts easily,
communicate our ideas clearly,
and validate these against
complex layout, ergonomic and
structural requirements.
With SOLIDWORKS we are
able to develop new ideas and
leverage our extensive design
library, built up over many years,
to provide effective solutions
to our customers’
problems.
Tony Jones
Chief Engineer
Andron Handling
Turbine Disc Handling
Machine rendered in
SOLIDWORKS Visualize

GET YOUR IDEAS TO Find out more about

SOLIDWORKS
MARKET FASTER Call: 01926 333777
www.solidsolutions.co.uk/spm
 NEWS PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT NEWS

STRATASYS BREAKS INTO INDUSTRIAL SLA

WITH NEW V650 FLEX MACHINE
» 3D printing giant launches SLA technology with open materials policy and industrial
production pedigree, plus a new entry-level FDM machine to bridge gap with Makerbot

L
eaning on expertise and Direct Manufacturing has 28 years of FDM technology more accessible, with Above: The first SLA
proprietary technology stereolithography experience, and this the machine expected to meet growing printer in Stratasys’
developed for its Direct printer offers large-scale system power demand from the education market. 30-year history, the
V650 Flex marks a
Manufacturing arm, Stratasys with a configurable environment for resin The price also serves to fill the gap change in direction for
has launched the V650 Flex – fine-tuning. between the F170 and the Stratasys- the company
its first commercial stereolithography “This was designed for service bureau owned Makerbot Method. Below The F120 is
(SLA) 3D printer in its 30-year history. and large enterprise customers,” said Pat Despite maintaining the 10 x 10 x 10 inch the new baby of the
In a bid to “disrupt traditional Carey, senior VP of sales at Stratasys. heated build chamber, the F120 eschews Stratasys portfolio
stereolithography 3D printing”, the V650 “It’s not a beautiful machine like an F123; the cabinet and storage of the F170, placing
comes with a 20 x 20 x 23 inch build it’s designed to be very accurate, to be its large filament spool containers on a
chamber, interchangeable resin vats high speed, and the footprint is extremely nearby surface, making it more
for quick materials changeovers and an optimised. If you would imagine there’s desktop-friendly. Despite
open materials policy – another first for a competitor selling a similar machine including ABS, its
Stratasys. envelope, we can fit three of ours where materials range will
A partnership with DSM and its two of theirs would fit.” not include ‘production
popular line of Somos stereolithography The V650 Flex design already boasts part’ filaments such
resins means that there are four over 75,000 hours of runtime and more as the new F123 TPU
‘verified’ resins set for its launch in Q3 than 150,000 parts produced. material, which has
2019, although most SLA resins on the Additionally, Stratasys has introduced a made the F123 range so
market are expected to work with the new entry model to its product portfolio, appealing to designers
‘Open Vat’ platform. the F120, part of the F123 FDM 3D printer and engineers.
Chances are that, if you’ve ordered family, starting at $11,000. Available to order
an SLA part from Stratasys’ Direct This is significantly cheaper than now, F120 deliveries
Manufacturing service, it will have been Stratasys’ F170 model, let alone its top- will begin to arrive
produced on an in-house version of the of-the-range Fortus FDM range. Company in July this year.
V650 3D printer. executives claim that this makes its stratasys.com

DEVELOP3D.COM APRIL 2019 9

p09_10_11_D3D_APR19-NEWS.indd 9 27/03/2019 15:33

 NEWS

KEYSHOT GOES ALL OUT FOR VR Altair ATC event

WITH NEW KEYVR APPLICATION at British Motor
Museum

T
he 11th UK Altair Technology
Conference (ATC) is being
held 21st May 2019 at the
British Motor Museum in
Gaydon. Attendees will
hear from experts from Jaguar Land
Rover, Rolls Royce, Human Horizons,
Brompton Bicycle and many more.
Last held in 2017, the UK ATC is known for
its thought-provoking keynote and technical
presentations, highlighting industry trends
in enterprise simulation and demonstrating
how manufacturers are enabling innovation
through design and simulation technologies.
altairatc.com/atc-uk

L PTC launches
uxion, developer of KeyShot, DEVELOP3D has had access to an early From KeyShot to
has begun talking about its development build of the new KeyVR your HMD in a
single button click
brand-new product for virtual
reality (VR). The forthcoming
application and it’s looking good.
The software connects to your HMD, Creo 6 update

P
system, KeyVR, has been built with HTC Vive, Oculus Rift or Microsoft
using Luxion’s own proprietary engine mixed reality headsets all supported. In TC has announced the latest
(as opposed to Unity or Unreal) and has terms of GPU, it supports both Nvidia and release of its Creo 3D design
a direct link from KeyShot to a head- AMD (GTX 1080, Vega64 or better). system, which introduces
mounted display (HMD). It’s clear that Luxion is taking great several enhancements and
“VR prototypes have been around for care to make this environment useful for additions. These range
decades, and although VR hardware is conducting real work, rather than just for from brand-new real-time simulation
finally here, the industry feels very young flashy demonstrations. tools based on Ansys’ Discovery Live
in terms of software for content creation. The emphasis here is on what Mosegaard technology to improvements to design
I’m looking to change that. With the team describes as a “peaceful” experience for for additive capability, augmented
at Luxion, I want to push the technology users, where transitions between views reality and more.
into the mainstream,” said Luxion’s and interactions are gentle, and there’s no “PTC is leading a renaissance in
director of product, Jesper Mosegaard ‘VR shock’ as they jump around a scene. design. As companies work to bring
VR, he added, allows product developers A release date is expected before June. their products to life digitally, they’re
to connect to their product with great There’s no word on pricing yet. For early turning to Creo for real-time simulation,
intimacy and to experience that intimacy access, visit: design for additive manufacturing,
very early in the design process. keyshot.com/keyvr and more immersive, efficient and
secure collaboration, using cloud-based
augmented reality,” said Brian Thompson,
SVP and general manager for CAD at PTC.

NXT BLD explores the future of construction ptc.com

through robots and digital fabrication

B
oston Dynamics will be Protolabs now
one of many leading firms
presenting at NXT BLD offers anodising
2019, a London conference
and event dedicated to service

P
future technology for Architecture,
Engineering and Construction. Experts rotolabs’ UK base in the West
from the US firm will talk about its Midlands is now offering
development of the SPOTmini and how aluminium anodising as part
autonomous robots can be used in of its on-demand production
construction for a variety of use cases. service – allowing for initial
Boston Dynamics will be joined by design part design through to a finished
and digital fabrication specialist Katerra, Museum in Seoul, which will be built using Boston Dynamics’ product, all from the same supplier.
a US company that has been called ‘the robots and drones. Xavier De Kestelier from SPOTmini can Protolabs currently offers two levels of
be deployed in
Tesla of construction’. Other speakers Hassell Studio will present his research into anodising: Protection (to ISI 10074) and
construction for
include architect Melike Altınısık, who will large-scale 3D printing on Mars. automated reality Aesthetic (to ISO 7599 is available). The
share her approach to using technology Early bird tickets are £40. The event takes capture, among service is suitable for parts manufactured
and innovation in the construction of place at the QEII Centre, London on 11 June. other uses from Aluminium 6082 and 7075.
her projects, including the Robot Science nxtbld.com protolabs.co.uk

10 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3D.COM

p09_10_11_D3D_APR19-NEWS.indd 10 27/03/2019 15:33

 HOLOLENS 2 TARGETS ROUND
UP
INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS Open Mind Technologies

A
has updated its
t February’s Mobile World comprehensive CAD/CAM
Congress (MWC) show software suite, hyperMill.
in Barcelona, Microsoft New features for hyperMill
introduced HoloLens 2, its 2019.1 include an expanded
much-anticipated, next- finishing module, process
generation wearable holographic optimisations such as a
computer. Microsoft was joined at new thread milling module,
the event by partner PTC, which has a new function for reducing
combined HoloLens 2 with its own calculation times, tool
ThingWorx and Vuforia technologies, database flexibility, and
for IoT and virtual/augmented reality CAD optimisation
respectively, to support a range of openmind-tech.com
industrial applications.
HoloLens 2 features more than double
the field of view than that offered by the Siemens is to acquire
original device (and seen by some users the noise, vibration,
as a significant limitation). There’s also a and harshness (NVH)
new visual display system, which Microsoft end-of-line quality
says makes holograms even more vibrant testing business of Saab
and realistic. Medav Technologies, a
The updated device also includes new make it easier for multiple users to log in Microsoft's provider of state-of-the-
eye-tracking sensors, designed to make and share the device. A new flip-up visor re-engineered art signal processing,
HoloLens is
interacting with holograms more natural. lets users switch easily between physical communications
targeting industrial
For example, when a user’s eyes land on a and holographic worlds. mixed reality intelligence and analysis
particular part of a machine, it can call up Comfort has also been addressed. heavily for air, land and naval
useful digital information about it. Microsoft says the new dial-in fit system applications, as well
Interaction with holograms has also been makes the HoloLens 2 comfortable to as NVH solutions for
made easier. With natural hand tracking, wear for ‘hours on end’. Users can also industrial quality testing
users can now grab and rotate them as wear glasses with the mixed reality siemens.com
they would a real-world object, rather than headset, because it now adapts by sliding
having to learn gestures that mimic mouse right over them.
movements. At MWC, PTC customer Howden (a Colfax PostProcess Technologies
“For the first time, you’re going to feel company) demonstrated how it had used has launched a new SLA
what it feels like to touch a hologram, to HoloLens 2 combined with PTC Vuforia to resin removal solution
interact with a hologram and to play with improve customer service, by providing as part of its automated
it, almost where you forget that this is a customers with step-by-step, mixed-reality additive manufacturing
piece of digital content you’re looking at, instruction guides to performing basic post-print offering. Building
as opposed to it just existing in the real repairs on their Howden equipment, based on its existing portfolio
world,” said Alex Kipman, technical fellow on existing 3D models. of SLA resin removal
in Microsoft’s Cloud and AI group. HoloLens 2 will be available this year at a technologies, it can clean up
HoloLens 2 also includes iris recognition price of $3,500. to five times as many parts
with Windows Hello authentication to microsoft.com | ptc.com before detergent saturation
postprocess.com

Siemens PLM opens UK Machinery Mayku has recently

appointed Express Group

Academy to display its ‘digital twin’ tech as its new UK distributor

for the FormBox, its

S
desktop vacuum former
iemens PLM is opening up originally launched back
the doors to its new factory in 2016. FormBox will
automation demonstration now sit alongside other
suite in Manchester for a prototyping offerings
series of workshops over the from the Express Group
coming months, as it looks to promote mayku.me | goprint3d.co.uk
its tools for enabling machinery
manufacturers to build ‘digital twins’.
Siemens’ Virtual Commissioning COMSOL is accepting
technology looks to bring machine abstract submissions for
commissioning tests earlier into the posters and papers for its
design and development phase, allowing COMSOL Conference 2019
for what-if scenarios to be tested on Cambridge, to be held
a digital twin with no risks, reducing 24-26 September 2019, at
engineering error quota and validating Churchill College, University
the security of designs – even before a of Cambridge, UK
real-world version of the machine exists. uk.comsol.com/conference/
siemens.com

DEVELOP3D.COM APRIL 2019 11

p09_10_11_D3D_APR19-NEWS.indd 11 27/03/2019 15:33

 VISUAL DESIGN GUIDE
FEDEX DELIVERY BOT
The rise of online and on-demand retail has sent
logistics and delivery companies rushing to reimagine
last-mile deliveries. At FedEx, work is underway on an
automated delivery robot, the SameDay Bot

FRIENDLY FACE
A front-facing screen allows the FedEx SameDay
Bot to communicate with its surroundings, display
ads and greet those who it meets on its travels

DEVELOPMENT
ORIGINS
The FedEx SameDay Bot is being developed
in collaboration with DEKA Research &
Development, whose founder Dean Kamen
also invented the iBot Personal Mobility
Device and the Segway

SOLID
FOUNDATIONS
The SameDay Bot is built on the same
modified powerbase as the iBot, DEKA’s
advanced, stair-climbing wheelchair,
meaning it already has over 10 million hours
of real-world operations under its belt

12 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3D.COM

p12_13_D3D_APRIL19_VDG_FedexBot.indd 12 26/03/2019 14:26

 CLEAR PATH
Designed to travel on pavements
and along roadsides, the bot
features pedestrian-safe technology
from the iBot, plus LiDAR and
multiple cameras, coupled to
machine-learning algorithms, so it
can detect and avoid obstacles

CITY SLICKER
Ruggedised and battery-powered,
the SameDay Bot is specifically
designed for use in urban settings,
producing zero emissions and
working quietly around the clock

STAIR
CLIMBER
The four-wheel drive system,
plus two auxiliary front wheels,
allow the bot to navigate unpaved
surfaces, climb up curbs and steps
and maintain balance, for true
door-to-door delivery

NEXT STEPS
FedEx plans to test the Bot this summer in select
markets, including the company’s hometown of Memphis,
Tennessee, pending final city approvals
fedex.com

DEVELOP3D.COM APRIL 2019 13

p12_13_D3D_APRIL19_VDG_FedexBot.indd 13 26/03/2019 14:26

 W

14 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3D.COM

p14_15_16_17_18_19_D3D_APR19_CoverFeature-Quadpack-JLTfinal.indd 14
RA
pr
ae odu Cr
PP
w
te o St sth ct ea
ch rld ep e s i tin
n h t n
is olo lea en ics, vol g pa
he gy de H in ve ck
lp in r i ol sig s a ag
ing n n t m ht d in
to ova he es v and elic g fo
bu tio fie isi fu ate r b
ild n a ld, ts nc b ea
a b t th to Qu tio len ut
ED
ea e d find adp na d o y
ut es o ac lity f
ifu ig ut k, .
l b n s ho a
us ta w
in ge
es
s

27/03/2019 15:34
 ne e
ss

p14_15_16_17_18_19_D3D_APR19_CoverFeature-Quadpack-JLTfinal.indd 15

IN B

BE
cli eing
a en a
Ol big ts a ble
 lie D diff re a to s
Qu
re ere bl ho
ad
w, n e t w
pa
ck b pac se ce o t som
ag ea k
ar in ut pr ni ou e
– ou g y od or ch th
bo fro nd for pro uce
tt m th br du s de
le f e an ct ha ing

AU
s t ra w d
o gr or s
si s m th
lip an ld gn
s c
ca tick e er ad at
se
s ,Q es
ua uc
dp h
ac
k

TY
PROFILE

DEVELOP3D.COM APRIL 2019 15

27/03/2019 15:34
 1

F
rom the polished shelves and high-end Never before has the demand for brand differentiation ●1 Colour prototypes
play an important
cosmetics counters of our favourite and innovation in product packaging reached such
part in selling a
department stores to our own bathroom heights or scales. concept idea to a
cabinets and dressing tables, the design potential client
of beauty product packaging is intended TWO ROUTES FOR PROJECTS
to inspire and delight, enticing us to Quadpack serves well over 300 clients globally, each with ●
2 Coloured glass can
be directly replicated
buy into a lifestyle of self-care and their own demands, branding, colour charts and materials by the mixed
even indulgence. preferences – and projects typically take one of two routes materials capabilities
The shapes, colours, materials, when they come through its doors. of the Stratasys J750
3D printer
dispensing methods and feel in the hand of this packaging At the high end, the client wants something unique in
all matter – and Quadpack Industries is a master in every sense for a new perfume, crème, gel or powder.
this field. Founded in 2003, the company is a global Here, Quadpack’s young design team in the UK and
manufacturer of enhanced packaging solutions for in Barcelona will work with that brand from concept
beauty brand owners and contract fillers, with offices and to production, via its bespoke service. This is based on
manufacturing divisions across the world and a global creating a turnkey solution, through Quadpack’s existing
turnover of around €105 million annually. manufacturing sites and relationships with suppliers.
Thanks to the incredible marketing power behind The bespoke offering grew from a service the company
perfume campaigns and skincare regimes, it’s likely you’d initially developed to show clients high-quality renders
recognise Quadpack’s work – be it in the form of Burberry of proposed packaging solutions in 3D prior to full
perfume bottles clutched by supermodels in TV adverts, prototyping. Since then, demand for unique product
or lavish images of Rituals and Elemis products plastered packaging has grown significantly.
across the pages of glossy magazines. The process leverages the expertise of the company’s
Quadpack plays an important role in fuelling rising entire team, from its market specialists in different
demand for personal grooming products, where big countries, through to product designers and quality
names are expanding into brand-new markets and raising assurance staff, to expert tooling designers in its factories.
consumer expectations of what packaging needs to be. The second route to market is via Q-Line, Quadpack’s

16 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3D.COM

p14_15_16_17_18_19_D3D_APR19_CoverFeature-Quadpack-JLTfinal.indd 16 27/03/2019 15:34

 PROFILE

‘‘
Being able
own product range. This is an exclusive collection of fully
customisable packaging options, which can be enhanced
materials and shapes inspired by visits to design events and
fashion shows and close attention to emerging, ‘zeitgeisty’
with a range of elaborate decoration and finishing services trends in specific regions. These are then geared towards
to show selected by the client. the beauty market, and concept themes are produced.
something Q-Line items have the benefit of offering short lead times, “We use external agencies to collect information, like
that the no mould investment, and low minimum order quantities. [market research agency] Mintel and people like that, but
client is able At the same time, they offer a premium canvas to be we very much take it and create our own [style guide]. So,
tailored into something unique to a particular product. we have our own annual trend directive, which guides on
to touch The company can offer surprising textures, aluminium the four themes in which we believe. It’s not just plug-
has made sheaths, even wooden caps and trays (produced by and-play from Mintel – it has to be very specific for our
such a big Technotraf, Quadpack’s own specialist machining industry,” says Garrard.
difference company in Germany), along with a host of decoration The UK design team works closely with three
techniques, to build a full collection of cosmetic packaging counterparts at the company’s Barcelona head office,
because products with the needs and aspirations of targeted with personnel occasionally switching between sites,
they come consumer groups in mind. communicating via Skype, and with CAD models regularly
back to “At Quadpack, we put design and innovation at the sent back and forth for collaboration.
forefront of all our activities,” says Jeremy Garrard, the These designs quickly move from initial concept sketches
us with company’s director of design and advanced technologies, and into 3D using Solidworks. Using a solid modelling tool
questions. and the man responsible for design and production as far might seem unorthodox for products that on first glance
It helps afield as China, Korea, Australia and Spain. seem to be about block shapes and organic forms, but the
build the process heavily leans on mechanical design.
MACRO TREND EXPLORATION Solidworks enables Quadpack to accurately measure the
relationship At the company’s UK base in Leek, Staffordshire, a three- liquid contents of a vessel, while leaving enough space
’’ person design team begins its process with a heavy dose of
‘macro trend’ exploration.
for a mechanism or insert, and all without wasting any
excess packaging.
It’s strikingly similar to an automotive designer’s process, “We also use it for the screw threads as well, or if we
involving the compilation of ‘look books’ of colours, have a feature that clicks or snaps together,” explains
Quadpack senior designer Ollie Drew. “It’s more
engineering-based, but it’s good for what we need. It’s
3 not just about ‘the block.’”
But, as Garrard points out, while a piece of packaging of
course needs to look good to sell and enhance the product
inside, “personalisation for how it will look for that brand
is not part of our early thinking.” At this stage, he says,
it’s about the functionality, the added value, what it will
do, and so on.
“And we have to keep in mind that we can’t design
something that has fifty parts and is going to cost €50 to
produce. It’s got to deliver what you want it to do, with a
limited number of parts, at a reasonable price.”

MOVING INTO PHYSICAL FORMS

4 Drew holds up a true 1:1 scale model of a new pen
applicator. “It’s good to visualise on a screen how
everything will function together,” he says, “but then,
when it’s on screen, you can’t quite make out the scale of
the design.”
Keyshot is used as the Company’s main visualisation
software, and for all of its customer-facing renderings and
animations. It brings a photorealism to the 3D models:
glints and refractions in glass bottles; realistic wood grain
on bottle tops; different sheens to glossy plastics and foils.
While Photoview 360 is also relied on during the design
process to render Solidworks models quickly on screen,

●
3 Colour and functionality
are of equal importance with
prototypes
●
4 Quadpack senior designer
Ollie Drew (far left) shows
the UK design team a new
concept for an applicator
●5 The design team is able
to assess 3D printed models
both as concepts and against
3D CAD models in Solidworks

DEVELOP3D.COM APRIL 2019 17

p14_15_16_17_18_19_D3D_APR19_CoverFeature-Quadpack-JLTfinal.indd 17 27/03/2019 15:34

 PROFILE

digital models often can’t convey what the physical can, nothing when compared to what it was.”
says Drew. The size of the machine also makes a huge difference:
“It’s been quite an eye-opener to see where before, we its 490 x 390 x 200mm build area is capable of fitting in
were supplying just renders, how much the customers multiple builds or printing large assemblies in one go.
weren’t quite understanding about what we were trying to The colour element is very important in the process,
get across,” he admits. whether to match a brand’s colouring for a sample design,
“Being able to show something that they’re able to touch or in order to offer an example of a concept design in a
has made such a big difference, because then they come range of on-trend colourways.
back with questions. It helps build a relationship with the Working from colours on screen to those in physical
customer, that they can trust us to modify this and that we matter has not always been easy. Early colour 3D printers
can have another model with them in a day or two.” were often well off the mark, and it has taken time for the
Quadpack initially uncovered this capability with a team at Quadpack to get even its J750 to produce the precise
Stratasys Objet30 3D printer, allowing it to physically colours it specifies.
produce ideas for new caps for existing bottles, new bottle But thanks to its relationship with its local 3D printing
shapes for existing caps, and even new mechanisms and technologies reseller Tri-Tech 3D (and, in turn,Tri-Tech
applicators that can be trialled for new serums and sprays. 3D’s close ties to Stratasys), Quadpack has developed its
The company is taking this work further, with a own colour chart to help translate from Pantone to RGB
significant investment in its onsite model-making facility. values – and from that, it can reliably produce the accurate
Leading off the small design studio, behind two large glass colour that the customer demands.
doors, sits its latest addition – a Stratasys J750, full colour, “With the printer, you have seven materials, and you have
multi-material 3D printer. your CMYK in there for full colour, and you’ve got to mix
each one of those to try and find your colour, which on the
IN LIVING COLOUR printer’s onboard system is quite hard to find. But then
Where the Objet30 is able to produce parts in grey, blue, when you change the Pantone to the RGB value, you can
black and clear Polyjet materials, the J750 then type in that exact code and find the
has massively expanded on what is colour,” says Drew.
possible. Colour is an aspect that the team
Prints can be in full colour, parts 6 continues to fine-tune, but already, it
can be made to feel like hard, polished has printed off its own physical colour
production plastics, or soft-touch over guide charts. These, combined with the
moulded rubber. Quadpack can even recent launch of new Stratasys ‘Vivid
do a fine job now of mimicking wood, Color’ materials, means improvements
leather or woven wicker textures have continued.
and patinas. A recent update from
Stratasys also allows for coloured ATTENTION AND ADMIRATION
transparent materials – perfect for All this effort has been worthwhile,
impersonating coloured glass. with a range of prototypes on a
“Now, we can print a transparent shelf looking very much like
colour, do a final polish and the real thing and 3D printed
that will be the end,” say Drew. models attracting attention and
“Whereas before you’d have to admiration at the world’s leading
do polishing, priming, painting cosmetics and professional
and then try to get it to be a beauty industry trade events.
translucent colour, which was For such events, Quadpack
difficult.” has developed four key themes
The sizeable investment for what it envisages beauty
made in the 3D printer has cut product packaging will look like
post-processing time by days, between 2022 and 2025, and has
freeing up the small design developed a range of ten products
team to do more design and to showcase to its clients.
less manual labour in the It has produced physical
model shop. concept models for each of
“We still have to do some,” them, fully in-house, using the
acknowledges Drew, “but it’s capabilities of its Stratasys J750.

18 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3D.COM

p14_15_16_17_18_19_D3D_APR19_CoverFeature-Quadpack-JLTfinal.indd 18 27/03/2019 15:34

 ‘‘
This is a
“We didn’t use any other techniques – this was ten new
ideas, and everything was used off the machine,” says
Garrard, who is already preparing for the next trade show,
massive Cosmoprof in Bologna, which will likely see around 500
launch, but visitors coming through Quadpack’s trade show stand
it means every day for four days.
that all “This is a massive launch, but it also means that all our
clients will see our ability at making our models, which we
our clients can then bring into all of their project work,” he says.
will see “We have a client in tomorrow who has identified the
our ability differentiator for a foundation bottle. The reason they
at making bought from us and why they’re really looking forward 7
to working with us on other projects is that, during the
models, process, we made them 3D models, which meant they
which we could go to their owner – who’s a big star name – and
can then instead of saying, ‘We’re thinking of giving you a blue
jar,’ they’ve gone to them and said, ‘This is what it will
bring into look like.’”
all of their In other words, with a physical model, the clients know
project what they’re going to get, taking any guesswork out of the
work process.
“That’s where models are essential,” concludes Garrard.
’’ “Then the brand can look at it and say ‘That’s what I
want,’ or, ‘No, I want this a bit bigger’. It really makes it so
much easier.” 8
MANUFACTURING BENEFITS
The benefits provided by the 3D printer can also be applied
to manufacturing, as Quadpack looks to get the most from
its investment in the J750 by using it to 3D print moulds on
demand for its test tooling.
The company will use these moulds across its range of
injection machines to run real-life production samples,
with the output exactly the same as the finished product, in
terms of specifications and material types.
It’s an industrial purpose straight off the same print bed
that also produces colourful concept models, thanks to the
range of materials now available. 9
The ability to carry out quality checks prior to cutting steel
on the main production mould for the industrialisation can a wood-like texture, it features a working rotating cylinder
save over £50,000 and around six weeks of lead time – so code lock that rotates. When the correct code is entered, the
the J750 gives Quadpack a competitive edge both at the end lid will open, giving access to the cosmetics inside.
of the design cycle, as well as at its beginning. “We wouldn’t have been able to do that on our old model.
Inevitably, these developments have increased the amount There’s nobody else in our industry that can do that –
of work for the design team at Quadpack to do, and the absolutely no one!” says a confident Garrard.
successes it has already notched up have led to plans for a “It’s a functioning model: You can feel it, and the
Design and Advanced Technologies department. consumer gets to trial it and see it in different colours. It’s
This, in turn, will build the foundation for a future, full- easy for us to show a client our ideas then. You’d never sell
scale R&D centre, and there seems little doubt the J750 3D them that concept if they didn’t first touch and feel it.”
printer will continue to play a crucial role in supporting And on that note, we leave Quadpack, sold on the idea that
the company’s goals. beauty products will only become more extravagant and
As we leave the existing design studio, we are shown a more enticing to consumers – and not just for the lotions
new prototype for a container that was entirely produced on and potions hidden away inside.
the J750 in a single print. Coloured a light jade green, with quadpack.com

●
6 Quadpack manufactures
the majority of its own
products, including wooden
caps at a specialist factory in
Germany
●
7 ●
8 ●
9 Concept sketches
and new ideas can be made
real using 3D printing
and put into the hands of
potential customers, to make
selling an idea much easier

DEVELOP3D.COM APRIL 2019 19

p14_15_16_17_18_19_D3D_APR19_CoverFeature-Quadpack-JLTfinal.indd 19 27/03/2019 15:35

 3D PRINTING FOR CONSUMER GOODS

Bring products to
market faster
“Quadpack was no
stranger to single
material 3D printing
but in order to take it
to the next level they
needed the ability
to print multi-
materials with full
colour, clear and
flexible resins all in
the one print”
Robert Pitts – Stratasys Sales Specialist

European design register: EM004759181-0005

In this tough marketplace, the advantage goes to the quick

and nimble. So when it comes to designing products for the
consumer market, prototyping with 3D printing can help Advanced 3D Print solutions from the UK leading experts
you prototype in hours, not days.

T: 01782 814551 | www.tritech3d.co.uk

2017
 PROFILE

FINAL
FRONTIERS
» At Swiss engineering company Almatech,
Siemens PLM’s Femap is helping scientists
and engineers to optimise high-performance,
lightweight components for deep-space missions

I
n the Star Trek media franchise, the USS
Enterprise’s mission is famously: “To boldly go
where no human has gone before.” Manned space
voyages on the kind of scale depicted in TV shows
and movies may remain the stuff of fiction, but
supporting deep-space missions is the day-to-day
work of the team at Almatech, a Switzerland-based
company that provides critical hardware and
engineering services to the space market.
Established in 2009, Almatech is based at the École
Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Innovation Park
and is frequently involved in the design of components for
the spacecraft programmes of the European Space Agency
(ESA), among others. Almatech’s 25 scientists and engineers
develop structures and mechanical solutions for spacecraft,
naval vessels and general engineering projects. These need to
deliver exceptional performance when it comes to accuracy,
reliability, lightness and so on, often in the most extraordinary
of environmental conditions.
During deep-space missions, typically lasting several years,
satellites may be exposed to temperatures ranging from
-160°C to more than 350°C; acceleration forces amounting to
several G; and high levels of various kinds of radiation. At the
same time, there are no gravitational effects such as thermal
convection, and this must be taken into account. On-board
instruments and associated fixtures require high precision and
operational reliability.
“Although they are optimised for minimum weight, their
stability and functionality need to be sustained over several
years without any maintenance or cleaning,” says Dr Luc
Blecha, chief technical officer at Almatech.

STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS FOR OUTER SPACE

Examples of Almatech projects include its work on the
Characterising Exoplanets Satellite (CHEOPS). Scheduled for
launch in late 2019, CHEOPS will observe individual bright
stars known to host exoplanets – in other words, planets that lie
beyond our own solar system. The satellite uses a photometer

DEVELOP3D.COM APRIL 2019 21

p21_22_D3D_MAR19_FemapAndAlmatech.indd 21 26/03/2019 15:42

 PROFILE

 TESTING THE DIGITAL TWIN AGAIN AND AGAIN

For many parts, Almatech’s role is to optimise existing
The various model analyses provide designs. The CHEOPS telescope structure, for instance,
proof to clients and authorities needed to be reduced in complexity and weight while
that complex devices will perform retaining structural strength.
as required under anticipated “Because all components we create are
unique and need to function for many
conditions. They are also instrumental years without any maintenance or cleaning,
in our efforts to reduce mass without development cycles take longer than in terrestrial
compromising stability designs,” explains Blecha. “Although the shape of
Dr Luc Blecha, CTO, Almatech the baffle for the BepiColombo orbiter was given, it
took us four years to arrive at the final hardware.”
 A similar period was spent developing the slit-
changing mechanism for the Solar Orbiter, with the
on its telescope to measure the dimming of the starlight team contracted to provide the entire development
caused by a transiting planet and will provide scientists from first idea to final hardware. The main reason for
with the high-precision transit signatures needed to extended development cycles is the huge number of tests 2
measure its size. This data will provide key insight into the performed to ensure that all requirements will be met, in
formation and evolutionary histories of these planets. all situations, over the lifecycle of components.
As part of the CHEOPS project, Almatech was placed in Within a development cycle, several physical prototypes
charge of all structural components. The work involved are built and tested as well, but Almatech performs the vast
the design and construction of the satellite’s tubular main majority of these tests in the virtual world, using a digital
structure, made of carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRPs), twin of the component under scrutiny. For this purpose,
as well as the titanium brackets and junctions holding its the space-grade equipment designers use Femap software
primary and secondary mirrors. These mirrors cannot from Siemens PLM Software, in conjunction with the
be adjusted in flight, so their support needs to be rigid Nastran solver to simulate performance, starting at very
and offer high stability over the range of temperatures early phases of product development.
experienced in space. “The various model analyses provide proof to clients
Another example is BepiColombo, a joint European/ and authorities that the complex devices will perform as
Japanese mission to Mercury, which is already making its required under the anticipated conditions,” says Blecha.
journey to our inner neighbour. Launched in October 2018, “They are also instrumental in our efforts to reduce mass
BepiColombo will start orbiting the least understood planet without compromising stability.”
in our solar system in late 2025. The mission comprises two Nastran is a premier finite element method (FEM) solver
spacecraft: the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and the for computational performance, accuracy, reliability and
Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO). While gathering scalability. It includes powerful solutions for linear and
data during its one-year mission, the MPO will endure nonlinear structural analysis, dynamic response, acoustics,
temperatures in excess of 350°C. rotor dynamics, aeroelasticity, thermal analysis and
Almatech designed and optimised a baffle that protects optimisation. “The advantage of having all these solutions
the MPO against heating to more than 270°C. It also available in a single solver is that input and output file
protects the laser receiver of a built-in altimeter against formats are the same for all solution types,” says Blecha.
the heat of the sun. The components included a very fine This single user interface is key to completing the task of
aluminium mirror used to deflect rays of sunlight. “The calculating the effects of vibrations, noise, temperature and
shape of this mirror was given [and] the tolerable roughness temperature changes on the parts and, at the same time,
was specified at 4 nm [nanometres], regardless of any optimising their mass. “Our aim is to get a good balance
external influences,” says Blecha. “By comparison, the between mechanical and thermomechanical aspects, to
diameter of one aluminium atom is 0.25 nm.” find the best possible solution,” says Blecha.
Finally, the Solar Orbiter is a collaborative mission Before starting to produce real parts, the Almatech
between the ESA and the United States’ National experts reiterate all types of quasi-static, frequency
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to study response and thermoelastic analyses of the software model
the sun and its outer atmosphere. Scheduled for launch in and test physical prototypes using shakers. “We almost
2019, the spacecraft will observe the sun’s atmosphere and invariably encounter opportunities for improvement, and Previous page
combine these observations with measurements taken in using Femap makes it easy to reiterate the simulation
●1 For the
the environment surrounding the orbiter. It will provide process,” Blecha adds. Solar Orbiter, a
insight into fundamental physical processes, studied Fast iterations proved particularly useful in the collaborative ESA/
NASA to study the
under conditions impossible to reproduce on Earth and optimisation of the main structural body of the CHEOPS
sun and its outer
unfeasible to observe from astronomical distances. satellite. Temperature variations in outer space can atmosphere,
A Spectral Imaging of the Coronal Environment (SPICE) potentially cause dimensional changes detrimental to the Almatech created this
instrument located on board the Solar Orbiter will observe function of the telescope. abrasives-free, slit-
changing
both the solar disk and the corona, in order to characterise “Using Femap for thermomechanical simulations, we mechanism for the
plasma properties at and near the sun. For this instrument, were able to identify and address these issues early,” says imaging spectrograph
Almatech designed a slit-changing mechanism, which Blecha. “Taking advantage of Femap’s capability for a wide This page
moves the shutter by deforming parts rather than sliding range of analyses allowed us to steady the focal distance of ●2 Meshed model

along guiding tracks. “This is vital because particles the telescope, while at the same time reducing the mass of of the slit-changing
mechanism for
created by abrasion would, over time, disable the optical the components.” analysis
instrument, and cleaning is impossible,” says Blecha. almatech.ch | siemens.com in Femap

22 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3D.COM

p21_22_D3D_MAR19_FemapAndAlmatech.indd 22 26/03/2019 15:42

 FIRST LOOK

OUT
OF THE
SHADOWS
» The enterprise VR race is speeding up. Stephen Holmes gets
hands-on with new entrant Varjo’s first headset and discovers an
experience that goes far beyond anything we’ve seen before

W
hile the low-end consumer market Connected to a workstation via a USB-C Link Box and 10
for virtual reality (VR) headsets has metres of optical fibre cable, the headset is a little heavier
become a mass-produced race to than others we’ve tried (the kerb weight is 905g, compared
the bottom, vendors developing new to the 550g of the HTC Vive Pro), but given the quality of fit,
technologies have shifted their sights it makes little difference once you’re strapped in.
away from mere entertainment, to Two eye surrounds come as standard: a spacious universal
focus on the needs of high-end professional users. fit that can accommodate a wearer’s thick-rimmed
Varjo, meaning ‘shadow’ in Finnish, is a good example: spectacles; and a tighter fit that narrows the perspective and
its VR-1 head-mounted display (HMD) has an effective brings the user closer to the action.
resolution of 50 megapixels per eye, over twenty-times that The VR-1’s ‘human eye resolution’ capability works just
of consumer devices. as the name suggests: an item in the centre of the viewing
With that in mind, the company is focused purely on window is seen in rich detail, while those in the periphery
industrial sectors requiring pin sharp visual fidelity, are presented at similar resolution to other high-end
including automotive and product design. HMDs. The headset does this by using two different
The design of its headset owes much to a pedigree that displays for each eye: The high pixel density ‘focus window’
stretches back further than its February 2019 launch in the centre, and the ‘context display’ for the peripheral
might suggest. vision, with the images from both displays blended together.
In fact, the Varjo team came out of Nokia and its ill-fated It takes a little time to get used to this set-up and some
acquisition by Microsoft. Its members helped to develop the deliberate head movement is required to position the focus
latter’s HoloLens mixed reality headset for the enterprise window on what you want to examine in detail, but the
sector, before leaving to set up on their own, raising some rewards are great in terms of clarity and resolution.
impressive funding along the way. In short, it quickly becomes clear why the VR-1 should
The fruits of this can now be seen in the VR-1. It’s a be on the wish list of anyone working in high-end
polished product, in many senses. A mirror-finish front visualisation. Stitching on leather and the weave of fabrics
gives it a strong visual identity in a market crowded with on furniture pop into life in realistic detail. Tiny text, which
matte black plastic. And careful thought has clearly gone might be nothing but a blur on other headsets, is easily
into materials, fit and the process of putting the headset on: legible. And the effort that goes into lighting a virtual scene
a self-tightening headband mechanism makes it fast and truly pays off here.
simple to achieve a comfortable fit, but users can also opt to The depth of field created by the effect of peripheral vision
simply hold the VR-1 up to their face, in order to perform a soon becomes second nature, just as it does with human
quick check of a 3D model, for example. sight, and adds an extra degree of realism to the experience.

24 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3D.COM

p24_25_26_D3D_APRIL19_Varjo_HMD_FirstLook.indd 24 27/03/2019 11:43

p24_25_26_D3D_APRIL19_Varjo_HMD_FirstLook.indd 25 27/03/2019 11:43
 FIRST LOOK


High resolution is just the first trick
up Varjo’s sleeve. Its proprietary
eye-tracking technology adds
another string to this device’s bow
and gives a tantalising glimpse of
the direction of travel for VR


1
EYE TRACKING CAPABILITIES
High resolution is just the first trick up Varjo’s sleeve. Its
proprietary eye-tracking technology adds another string
to this device’s bow and gives a tantalising glimpse of the
direction of travel for VR.
After a pleasingly brief calibration set-up (you only
need to focus on half a dozen dots, and you’re done), a
demo seats you in a virtual airport control tower, whereby
your eye movement highlights different vehicles and
buildings, bringing up useful information or activating
animations.
At present, this might seem like a slightly gimmicky
sideshow, but Varjo’s aim is to eventually match up the
VR-1’s high-resolution focus window with its eye-tracking 2
capabilities, to more closely mimic human sight and add
true depth and realism to immersive experiences. This is
truly the Holy Grail for VR, and achieving it will require
further hardware and software development.
For now, the next step on the horizon is an augmented
reality (AR) upgrade, whereby the mirrored front of the
existing HMD pops off, and the VR-1 can be used to overlay
digital content on the real world, with its eye-tracking
proving useful in a range of scenarios, such as training.

NEXT STEPS
Looking forward, Varjo promises to provide native support
for a range of CAD and visualisation software, beginning
with Autodesk VRED. The rendering software favoured
by the automotive industry already has the four-channel 3
output required to power the two displays needed for each
eye in the VR-1’s Bionic Display, and was made ready for
the headset back in January with release 2019.3. $995 – and that’s before you consider additional GPU
A quick demo of VRED with the VR-1 is as sharp as hardware requirements. The smooth-as-silk output that
expected, allowing the wearer to move around a virtual car, we experienced, for example, was provided by a Nvidia
with real-time editing of the design and the same pin-sharp GTX 2080, while a GTX 1080, or the latest range of Quadro
focus-window details. GPUs, will also provide enough grunt to power scenes. ●1 The Varjo VR1 has a
Yet there may be a snag for some prospective customers: At the same time, the technology here goes way beyond distinctive design and
one reason Varjo is targeting professional users is that all what we’ve previously seen in HMDs for pro users, and mirror-finish front
this wonderful technology doesn’t come cheap. Varjo is targeting the VR-1 at the upper echelons of design ●2 While heavier than
other headsets, the
Current HMD offerings, including Facebook’s Oculus and architecture, where price should be less of an obstacle. design of the VR-1
Rift, HTC’s Vive and Sony’s PlayStation VR, all cost below Beyond power walls and cave set-ups, few VR technologies has been optimised
$500. The ‘prosumer’ HTC Vive Pro is around $800, and are able to conjure this kind of experience, let alone this for comfort
the newly announced HoloLens 2 and Magic Leap will start level of close-up detail. ●3 Comparison of
the view through an
at around $3,500 and $2,295 respectively. varjo.com
HTC Vive Pro (left)
So buyers need to be prepared for quite a ramp-up in Try the Varjo VR-1 for yourself at DEVELOP3D LIVE, when you visit and the VR-1’s ‘Bionic
price when it comes to the VR-1: the headset retails at a Varjo’s stand #75. Book your free tickets for April 17 in Sheffield at Display’ (right)
cool $5,995, plus an additional annual service licence of develop3dlive.com All images: Varjo

26 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3D.COM

p24_25_26_D3D_APRIL19_Varjo_HMD_FirstLook.indd 26 27/03/2019 11:43

 42

Se at
/4

e De
3

us ve
on lo
st p3D
an L
d iv
Powerful and reliable

e
at an affordable price

Precision 3430 SFF Precision 3430 SFF Precision 3630 Tower Precision 3630 Tower
£1,312.85 £918.99 £1,527.14 £1,069.00 £1,070.00 £749.00 £1,512.85 £1,058.99
Ex. VAT @20% & Delivery Ex. VAT @20% & Delivery Ex. VAT @20% & Delivery Ex. VAT @20% & Delivery

Intel Core i5-8500, 6 Core, 9MB Intel Core i7-8700, 6 Core, 12MB Intel Core i5-8500, 6 Core, 9MB Intel Core i7-8700, 6 Core, 12MB
Cache, 3.0GHz, 4.1Ghz Turbo w/ Cache, 3.20GHz, 4.6Ghz Turbo w/ Cache, 3.0GHz, 4.1Ghz Turbo w/ Cache, 3.20GHz, 4.6Ghz Turbo w/
HD Graphics 630 HD Graphics 630 UHD Graphics 630 UHD Graphics 630
Windows 10 Pro 64bit Windows 10 Pro 64bit Windows 10 Pro 64bit Windows 10 Pro 64bit
16GB 2x8GB DDR4 2666MHz 16GB 2x8GB DDR4 2666MHz 8GB 2x4GB DDR4 2666MHz 16GB 2x8GB DDR4 2666MHz
UDIMM Non-ECC UDIMM Non-ECC non-ECC Memory UDIMM Non-ECC
M.2 256GB PCIe NVMe Class 40 M.2 256GB PCIe NVMe Class 40 M.2 256GB PCIe NVMe Class 40 M.2 256GB PCIe NVMe Class 40
Solid State Drive Solid State Drive Solid State Drive Solid State Drive
Pre-configured with Radeon™ Pro Pre-configured with Radeon™ Pro Pre-configured with Radeon™ Pro Pre-configured with Radeon™ Pro
WX 3100 4GB graphics card. WX4100 4GB graphics card. WX 2100 2GB graphics card. WX 3100 4GB graphics card.

Purchase from Software Box Ltd CCS Media Storm Technologies

01347 812 150 01246 200 200 01923 80 10 80
dell.co.uk www.softbox.co.uk www.ccsmedia.com www.storm-technologies.com

Intel, Intel Core are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or other countries. Dell is a trademark of Dell Inc. AMD Radeon™ is the registered trademark of AMD Inc.
All prices are subject to change without notification. Image courtesy of CGPdesign and Maxon.
 DEVELOP3D LIVE

THE IMPORTANCE OF
STAYING AHEAD OF
THE TECH CURVE
» As we gear up for DEVELOP3D LIVE in Sheffield on April 17, Al Dean explores
the importance of technology in driving new efficiencies in product development

D
esigners and engineers are
spectacular problem solvers
– this, after all, is the reason
that our jobs exist. I suspect,
it’s even built into our DNA.
We not only need to tackle functional
problems, so a part or product fulfils its
performance requirements, but we also
need to ensure that it looks and feels good.
To do this in the modern age, we take
advantage of modern tools. The revolution
in 3D design and engineering software
allows us to develop, iterate and validate

IMAGE COURTESY AUTODESK INC

more concepts than we could do manually.
Photorealistic rendering and immersive
visualisation, simulation and analysis, as
well as new production techniques that
are inextricably linked to design (such
as additive manufacturing and topology
optimisation) all play an essential role too. Fabian Morgan, Autodesk’s R&D CAD data for use in advanced visualisation.
Together they help us squeeze the most Manager, AI Projects, will explain how Delegates will also be able to get hands-on
out of the changing world of design and convergence of design and manufacturing with the world’s first retina enabled VR
engineering, taking full advantage of new will bring us new benefits, particularly headset from Varjo which allows you to
market places, new materials and new when assisted by Artificial Intelligence. experience designs at a level of detail never
innovations. Simulation-led design will also feature seen before with an HMD.
DEVELOP3D Live gives the design, prominently, with Ansys showcasing its latest We will also have workshops for those
engineering and manufacturing community developments, Coreform introducing a new looking to learn how to secure thousands
the perfect opportunity to compare and technology that can run simulations directly of pounds in R&D Tax Credits or how your
contrast these new innovations and also on smooth splines and Altair showing how IP could be better secured, especially as
learn from peers about new workflows, designers can perform structural analysis Britain leaves the EU.
processes and tips and tricks that can help directly on large CAD assemblies in seconds. See you in Sheffield 17th April!
use existing technologies more efficiently. Jonathan Heath from Brompton Bicycles, Claim your free ticket at develop3dlive.com.
You’ll learn how established tools like will also explain how the latest simulation
Creo, Fusion, Solidworks and Solid Edge technologies are helping keep the iconic
are embracing generative design. You’ll also brand ahead of its competition.
see a new generation of modelling tools. For additive manufacturing, you’ll get the
Brad Rothenberg of nTopology, for example, low down on the very latest technologies
will talk about a new approach to modelling and also learn how to introduce additive
geometry (an implicit method) and how that manufacturing successfully into your
can benefit the design of complex forms. business. There’ll also be plenty of machine
Mirrakoi will show how it can help simplify vendors and service providers on hand Al Dean
complex organic modelling, LimitState to help you prototype your designs and Editor-in-Chief,
will demonstrate new design optimisation ultimately bring these projects to fruition. DEVELOP3D
technology that helps engineers develop For visualisation, Academy Award winner
lighter, more efficient, truss-type Henrik Wann Jensen, CTO of Luxion (the
components, and Gen3D will present new developer of KeyShot) will talk about how
generative design tools that it hopes will high-end visualisation and virtual reality
disrupt the way components are designed are merging, Bomper Studios will discuss
for additive manufacturing. how it streamlines the flow of detail rich

28 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3DLIVE.COM

p28_29_30_31_33_34_35_36_37_38_39_40_43_44_46_49_51_D3D_APRIL19_Preview.indd 28 27/03/2019 09:57

 RENDER THEM
SPEECHLESS
HENRIK WANN JENSEN //
LUXION
2:15pm // Viz Breakout

Join Academy Award winner and

Luxion Chief Technology Officer,
Henrik Wann Jensen to learn how the
demand for product visualisation is
increasing and tomorrow’s needs are
changing the product experience.
This includes efficiently using
visualisation throughout the
development of a product to present
product experiences to customers
in visually engaging ways, including
photoreal VR.

DELIVERING DETAIL
IN ID WITH AM
SERAT BABU //
BETATYPE
11:55am // Additive
Manufacturing Breakout

Industrial design has always been

influenced by the capabilities of
manufacturing processes - a reality that
can lead to technology limiting what
can be achieved through the design
process. Betatype’s CEO will explain
how combining greater technological
control with expertise, additive
manufacturing can now expand these
possibilities rather than limit them.

COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN
& IMPLICIT MODELLING
BRAD ROTHENBERG //
NTOPOLOGY
2:35pm // Auditorium

As engineering and manufacturing

methods become more complex, so
does the generation of the geometry
associated with it.
nTopology’s CEO will explain
how we need alternative ways to
represent a solid model to enable a
step change in the type of parts we can
create, enabling us to lock down and
solve the next generation of big data
engineering problems.
DEVELOP3DLIVE.COM APRIL 2019 29

p28_29_30_31_33_34_35_36_37_38_39_40_43_44_46_49_51_D3D_APRIL19_Preview.indd 29 27/03/2019 09:57

 CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

BIONIC DISPLAY VR
URHO KONTTORI //
VARJO
3:15pm // Viz Breakout

Designed fully for enterprise users,

the Varjo VR-1 head-mounted
display brings a VR resolution and
experience unlike any other.
Join Urho as he gives you an
exclusive look at what this newly
launched product is capable of, now
and in the future, then get hands-on
with the tech on the exhibition floor.

Turn to page 24 for our first impressions

of this exciting new technology.

EFFECTIVE METAL
ADDITIVE
MANUFACTURING
UMIT AYDIN //
GKN ADDITIVE
11:15am // Additive
Manufacturing Breakout

GKN Additive’s Global Business

Development Director, Additive
Manufacturing will explain how to
introduce additive manufacturing
(AM) successfully into your business,
how to make proper use of the
technology and how to identify use
cases to drive your business.

CREATING GREAT
CAD-DRIVEN VISUALS
BOMPER STUDIO
12:15pm // Viz Breakout

Marketing teams’ need for speedy,

3D content is ever-growing and in
response, the importing of CAD
data has needed to be streamlined
significantly. Bomper Studio will
discuss this trend, the studio’s process
for working with detail-rich CAD
models, and how to use Cinema 4D’s
importing tools to empower yourself
as an artist.

30 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3DLIVE.COM

p28_29_30_31_33_34_35_36_37_38_39_40_43_44_46_49_51_D3D_APRIL19_Preview.indd 30 27/03/2019 09:57

 Morgan Fabian
R&D Manager
AI Projects
Autodesk

RECLAIM CREATIVE
FREEDOM
MORGAN FABIAN //
AUTODESK
11:35am // Auditorium

Separating design from

manufacturing is no longer a viable
strategy. Autodesk’s R&D Manager,
AI Projects, Morgan Fabian, will
explore how by converging design
and make, you can lessen the need for
deep manufacturing expertise, make
team collaboration easy, and increase
innovation bandwidth by leveraging a
new process aware partner:
generative design.
DEVELOP3DLIVE.COM APRIL 2019 31

p28_29_30_31_33_34_35_36_37_38_39_40_43_44_46_49_51_D3D_APRIL19_Preview.indd 31 27/03/2019 09:57

 The
The 11thth UK
UKAltair
AltairTechnology
TechnologyConference
Conference
21
21stst May
May 2019
2019 ||British
BritishMotor
MotorMuseum,
Museum,Gaydon,
Gaydon,
Warwickshire
Warwickshire

THE
THEUK’S
UK’S LEADING
LEADING DIGITAL
DIGITALDESIGN
DESIGNEVENT
EVENT
TheThe
ATCATC
2019
2019
brings
bringstogether
together the
the UK design
designandandengineering
engineering community
community to network
to network
and share
and share
successful
successful
and and
innovative
innovative
applications
applicationsofofnew
new simulation
simulation technologies.
technologies.HearHear
from
from
industry
industry
leading
leading
companies,
companies,
share insights
share insights
with
withyour
your peers
peers and
andtake
takepractical
practicalideas
ideas
back
back
to your
to your
workplace.
workplace.

Register
Register for
forFREE at:altairatc.com/atc-uk
FREEat: altairatc.com/atc-uk

Featuring
FeaturingPresentations
Presentations
by: by:

D3D Magazine
D3D Magazine
- v2.indd
Altair.indd 1 - v2.indd
1 1 26/03/2019 17:28:05
26/03/2019
26/03/2019 19:24D3D
17:28:05
Maga
 CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

HOW BROMPTON IS
ADVANCING PRODUCT
DEVELOPMENT
JONATHAN HEATH //
BROMPTON BICYCLE
10:15am // Auditorium

The Brompton bicycle is an iconic

and beautifully refined engineering
product. To get where it is today
took many years of engineering
development using very much a
traditional build, test, break approach.
Today its designers are utilising FEA
tools to help reduce development time,
for both new developments and for
existing bike improvements.

DEVELOP3DLIVE.COM APRIL 2019 33

p28_29_30_31_33_34_35_36_37_38_39_40_43_44_46_49_51_D3D_APRIL19_Preview.indd 33 27/03/2019 09:48

 EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS

PRINC
SPON IPAL
AMD SOR

STANDS 42 & 43
For more than 45 years, AMD has driven
innovation in high-performance computing,
graphics, and visualisation technologies—
the building blocks for gaming, immersive
platforms, and the data centre.
Hundreds of millions of consumers,
leading Fortune 500 businesses, and cutting-
edge scientific research facilities around
the world rely on AMD technology daily to
improve how they live, work, and play. AMD
employees around the world are focused
on building great products that push the
boundaries of what is possible. For more
information about how AMD is enabling today
and inspiring tomorrow, visit
amd.com/RadeonPRO

Image courtesy of CGPdesign

3DCONNEXION and injection moulding for plastic items. processes that the company claims sets
STAND 22 According to the company, the viability it apart for any company engaging with
3Dconnexion designs ergonomic hardware of using SLS as an alternative to injection additive manufacturing as an industrial
and smart, easy-to-use software that the moulding really kicks in with smaller items; production tool.
company says combine seamlessly to make there are no set-up fees only a unit cost, so Alongside its DfAM and R&D services
working in CAD fast, comfortable and fun. for small parts with volumes of up to 10,000 Addition Design and Research also offers
From the SpaceMouse range of 3D mice units, it’s a no brainer. The more complex business focused 3D print training, aimed
to the CadMouse, 3Dconnexion believes its the part the higher the viability as equivalent directly at small businesses that want to
products provide a superior way for CAD tooling cost becomes astronomical. make 3D printing work for them.
professionals to interact with and experience Using its bank of in-house SLS printers addition.design
the digital world. According to 3Dconnexion, the company provides low to mid volume
its products feature patented technology batch production.
and unparalleled build quality to provide 3dprint-uk.co.uk ALTAIR GO
SPONLD
the performance that CAD professionals STANDS 10 & 11 SOR

demand – and deserve. See top of page 36.

3dconnexion.co.uk ADDITION DESIGN AND BRON
SPON ZE altairengineering.co.uk
RESEARCH STAND 49 SOR

3DGBIRE AMD RADEON PRO PRINC

SPON IPAL
STAND 19 STANDS 42 & 43 SOR

3DGBIRE is a UK and Ireland-based service See top of page.

provider for the desktop 3D printer world. It amd.com/radeonpro
sells, services and supports a range of products
including 3D printers, scanners, filaments and
spare parts, and shares its knowledge through ANSYS PLATIN
SPON UM
professional training programs. STAND 38 & 39 SOR

According to the company, by offering See top of page 35.

high quality products and customer focused ansys.com
service, sales and technical support it Addition Design and Research has been
ensures that clients have the resources formed specifically to push the boundaries of
needed to unleash their creative potential. 3D printing. As a dedicated strategic partner ARMARI BRON
SPON ZE
3dgbire.com to its clients the company provides end-to-end STAND 60 SOR

design and manufacturing solutions, helping Armari is a leading specialist

maximise the real opportunities in additive manufacturer and integrator of high
3DPRINTUK manufacturing and 3D printing through performance computer systems, custom
STAND 34 advanced industrial design and research. solutions and branded appliances. The
Focused on production runs, 3DPRINTUK It is this multi-disciplinary approach company’s PCs, workstations and appliances
bridges the gap between additive manufacture combined with extensive knowledge of AM have been winning awards in the UK press

34 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3DLIVE.COM

p28_29_30_31_33_34_35_36_37_38_39_40_43_44_46_49_51_D3D_APRIL19_Preview.indd 34 27/03/2019 09:48

 PLATIN
SPON UM
ANSYS SOR

STANDS 38 & 39
If you’ve ever seen a rocket launch, flown on
an airplane, driven a car, used a computer,
touched a mobile device, crossed a bridge,
or put on wearable technology, chances are
you’ve used a product where Ansys software
played a critical role in its creation. Ansys is
the global leader in engineering simulation.
Its tools help the world’s most innovative
companies deliver radically better products
to its customers.
The company states that by offering the
best and broadest portfolio of engineering
simulation software, it helps its customers
solve the most complex design challenges
and engineer products limited only by
imagination.
ansys.com

for over 25 years, showing making it a worthy accessory to any product offer the highest level of performance
its consistent quality, development activity. for VFX, animation, game development,
performance and According to the company, whether architecture and product design.
leadership in delivering you need a simple, one-off part or several BOXX Tech UK presents itself as an
new technology. components, arrkonline.com is your online expert in creating the perfect specification
Armari’s range of portal to a faster way of getting your parts. for the software applications you use daily.
in-house designed arrkonline.com It says that the BOXX workflow allows you to
Magnetar Professional maximise the effectiveness of your time.
Workstations cater for The all-new APEXX S3 (as reviewed in the
CAD/CAM, Media & AUTODESK GO
SPONLD DEVELOP3D workstation special report) is
Entertainment and AUTODESK.COM SOR
driven by its fastest overclocked processor,
Scientific research. See top of page 37. housed in a newly designed mid-size chassis.
Included in this range autodesk.com The advanced liquid cooling gives you a
are the Magnetar quiet operation while being able to maintain
V-series micro slim processor speeds of up to 5.1GHz.
workstation for VR content creators and the BOWMAN ADDITIVE PRODUCTION The APEXX S class is based on Intel i9 X
Magnetar S-series Threadripper Workstation STAND 62 family, the APEXX T class is based on the new
that won PC-PRO’s 2019 premier Bowman Additive Production is bringing AMD Threadripper series, and the APEXX W
workstation group test. a fully supported engineering approach class is based on the Intel W Xeon family.
armari.com to Additive Manufacturing. The company boxx-tech.co.uk
believes that its systems will help you to
produce traceable, verifiable and repeatable
ARRK EUROPE LTD production parts in usable quantities
STAND 21 without resorting to the expense and time of
As an established provider of additive laying down tools.
manufacturing and prototyping services, According to the company, Additive
ARRK is delighted to present arrkonline.com, Production also gives you the true design
its new service for customers looking freedom to make production runs of parts
to obtain a quote and order 3D printed that cannot be made any other way, in true
stereolithography or selective laser sintered engineering thermoplastic.
components online. bowmanap.com
Members from the ARRKonline team will
be on hand at DEVELOP3D Live to present
the new, online platform and demonstrate BOXX-TECH UK BRON
SPON ZE
how to upload and validate files, select a STAND 64 SOR

process and choose your material. Following BOXX Tech UK provides ‘world-class
initial registration, this simple-to-use system workstations and unique rendering solutions’.
allows customers to order parts, night or day, According to the company, its workstations

DEVELOP3DLIVE.COM APRIL 2019 35

p28_29_30_31_33_34_35_36_37_38_39_40_43_44_46_49_51_D3D_APRIL19_Preview.indd 35 27/03/2019 09:48

 EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS

GO
SPONLD
ALTAIR tools that engineers require for the SOR
STANDS 10 & 11 complete design and analysis of a
Altair is a global technology product making it more accessible
company providing solutions in and cost-efficient. It offers a robust
product development, high- solution set for Model-Based
performance computing and data Development, Concept Design and
intelligence. Manufacturing Simulation. It is
Altair transforms design designed to help small, mid-sized
and decision making by and large organisations to tap into
applying simulation, machine simulation for facilitating product
learning and optimisation innovation and efficient design.
throughout product lifecycles. The solidThinking suite
Its broad portfolio of simulation encompasses eleven applications,
technology and patented units- including Altair Inspire, a
based software licensing model generative design and topology
enable Simulation-Driven optimisation simulation tool,
Innovation for its customers. and Altair SimSolid, a simulation
Altair Solidthinking is pitched technology for designers, design
as a revolutionary simulation engineers, and simulation analysts. Image courtesy of Brompton Bicycle
platform that brings together all the altairengineering.co.uk

CAD SCHROER 3D printers which include the J750 full to automatically generate manufacturing
STAND 74 colour - multi material printer, Stratasys and drawings, 3D models and sales documents
CAD Schroer is a global software Ultimaker FDM as well as the Markforged (including quotes). It is used by companies
development company and engineering composite printer. across many different industries worldwide
solutions provider that can help to raise central-scanning.co.uk to configure and automate.
productivity and competitiveness within
manufacturing and process engineering. DriveWorks says it can help clients:
In addition to its extensive 2D/3D CAD CONCURRENT DESIGN • Configure custom products on any device

product and service portfolio, CAD Schroer GROUP (CDG) • Respond quickly to sales enquiries

also provides Augmented and Virtual Reality STAND 65 • Generate more custom orders

(AR & VR) solutions. Together with its CDG offers a ‘unique range’ of best-in- • Win more business

customers, CAD Schroer develops immersive class 3D printers including 3D Systems’ • Enhance product quality

AR & VR apps using existing 3D CAD data ultra-fast Figure 4 DLP and the super high • Reduce repetitive tasks

for a wide range of applications, including resolution ProJet 2500 Plus MJP, the large- DriveWorks is a Solidworks Gold Partner
sales presentations, interactive training format OMNI Factory 2.0 FFF with high and Microsoft Gold Development Partner.
workshops, and servicing and maintenance performance plastics and the Sinterit LISA driveworks.co.uk
guides. CAD Schroer apps are also used by SLS with PA11 and PA12. In addition, there’s
distributed design teams to collaboratively the Intamsys Funmat HT PEEK 3D printer,
review designs in virtual meeting rooms. Fusion3, FabPro, Zmorph and more. EMCO EDUCATION LTD
cad-schroer.com CDG also offers the new EinScan-Pro 2X STAND 31
3D scanner and software from Cimatron Emco offers a “complete solution” for 3D
and Geomagic including Wrap, Design X, printers, 3D scanners, manual/CNC and
CENTRAL SCANNING Control X and Freeform digital clay. laser cutting machines to the education and
STAND 25 cdg.uk.com/3d industrial sectors.
Central Scanning offers a variety of 3D The company says its machines and
Scanning and 3D Printing Services as well as solutions are top quality, offering high-
Inspection, Reverse Engineering, Training DRIVEWORKS SILV
SPON ER performance, reliability and speed.
and System Sales. STAND 48 SOR
Emco will be exhibiting the Stratasys
Using its in-house expertise, the company DriveWorks’ design automation and Objet 30 Prime 3D printer, which provides
says it is able to provide efficient, reliable CPQ configurator software allows users product developers with the ability to
and cost-effective comprehensive scanning fine tune designs right in the office, the
services to suit all business needs, using Zeiss, Creaform Go! SCAN 3D, which offers
Artec, Surphaser and Hexagon 3D scanners. an easy portable colour 3D scanning
According to the company, its team of experience, and the Isel ICV 4030 ready-
highly skilled and passionate 3D printing to-use CNC desktop router, which provides
personnel can also provide you with a travel ranges of 400 x 300 x 140 mm with
variety of solutions from a simple print to maintenance-free EC servo motors.
a full colour 3D print, using its in-house emco.co.uk

36 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3DLIVE.COM

p28_29_30_31_33_34_35_36_37_38_39_40_43_44_46_49_51_D3D_APRIL19_Preview.indd 36 27/03/2019 09:48

 GO
SPONLD
AUTODESK SOR
AUTODESK.COM
Autodesk makes software for people who
make things. If you’ve ever driven a high-
performance car, admired a towering
skyscraper, used a smartphone, or watched
a great film, chances are you’ve experienced
what millions of Autodesk customers are
doing with its software. Autodesk gives you
the power to make anything.

For more information visit autodesk.com or

follow @autodesk

EPMA are suitable for a multitude of reverse

STAND 59 engineering applications including the
The European Powder Metallurgy development of virtual simulations of
Association (EPMA) has three key missions automotive interiors, rapid prototyping in
– promoting, representing and developing plastics manufacturing, composite surface
powder metallurgy (PM). inspections in aerospace assembly and more.
It serves all types of corporate members, faro.com
from component producers, metal powder
manufacturers, equipment producers
through to end-users, research centres, FORMLABS
universities and individuals who have an STAND 23
interest in PM. The Form 2 is a desktop 3D printer capable
The metal powder additive manufacturing of industrial-quality prints from tiny,
sector is represented by the EPMA’s European intricately detailed models to large, sturdy
Additive Manufacturing Group (EAMG), prototypes and production parts.
which aims to increase the awareness of the The Form 2 is pitched as a complete, end-
additive manufacturing technology sector, and subtractive manufacturing techniques, to-end solution for digital manufacturing.
with a special focus on metal powder based and Data / Document Management. In Formlabs also develops its own suite of
products and the competitive advantage these addition, the company’s specialist knowledge high-performance materials including a
components can create. of Building Information Modelling (BIM) growing library of resins, as well as intuitive,
epma.com enables it to help the supply chain develop, powerful 3D printing software, PreForm.
host and market BIM ready content. formlabs.com
Established in 1985, Excitech is an
EXCITECH BRON
SPON ZE Autodesk Platinum Partner.
STAND 53 SOR
excitech.co.uk FUJITSU SILV
SPON ER
Excitech provides solutions for STAND 71 SOR

manufacturing, architecture, engineering, Fujitsu is the leading Japanese

and construction. Its services include the FARO information and communication technology
provision of software, consultancy, training STAND 4 (ICT) company, offering a full range of
and support, and a range of IT, Document FARO develops and manufactures 3D technology products, solutions and services.
Management and Facilities Management digitisation solutions designed to capture CELSIUS workstations from Fujitsu
solutions. complex geometries of prototypes, products support creativity, simulation, calculation
Within product design and and assemblies to increase the efficiency in and visualisation at the highest professional
manufacturing, Excitech enables its product development. level. According to the company, thanks to
customers to leverage the benefits of FARO’s portable CMM and 3D the end-to-end capabilities from design,
Industry 4.0. Its portfolio includes 3D documentation solutions integrate 3D engineering to production, CELSIUS
modelling & detailing, visualisation, modelling processes into a single step. workstations have gained a great reputation
simulation, design automation, additive Its non-contact measurement solutions for being whisper quiet, offering ingenious

DEVELOP3DLIVE.COM APRIL 2019 37

p28_29_30_31_33_34_35_36_37_38_39_40_43_44_46_49_51_D3D_APRIL19_Preview.indd 37 27/03/2019 09:48

 EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS

GO
SPONLD
HP SOR
STANDS 16 & 17
HP Inc says it creates technology that makes
life better for everyone, everywhere.
Through its portfolio of printers, PCs,
mobile devices, solutions, and services, the
company engineers experiences that amaze.
hp.com/go/3DPrint

GOPRINT3D software and consultancy services together

STAND 24 with PTC certified training and dedicated
GoPrint3D uses the latest 3D printing hotline support.
technology to provide solutions for At DEVELOP3D LIVE, INNEO’s team
prototyping through to production. will be on the stand showcasing the latest in
The company specialises in helping CAD/PDM/PLM and rendering solutions.
thermal management and cooling as well as organisations identify opportunities for These include: PTC Creo; PTC Navigate;
reaching world-leading benchmark results. additive manufacturing, build business cases INNEO Platform Solutions; Windchill 11
All mobile, desktop and rack workstations and implement solutions to help clients and ThingWorx Studio.
are optimised for use with a host of leading achieve their objectives. In addition, INNEO also offers a number
workstation applications, like Autodesk, goprint3d.co.uk of software enhancement tools to optimise
Dassault Systèmes, Siemens PLM and PTC. the performance of CAD/PDM systems,
At DEVELOP3D LIVE, Fujitsu will display including Genius TOOLS and Keyshot
a range of CELSIUS workstations which HP GO
SPONLD inneo.co.uk
support Nvidia and AMD GPUs and Teradici STANDS 16 & 17 SOR

remote workstation solutions. See top of page.

fujitsu.com hp.com/go/3DPrint ITI – INTERNATIONAL
TECHNEGROUP
STAND 32
GEN3D LTD INNEO BRON
SPON ZE ITI is a global leader in the development
STAND 68 STAND 28 SOR
and delivery of interoperability solutions
Gen3D is a start-up based in Bath, UK, As PTC’s Preferred Implementation for CAD/CAM/CAE/PDM. Since 1985 ITI
whose aim is to provide software tools and Partner, INNEO delivers software solutions has partnered with the leading PLM system
consultancy services to companies using and services for product design, PDM vendors to assemble what it describes as an
additive manufacturing (AM) technologies. and PLM, as well as rendering solutions unparalleled suite of software products and
The company is developing its own set of to more than 3,800 customers in the UK, related services – all aimed at eliminating
generative design tools that aim to disrupt Germany and Switzerland. non-value-added time and costs associated
the way components are designed for The company’s offering comprises with reusing product data, and maintaining
Additive Manufacturing processes. data integrity and value.
Gen3D’s highly-automated design process ITI’s solutions include CADfix, Proficiency,
allows engineers to rapidly explore multiple DrawtoPMI, CADIQ and DEXcenter.
concepts and then optimise components to CADfix is one of the leading CAD
reduce mass and optimise flow paths. interoperability tools for 3D data exchange
According to the company, its state-of- and system integration. CADfix tools for
the-art design tools reduce build failures, Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing
shorten development cycles and increase the include highly accurate 2D slice generation
performance of designs. with intelligent compensation, or profile
gen3d.co.uk thickening, to match the requirements of

38 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3DLIVE.COM

p28_29_30_31_33_34_35_36_37_38_39_40_43_44_46_49_51_D3D_APRIL19_Preview.indd 38 27/03/2019 09:48

 GO
SPONLD
KENESTO SOR
STANDS 2 & 3
Kenesto is a secure cloud-based Document
Management and Workflow Platform
designed for teams and technology
providers. Designed with project
management applications in mind, Kenesto
requires no setup, provides unlimited
storage, mobile access and reliability
with real-time access to field data. Users
collaborate directly on master files with
suppliers using virtual local drives.
Kenesto and DotProduct will demonstrate
a digital twin use case with capturing,
storing and sharing handheld-captured 3D
data and associated model data to enable
supply chain access and collaboration.
kenesto.com
dotproduct3d.com

different downstream manufacturing and undertake time-consuming iterative steps.

printing processes. According to the company,
iti-global.com/CADfix LimitState:FORM is highly suited to
problems with significant design freedom,
and is ideal for those seeking to take
KENESTO GO
SPONLD advantage of the design freedoms associated
STANDS 2 & 3 SOR
with additive manufacturing.
See top of page. limitstate.com
kenesto.com

LIGHTWORKS BRON
SPON ZE
LUXION BRON
SPON ZE
LENOVO WORKSTATIONS STAND 29 SOR STAND 51 SOR

STAND 35 Lightworks (now part of Siemens PLM With KeyShot, a real-time ray tracing
Lenovo is a $39bn global technology Software) is all things visualisation. The application that uses a physically correct
company and the fastest growing workstation team will be showcasing Slipstream, a render engine based on scientifically
manufacturer worldwide. solution for automatically preparing your 3D accurate material representation and global
With the Lenovo ThinkStation & ThinkPad data for multi-player design reviews. illumination, Luxion aims to break down the
P Series portfolio, these high-performance On the stand there will be live VR demos and complexity barriers of creating photographic
ISV certified workstations have been a team of experts to discuss how Slipstream images from 3D models.
completely re-engineered from the ground works and how you can adopt the technology With the CPU-based architecture,
up to deliver the industry’s highest levels of to reduce your data processing time to focus photographic real-time rendering can be
performance and reliability. on the design decisions that matter the most. achieved even on simple laptops without
Powered by Intel Xeon processors and siemens.com/slipstream the need for special graphics cards. KeyShot
Nvidia Quadro graphics, Lenovo ThinkStations allows you to easily change materials,
are optimised for demanding design and interactively create and adjust lighting and
engineering workflows, enabling faster LIMITSTATE cameras to make the product development
innovation, greater application performance STAND 55 process faster and easier than ever before.
and much shorter project timescales. LimitState:FORM is a design optimisation keyshot.com
With unique features such as FLEX tool that enables engineers to quickly develop
Cooling, Lenovo P Series Workstations lighter, more efficient, truss-type components.
operate in partnership with Lenovo The software is said to facilitate a fast
Performance Tuning & Lenovo System and productive workflow from problem
Diagnostics Software to drive through what definition through to final design, ready
the company describes as outstanding levels for manufacture. Working with high level,
of ROI; enabling users of Mechanical CAD ‘easily editable’, solid geometry models, the
& Visualisation software to accelerate the developers say an optimised form can be
exploration of complex data like never before. easily interpreted, edited and analysed without
lenovo.com/gb/en/workstations the need to switch to external software or

DEVELOP3DLIVE.COM APRIL 2019 39

p28_29_30_31_33_34_35_36_37_38_39_40_43_44_46_49_51_D3D_APRIL19_Preview.indd 39 27/03/2019 09:48

 EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS

GO
SPONLD
MAXON SOR
STANDS 13 & 14
Maxon Computer is a leading developer
of 3D software for the creative industries,
best known for its multi-award-winning
3D modelling, painting, rendering, and
animation software, Cinema 4D. Today, tens
of thousands of users across the world rely
on Cinema 4D to create cutting-edge 3D
motion graphics, visual effects, architectural
and product visualisations, video game
graphics, illustrations, and much more.
Maxon’s client list includes ABC, Blizzard
Entertainment, BMW, SKY, CNN, Fox, ITV
Creative, MPC (Moving Picture Company),
NBC, NFL Network, Siemens, VDO Image © YanGe
Automotive, Disney, Turner Broadcasting,
Vitra, and many more. designers. Whether you want to create can help you create beautiful still images and
MAXON will be demonstrating what everything from scratch or work with existing exciting animations quickly and easily.
Cinema 4D can do for engineers and product models made in other applications, Cinema4D maxon.net

MALCOLM NICHOLLS MAXON GO

SPONLD
LIMITED (MNL) STANDS 13 & 14 SOR

STAND 26 See top of page.

Malcolm Nicholls Limited (MNL) produces maxon.net
high-quality 3D prints/models, prototypes
and low-volume production components.
The company has extensive experience MEASUREMENT SOLUTIONS
of hand-modelling, pattern making and 3D STAND 1
printing (SLA, SLS and FDM) technology. Measurement Solutions is a UK supplier
In addition to supplying individual RP of portable 3D measurement and order smoothness parameters as well as
models to verify CAD, other core services scanning systems, including Creoform’s interpolating control points that lie directly
include polyurathane vacuum casting, HandySCAN3D and Go!SCAN3D scanners. on the surface of an object.
including metal casting from RP patterns, Live demonstrations of the latest handheld XirusCAD also includes subdivision, local
CNC machining in metals and plastics, and scanning solutions from Creaform will focus refinement, the creation of watertight junctions
extensive finishing capabilities. on the ease of use and the ability to inspect with G0, G1, G2 smoothness control, full
mnl.co.uk and reverse engineer all types of components forward and backward NURBS compatibility
to a high resolution and accuracy, from small as well as intuitive control and handling of
plastic mouldings to a complete car. corners, kinks, edges with smoothness. It is
MAPP The company believes that when combined currently available for Rhino 3D.
STAND 81 with the VXmodel software, Creaform mirrakoi.com
See top of page 51. scanners are the ideal tool for design
mapp.ac.uk applications, especially as they allow for the
creation of high quality STL surface data NIKON METROLOGY
without the need to perform point cloud tasks. STAND 18
MAVERICK RENDER measurement-solutions.co.uk Nikon Metrology, part of the Nikon group
STAND 73 offers a broad range of metrology solutions
RandomControl is a pioneer in light for applications ranging from miniature
simulation technology. It created Fryrender, MIRRAKOI BRON
SPON ZE electronics to the largest aircraft, including
one of the first physically-based render STAND 50 SOR
optical inspection and mechanical 3D
engines, and Arion Render, one of the first Mirrakoi provides ‘XirusCAD’, an metrology solutions complemented
GPU-accelerated render engines. advanced 3D CAD kernel to simplify with state-of-the-art vision measuring
The company has now introduced Maverick complex organic modelling. XirusCAD instruments and microscopes.
Studio, a tool for product visualisation that is designed to overcome existing design The company says its innovative measuring
allows designers, engineers, and marketing limitations for smooth 3D digital design and and precision solutions respond to the advanced
specialists to bring their projects to life to provide a compelling CAD experience. inspection requirements of manufacturers in
with what the company describes as ‘truly It provides ‘augmented access’ to a digital consumer, automotive, aerospace, electronics,
unprecedented speed, quality, and ease of use.’ object by enabling direct and decoupled medical and other industries.
maverickrender.com control of tangents, curvatures and high- nikonmetrology.com

40 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3DLIVE.COM

p28_29_30_31_33_34_35_36_37_38_39_40_43_44_46_49_51_D3D_APRIL19_Preview.indd 40 27/03/2019 09:48

 3D Scanning – on-site/in-house | 3D Printing
Scan to cast solutions | Inspection
Reverse Engineering to CAD services |
Authorised UK dealer for Artec3D and Zeiss

WANT TO FIND
OUT MORE ABOUT
OUR PRODUCTS
AND SERVICES?
For further information and/or
to arrange a demonstration,
then please contact us now.

WWW.CENTRAL-SCANNING.CO.UK [email protected]
UNIT 9, WILDMOOR MILL, MILL
01527 558282
LANE, WILDMOOR, BROMSGROVE,
B61 0BX

centralscanning @centralScanLtd central-scanning

cenralscanningA4.indd 1 19/03/2019 12:16

 Sinterit LISA
SLS 3D Printer

Lisa SLS
Build: 90x120x
130mm
Mats: PA12, Flexa
Price: £5-10k

Lisa Pro
Build: 90x120x
230mm
Mats: PA11,12,
Flexa, ++
Price: £10-20k

Production Grade Materials

Now with “open source” parameters

Tel. 01420 88645

www.replik8.co.uk

p42_D3D_APRIL19_Ads.indd 1 27/03/2019 14:28

 EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS

GO
SPONLD
ONSHAPE SOR
STANDS 44 & 45
Onshape is a next-generation cloud
design platform that speeds up product
development. It’s an all-in-one system that
combines CAD, release management,
workflow, real-time collaboration tools,
and an API with more than 50 engineering
applications.
Onshape helps extended design teams
work together faster and helps executives
make better business decisions with
real-time analytics and unprecedented
visibility into their company’s design and
manufacturing processes.
Thousands of companies rely on Onshape
to modernise and streamline their product
development cycle. Onshape users in 170+ devices, industrial machinery, agriculture devices, Onshape says it is the world’s first
countries have logged over 6 million hours equipment, and consumer products. anywhere, anytime CAD system.
modelling advanced robotics, biomedical With 1 in 8 sessions occurring on mobile onshape.com

NTOPOLOGY demonstrate complete scan to CAD to fully certified servers, PNY believes it can
STAND 27 workflows, including the creation of native supply the full spectrum of solutions.
nTopology Element is a fully featured lattice parametric CAD models in Solidworks, The PNY PREVAILPRO mobile
design & optimisation package. According Inventor, NX, Creo and CATIA. workstation is a compact and scalable
to the developers, complex 3D lattices offer At DEVELOP3D LIVE, the company will solution for the most demanding users.
significant performance & manufacturability be demonstrating inspection and freeform Configurable with NVIDIA Quadro P3000 or
benefits for additive manufacturing, but modelling packages. P4000, the device offers different options for
designing them in traditional CAD software or3d.co.uk storage, memory and screen resolution.
is impractical at best. nTopology believes pny.eu/en
it solves this with its software that is built
from the ground up with lattice structures in PNY BRON
SPON ZE
mind, and has built-in optimisation features STAND 69 SOR
POLYGONICA
that allow for quick design iterations. STAND 47
ntopology.com Polygonica is a polygonal solid modelling
toolkit built on MachineWorks’ core technology
for material removal and machine simulation.
ONSHAPE GO
SPONLD It can carry out a wide range of geometric
STANDS 44 & 45 SOR
operations on STL models such as automatic
See top of page. solid healing, fixing self-intersections and
onshape.com other Boolean operations. Other algorithms
in Polygonica allow remeshing, simplification,
offsetting and point cloud manipulation.
OR3D Polygonica has a wide range of applications,
STAND 9 Having manufactured computer components particularly in the fields of additive
OR3D specialises in providing 3D solutions for over 30 years, PNY has a heritage in manufacturing and 3D printing, where there
and presents itself as the UK’s largest providing designers, engineers, researchers is a requirement to solve complex polygon
Geomagic partner for hardware and and visualisation clients with solutions that modelling problems when handling defective
software. include Nvidia Quadro, Tesla and mobile models with vast numbers of polygons.
It offers a range of laser scanning workstation series PREVAILPRO. However it also applies to industries such as
equipment that covers long-range scanning The Nvidia Quadro-based graphics boards CFD/FEA meshing, CAD/CAM/CAE, rapid
of buildings and large infrastructure, to are certified for all major CAD/CAM and DCC prototyping and reverse engineering.
dynamic handheld scanners from Mantis applications and, according to PNY, deliver polygonica.com/events
Vision. For high-precision manufacturing unmatched power to maximise productivity.
and engineering applications, the company The Nvidia Tesla-based GPU computing
is able to highlight the capabilities of sub- solutions are designed from the ground up PTC GO
SPONLD
for high performance computing (HPC) and STANDS 36 & 37
SOR
millimetre accurate scanners and laser
trackers from API. for true virtual hardware acceleration with See top of page 44.
Geomagic Design X OR3D can GPUs (Nvidia GRID). From GPU modules ptc.com/product/creo

DEVELOP3DLIVE.COM APRIL 2019 43

p28_29_30_31_33_34_35_36_37_38_39_40_43_44_46_49_51_D3D_APRIL19_Preview.indd 43 27/03/2019 09:48

 EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS

GO
SPONLD
PTC SOR
STANDS 36 & 37
PTC unleashes industrial innovation. Market-
proven, award-winning solutions enable
companies to differentiate their products and
services, improve operational excellence, and
increase workforce productivity.
PTC says that design engineers rely on its
CAD solution Creo for a level of innovation
across the product lifecycle that enables
them to work smarter, faster, and within a
single design environment.
Thousands worldwide use Creo’s CAD,
IoT, and Augmented Reality capabilities,
in the cloud and on the desktop, to turn
their ideas into reality fast. With PTC, and
its partner ecosystem, manufacturers can
capitalise on the promise of today’s new
technology to drive digital transformation.
ptc.com/product/creo

REALITY ZERO ONE huge range of materials, the device will be SIGMETRIX SILV
SPON ER
STAND 52 sure to impress attendees. STAND 61 SOR

Reality Zero One is a new company with At DEVELOP3D LIVE Roland DG Sigmetrix presents itself as a provider
a mission to revolutionise the world of 3D 3D technology experts will be manning of comprehensive, easy-to-use software
reality capture. Its first product, the Clone the stand throughout, available for solutions that help users achieve robust
One Pro is a professional grade 3D scanning demonstrations, queries and general advice. designs through tolerance analysis and the
solution with integrated turntable, neutral rolanddg.co.uk correct application of GD&T.
backdrop, polarised lighting and camera. The company states that with 25+ years of
According to the company, 3D scanning R&D and consulting experience, it is a global
is effortless, with automated image SCAN expert in GD&T and mechanical variation.
capture and cloud-based photogrammetry STAND 67 Products include CETOL 6σ, a fully-integrated
reconstruction, converting your physical Since launching in 1987, Scan’s strategy 3D tolerance analysis solution that enables
object to ‘studio-quality’ digital 3D model has focused on providing high-quality designers and engineers to understand the
in minutes. 3D outputs are optimised for custom PCs and components to customers impact of part and assembly variation on
digital and virtual applications with user in the UK and beyond and is an Nvidia the fit and performance of their products,
selectable levels-of-detail and texture-map Elite Solution Provider for Professional EZtol, a 1D analysis tool that is said to offer
resolutions. The company services multiple Visualisation. numerous advantages over spreadsheet-based
sectors, including games development, Scan says its award-winning 3XS Systems analyses, and GD&T Advisor, an interactive
education, physical and digital ‘makers’, are designed, built and delivered by skilled, tool that provides ‘expert guidance’ on the
commercial and antique art, heritage, ad motivated and ambitious staff to the correct application of GD&T to the models per
digital creative marketing. highest standards and supported by relevant ASME and ISO standards.
Reality Zero One also offers 3D scanning innovative marketing. Sigmetrix also offers GD&T and MBD/MBE
services from its London-based studio. Scan also provides 3XS Cloud training classes and a professional services
reality01.com Workstations, which it describes as a team that has years of experience in tolerance
simple, scalable solution for high-end 3D analysis and GD&T definition.
graphics without the upfront cost, upkeep sigmetrix.com
ROLAND DG and maintenance of physical workstations.
STAND 12 Choose from a range of virtual workstation
Roland DG UK will be returning to specifications are available to suit
DEVELOP3D LIVE on stand 12 offering your requirements depending on your
visitors the chance to see the MODELA application and usage.
MDX-50; Roland DG’s latest precision model scan.co.uk
making device designed for industry and
education featuring advanced automated
features for unattended production. SIEMENS PLM SOFTWARE GO
SPONLD
The company feels confident that with STANDS 5 & 6 SOR

MDX-50’s mechanical accuracy, smooth See top of page 46.

surface finish and its compatibility with a siemens.com/plm

44 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3DLIVE.COM

p28_29_30_31_33_34_35_36_37_38_39_40_43_44_46_49_51_D3D_APRIL19_Preview.indd 44 27/03/2019 09:48

 NVIDIA QUADRO RTX
WORLD’S FIRST RAY-TRACING GPU

Designed, built and tested by NVIDIA, Quadro® desktop products are the #1 choice
of millions of creative and technical users. Equipped with the world’s most powerful
GPUs, large memory capacities, 8K display outputs, advanced features to drive
real-time photorealistic rendering, AI-augmented workflows, VR environments
and more, Quadro is built to accelerate a range of professional workflows.

Optimized, stable drivers, ISV certifications with over 100 professional

applications and tools for IT management are just some of the benefits of Quadro.

TURING INNOVATION
• RT CORES FOR REAL-TIME RAY TRACING

• TENSOR CORES FOR AI ACCELERATION

• NEW STREAMING MULTIPROCESSOR

• CUDA FOR SIMULATION

MEMORY MEMORY W/ NVLINK RAY TRACING CUDA CORES TENSOR CORES

QUADRO RTX 8000 48 GB GDDR6 96 GB GDDR6 10 GigaRays/sec 4608 576
QUADRO RTX 6000 24 GB GDDR6 48 GB GDDR6 10 GigaRays/sec 4608 576
QUADRO RTX 5000 16 GB GDDR6 32 GB GDDR6 6 GigaRays/sec 3072 384
QUADRO RTX 4000 8 GB GDDR6 N/A 6 GigaRays/sec 2034 288

To learn more visit www.pny.eu

For more information please contact [email protected]

© 2019 NVIDIA Corporation and PNY. All rights reserved. NVIDIA, the NVIDIA logo and NVIDIA Quadro are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of NVIDIA Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. The PNY logotype is a registered trademark of PNY Technologies. All other trademarks and copyrights
are the property of their respective owners.

__
PNY_Turing_ENGLISH_Draft_2019.indd 1 19.02.2019 15:43:12
 EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS

GO
SPONLD
SIEMENS PLM SOFTWARE Learn more about the value of the Digital SOR
STANDS 5 & 6 Enterprise enabling Siemens customers to
Siemens will highlight some of the key create better, more innovative products, faster.
trends in today’s design technology along The full suite of product lifecycle management
with real-life examples of how the company tools, various computer aided design
can assist in overcoming challenges in the solutions with generative design, synchronous
world of engineering. technology and efficiency improving
A challenge of focus is the skills gap functionality, computer aided machining
in engineering between education and software with both removal techniques as
industry; on the main stage Dan Staples well as additive manufacturing, engineering
explores this challenge, from technology solutions for the analysis of stress, flow, heat
gaps to gender gap, and looks at real-life dynamics, etc., software and application
stories of progress. lifecycle management software, manufacturing
On the Siemens PLM Software stand you can operations management, production planning
find out more about supporting engineering and manufacturing simulation and planning
in academia, and “beyond the classroom” in tools, and much more…
how digitalisation can transform your business. siemens.com/plm

SOLID PEOPLE The Company will be exhibiting its of Stratasys 3D printers, from entry-level
STAND 46 very latest range of portable, lightweight, desktop systems through to large platform
Solid People is a team of qualified designers easy to use 3D scanning laser equipment multi-material printers incorporating
who specialise in CAD recruitment. incorporating ‘unique features’ such as Connex multi-material printing technology.
According to the company, this means dual scanning mode (red and blue laser) The company’s services include initial
it knows about “all things CAD” and so in the Prince scanner and red laser with consultation, specification and supply of
understands its clients and candidates better. incorporated photogrammetry in the AXE 3D printing hardware and software, onsite
Solid People pitches itself as a niche scanner. The company states that both of installation, training and full onsite
recruitment company that has been in the these systems are simple to use and very product support
industry for some time so it has extensive flexible in their application and they come With 20 years of industry knowledge,
access to talented CAD specialists – and its complete with bespoke software to make it Tri-Tech 3D pitches itself as the UK’s
knowledge of the CAD industry means it can easy to capture and use your scan data. leading 3D printing technology expert.
match candidates to business’s needs quickly In addition, T3DMC will also have a All of Tri-Tech 3D’s technicians are highly
and accurately. new range of portable CMM 3D scanning qualified and experienced in the field. With
The company says it doesn’t just send a “bin equipment which is only recently available advice and expertise available in 3D printing
full” of CVs for clients to churn through,only to the UK market using camera positioning solutions, 3D software solutions and 3D
the top two or three. Its recruiters interview to enable wireless functionality over large scanning solutions.
candidates, use their know-how to assess areas. These systems operate without With a broad range of printers on show,
skills levels and then decide who would be reference markers or spray and have Tri-Tech 3D’s dedicated product specialists
the best fit for a client’s team. Only then does touch probe options available to add to the will be pleased to discuss your particular
it put them forward. capability of the range. needs or application in more detail,
Whether you’re a looking for your next T3DMC also has a team of experts with demonstrate the printers on offer and help
designer, or a designer looking for your next over 20 years combined experience to provide you identify the best printer to suit your
career move, visit the stand for a chat. a range of 3D scanning services over a application and budget.
solidpeople.co.uk number of different industry sectors. tritech3d.co.uk
It has the ‘largest open sourced automated
3D scanning system’ in the UK capable of
SOLIDWORKS GO
SPONLD handling parts up to 2 tonnes in weight ULTIMAKER
STANDS 7 & 8 SOR
and 3 metres in diameter. T3DMC also has STAND 20
See top of page 49. portable equipment using both optical and Ultimaker has been in operation since 2011,
solidworks.co.uk laser 3D scanning capability.. and over the years has grown to become
t3dmc.com a reputable leader in the 3D printing
industry, creating powerful, professional and
THE 3D MEASUREMENT accessible desktop 3D printers.
COMPANY TRI-TECH 3D With offices in the Netherlands, New York,
STAND 54 STAND 33 and Boston, plus production facilities in
The 3D Measurement Company (T3DMC) Tri-Tech 3D is a leading provider of Europe and the US, Ultimaker’s team of over
describes itself as an expert in 3D Stratasys 3D printing systems within the 300 employees continually strives to offer the
scanning services and provider of the latest UK and Ireland. As a Stratasys Platinum highest quality 3D printers, software, and
innovations in handheld 3D scanning and Distribution Partner, Tri-Tech 3D supplies, materials on the market.
portable CMM equipment. installs and supports the complete range ultimaker.com

46 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3DLIVE.COM

p28_29_30_31_33_34_35_36_37_38_39_40_43_44_46_49_51_D3D_APRIL19_Preview.indd 46 27/03/2019 09:48

 WE’LL HELP YOUR
SIMULATION SOFTWARE
WORK EVEN HARDER
Industry leading simulation software sales
and support, with expert level training and
specialist engineering methodology.

To discover how TECHNIA can help your team

work harder, email [email protected], call us on
01908 776776, or visit www.technia.co.uk.

High Temp 3D Printers

for demanding applications
Materials include:
PEEK, PEKK, PEI, PPSU, PC, PA, PA+CF,
ABS, ASA, PETG, HIPS, TPU, PLA, PVA

Funmat HT [Enhanced] Funmat Pro 410 Funmat Pro 610

— 260 × 260 × 260 mm — 305 × 305 × 406 mm — 610 × 510 × 510 mm
— Single head — Dual head — Dual head
— 450 °C extruder temp — 450 °C extruder temp — 500 °C extruder temp
— Print speed 300mm/s XY — Print speed 300mm/s XY — Print speed 500mm/s XY
— Ceramic heated bed — Ceramic heated bed — Vacuum system on bed

www.cdg.uk.com · 01420 88645

p47_D3D_APRIL19_Ads.indd 1 27/03/2019 15:01

 2019
SHEFFIELD, 17 APRIL

WATCH
THE
FUTURE
100s of talks from
DEVELOP3D LIVE UK and Boston

youtube.com/Develop3dMagazine

VISI
CAD/CAM FOR MOULD & DIE

VISI provides solutions for the mould & die

industry offering topology analysis, 3D tool
design, plastic flow analysis, sheet metal
stamping and comprehensive multi-axis
milling strategies.

HexagonMI.com | visicadcam.com

p48_D3D_APRIL19_Ads.indd 1 27/03/2019 15:04

 EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS

GO
SPONLD
SOLIDWORKS More than three million product SOR
STANDS 7 & 8 designers and engineers worldwide use
SOLIDWORKS, a Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS to bring their designs to
brand, is a world leader in 3D solutions that life – from the coolest gadgets to innovations
helps millions of engineers and designers that deliver a better tomorrow.
succeed through innovation. SOLIDWORKS SOLIDWORKS educational products
solutions deliver an intuitive experience are utilised at over 80% of the world’s top
in product design, simulation, data engineering schools, giving students and
management, electrical design and technical researchers the functionality and ease-of-use
communications. SOLIDWORKS has to become productive almost immediately.
expanded its product portfolio even further Millions of students have graduated with
this year with the introduction of products SOLIDWORKS training.
such as SOLIDWORKS CAM. SOLIDWORKS CEO, Gian Paolo Bassi, will
The SOLIDWORKS focus on ease-of-use be on stage at DEVELOP3D LIVE discussing
allows more engineers, designers and other the latest updates to the SOLIDWORKS
technology professionals than ever before to portfolio and trends within the industry.
take advantage of 3D. solidworks.com MaunaKea Spectroscopic Explorer telescope

UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD GO
SPONLD mixed reality devices will profoundly change VISION TRITEQ3 BRON
SPON ZE
STANDS 56 & 57 SOR
the way professionals work, design and create. STAND 58 SOR

See top of page 51. Varjo’s first product, Varjo VR-1, is pitched
mdclub.org.uk as the world’s only VR device with human-
eye resolution (at over 60 pixels per degree).
Designed for use in complex industries that
UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK demand the highest visual fidelity, VR-1 also
STAND 66 features what the company describes as the
Warwick’s School of Engineering is world’s most advanced integrated eye tracking
one of the leading unified Engineering technology. It is compatible with the most
schools in the UK. Its integrated approach popular professional 3D software tools, such
to engineering brings together the as Unity, Unreal Engine, Autodesk VRED,
key branches of engineering, such as ZeroLight, VBS Blue IG, and Prepar3d.
mechanical, electrical and electronics and varjo.com
civil engineering and draws upon research Vision Engineering has developed a globally
strengths in core engineering disciplines. patented technology (TriTeQ3), to provide
The School has just opened a new VIRTUAL INTERCONNECT BRON
SPON ZE what the company describes as ‘unparalleled
multi-million pound teaching facility (The STAND 63 SOR
and unique extreme 3D reality imaging’ for
Engineering Build Space) where students Virtual Interconnect is an users who require high resolution, real time
are taught some of the fundamentals of implementation specialist in routed systems. and ergonomic image presentation, with
Design and Manufacturing whilst they work Its product offerings include HMX, eSimulate maximum depth perception.
alongside researchers pushing the boundaries and component libraries. Its service offerings TriTeQ3 is pitched as a unique, advanced,
of design and manufacturing in areas such include virtual project design teams, process stereo image presentation system designed
as 3D printing and additive manufacturing workshops and tool customisation to optimise to provide fully interactive real time natural
technology, aerospace, biomimetics, Schematics, Cabling, Piping with Windchill 3D visualisation.
biomedical devices and microfluidics through and ERP integration. In the era of increasingly sophisticated CAD
to robotics, printed electronics and sensing.. The company’s aim is to reduce your risks applications, the company says that image
warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/eng and improve your time to market. presentation becomes ever more important
virtual-interconnect.co.uk to improve the interpretation of the 3D model
and enhance the user experience.
VARJO Vision TriTeQ3 believes its display
STAND 75 increases engineering productivity and
Varjo says it makes revolutionary VR/ efficiency. According to the company, key
XR hardware and software that together benefits include interfacing with existing
are jumpstarting a new era in immersive CAD systems, a unique fully interactive
computing – where real and digital worlds viewing experience, hi brightness 3D
merge seamlessly in human-eye resolution. images in 4K resolution, viewing comfort
The company believes its Bionic Display for complex images, natural stereo 3D
technology allows you to see virtual and visualisation with outstanding depth and
augmented content as clearly as you see the enhanced interpretation of 3D models
analog world around us and that its virtual and visioneng.com

DEVELOP3DLIVE.COM APRIL 2019 49

p28_29_30_31_33_34_35_36_37_38_39_40_43_44_46_49_51_D3D_APRIL19_Preview.indd 49 27/03/2019 09:49

 We are changing perceptions
of PDM & PLM

www.designdatamanager.com
[email protected] +44 1635 551553

Freedom to Explore

Our powerful generative design software

changes the way components are
designed for additive manufacturing.

Rapidly explore multiple concepts

Reduce component mass
Design complex flow paths

[email protected]
www.gen3d.co.uk

Come and see our presentation at Develop3D Live or visit us on Stand 68

p50_D3D_APRIL19_Ads.indd 1 27/03/2019 12:37

 EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS

GO
SPONLD
UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD to deliver a step change in the discovery and SOR
STANDS 56 & 57 making of new material systems, enabling
The University of Sheffield and Sheffield concept development from early, fundamental
Hallam University have a strong history of research right through to translation to
collaboration within the city and through industry and, crucially, covering Technology
the joint venture of the Managing Directors’ Readiness Levels (TRL) one to six.
Club, we provide a forum to support and Launched in 2017, MAPP is delivering new
strengthen our links with business and understanding and impact across a variety
industry in the Sheffield City Region. of themes within additive manufacturing,
mdclub.org.uk harnessing emerging technologies to deliver
powder-based manufacturing with a focus
on low energy, low cost and low waste in and after processing or infusing artificial
MAPP the area of high value engineering. Led by intelligence based on real-time and historical
STAND 81 The University of Sheffield, and bringing data for process monitoring and control.
The Department of Materials Science and together multidisciplinary teams from the The innovative research and applied
Engineering (MSE) at The University of Universities of Leeds, Manchester and Oxford, capabilities within MAPP are able to benefit
Sheffield in one of the national leaders in the Imperial College London and University from the cutting edge facilities of Royce@
field of advanced manufacturing. It is home College London, MAPP is working with a Sheffield who can facilitate end-to-end
to MAPP, an EPSRC Future Manufacturing large number of industry partners to optimise research activities which enable businesses
hub in Manufacture using Advanced Powder operations in such a way that savings are made to take product and process ideas from initial
Processes and Royce@Sheffield, a major across the entire manufacturing process, concept, through development, testing and
partner of the Henry Royce Institute for whether that involves in-process measurement optimisation to the point where they are ready
Advanced Materials. and parameter adjustment, advanced to be trialed by industry.
Royce@Sheffield has developed capabilities characterisation of materials before, during mapp.ac.uk

WORKSTATION SPECIALISTS Rack based (RS-D and RS-R) computing Z+F UK LASER
STAND 15 solutions which are designed for complex, STAND 30
Workstation Specialists is an award-winning simulation, analysis and visual image Z+F presents itself as a leading
computer workstation and rendering rendering tasks. manufacturer of phased based laser
system manufacturer based in the UK. Available with a wide variety of scanners that are used extensively
The company designs and manufactures specifications, with prices starting from as throughout the world where reliability
high performance computing solutions little as £950, Workstation Specialists offers a plus accurate data acquisition is of critical
for the 3D CAD, CAM/CAE and Visual complete custom-built service with excellent importance.
Effects industries. As part of the STRUMIS pre-sales advice & consultancy; allowing you The company has manufactured the
Software group of companies, Workstation to invest in the most suitable configuration IMAGER range since the early 90s, which
Specialists has been producing computer for your requirements (whether this be offers many new features, including HDR
workstations for over 25 years, and is very application, project or budget). A free no colour and thermal imagery.
proud of its ‘class leading’ product portfolio obligation evaluation or demonstration The latest technology offers navigation
and in-depth industry knowledge. service is also available, allowing new sensors to allow registration on the fly, so
Products include powerful professional customers the ability to trial first-hand the firms can complete projects whilst on site,
desktop (WS) and laptop (WS-M) based latest computing technologies. improving work flow and time.
computer workstations, and Deskside and workstationspecialist.com zf-uk.com

Future technology for design, engineering 10 tick

2019
0% ets
and manufacturing — all under one roof FR
EE
70+ exhibitors and 30+ speakers
Additive Manufacturing • Generative Design • CAD • 3D Printing • Visualisation
17 April 2019 Virtual Reality • Workstations • Artificial Intelligence • Simulation + lots more

University of Sheffield Octagon Free tickets @ develop3dlive.com

DEVELOP3DLIVE.COM APRIL 2019 51

p28_29_30_31_33_34_35_36_37_38_39_40_43_44_46_49_51_D3D_APRIL19_Preview.indd 51 27/03/2019 09:49

 PARTNERED WITH

PARTNERED WITH

11 June 2019
CONFERENCE • EXHIBITION • SOCIAL MIXER

Images courtesy of Melike Altınısık Architects

ive
All-inclus
m
tickets fro

£40

THE QUEEN Image courtesy of Boston Dynamics

ELIZABETH II
CENTRE
Westminster,
London SW1P 3EE

nxtbld.com
THE FUTURE OF ARCHITECTURE
ENGINEERING AND
CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY

NXT BLD 2019 D3D APRIL A4.indd 8 27/03/2019 11:07

 REVIEWS SOFTWARE REVIEW

PTC Creo 6.0

When it comes to maturity in the 3D design system industry, it’s hard to beat
Creo on track record. Al Dean takes a look at the latest update to PTC’s flagship
product and finds that it is still making plenty of room for true innovation

I
n the last few years, PTC’s Creo » Product: Creo 6.0 topics, the first we’re going to look at is useful for keeping things compact.
has been through something of a » Supplier: PTC far more general and applicable to almost Another nice tweak can be found in the
renaissance. To those who have every user. model tree. Now, when you activate a part
Price: On application
followed PTC’s move into the world ptc.com Creo 4 and 5 saw PTC start to address the or sub-assembly within an assembly, other
of the Internet of Things (IoT), it might user experience and bring certain areas up components in that assembly will grey
seem that the company’s heritage in the to speed with the expectations of modern out, to show where you are in the product
business of design and engineering has users. While Creo will never take on the full structure. If you’ve activated a part or sub-
been forgotten, but if you dig a little Windows ribbon UI, there’s been a lot of assembly a couple of levels down, it’ll show
deeper, the reality is a little different. work done to make the software seem more this by keeping the higher levels solid.
Yes, there has been a shift in focus inside familiar to new users, as well as to add in Lastly for general operation updates is
PTC beyond the world of 3D CAD and PLM, some new tricks for long-time users. that each operation links directly to a page
but it’s important to note that there’s a One such area is the mini toolbars in the help system. There’s been a worrying
pretty rich set of synergies between this introduced over the last few releases, which trend seen in some software for help
traditional operating area and the brave have since spread to more areas of the systems to become an afterthought, forcing
new world of IoT, augmented reality (AR) system. For Creo 6, these pop up during users to rely on community forums rather
and virtual reality (VR). After all, it’s all feature definition and let you define the than the vendor putting in the hard work, so
very well having a digital twin of your in- parameters for your current operation it’s nice to see some attention paid here to
service equipment, but if you don’t have directly at the cursor. something so vital.
the engineering data about it to begin with, ●1 Creo 6 sees the Related to this are the dashboards that Before we get into the meat of the Creo
you’re already behind. introduction of a new contain all options and parameters for your 6 release, there are also a couple of other
simulation module,
So, shall we explore where PTC is at with current operations, usually found at the top updates that might seem small, but which
Creo Simulation Live,
Creo 6.0? There are four key themes in based on the Discovery of the modelling window. These have been will be a real boon for those using these
this release. While three of these focus on Live technology from expanded a little to allow more information tools or workflows. One example is seen
specific areas of functionality or on industry Ansys to be squeezed into multiple rows, which is when projecting datum points between

DEVELOP3D.COM APRIL 2019 53

p53_54_55_56_D3D_APR19_Creo6.indd 53 26/03/2019 15:21

 SOFTWARE REVIEW

sketches or onto surfaces: where previously allowing you to restrict access to authorised Then along came Ansys with its Ansys ●2 New formula-
performing this task might have taken users people and remove it when needed, Discovery Live (ADL) technology. Using the driven lattice controls
a couple of operations, it’s now been but also making sharing them easier. For combination of a brand-new approach to afford you greater
control over the
consolidated into a single command. example, you can now generate an invite computation of both structural and fluid
design and placement
There are two new modelling feature email to multiple folks at once. In terms of flow problems and today’s super-powerful process – such as
options. These relate to creating volume the data you can create, previous releases GPUs, it can deliver reasonably accurate variable thickness, as
sweeps with helical paths (a common topic restricted you to just five experiences, but results in near real time. shown here
in many recent CAD system updates) and this limitation has been removed allowing So what does this have to do with PTC?
giving users greater control over drill tip you to create ten. The simple answer is that it has licensed the
angle when building hole features. Lastly on the AR front, in addition to technology from Ansys and has begun the
The last generally applicable update to existing support for handheld devices process of integrating it into a new module
mention is the addition of new emissive (smartphones, tablets and so on), PTC called Creo Simulation Live.
material in the Creo Render Studio module. has also released support for Microsoft’s The system works just as you would
As users will know, this is based on Luxion’s HoloLens device. What’s interesting here expect if you’ve seen ADL at work. You
KeyShot, but is adapted to run directly is that, unlike most HoloLens applications, take your part (or assembly), apply your
in the Creo interface. There’s no physical which require a compiled experience to loads, constraints and materials, and the
measurement of the emissivity (in lumens), be installed on the device, AR experiences system delivers the results almost instantly.
but it’ll let you dial things in quickly. can be streamed to the headset using PTC’s In terms of what you can do with this,
Vuforia app, making it both more efficient the system currently supports structural
AUGMENTED REALITY and secure. linear, thermal and modal simulate studies
Ever since PTC got bitten by the IoT bug, (and the CFD portion will come soon, I’m
company executives have talked a lot about SIMULATION-DRIVEN DESIGN told). Because this is built into the design
how the company’s solutions bridge the gap Now, let’s talk about something really environment and not a separate application,
between physical products and their digital exciting. We’re all aware of CAD-integrated users can now continue to evolve their
representation, in whatever form that simulation tools. Creo, just like almost every design, while having Creo Simulation Live
takes. An interesting offshoot from this is other 3D design and engineering system, providing continuous, live updates of
that PTC has acquired and built out a whole has its own built-in set of simulation tools; in simulation results.
bunch of expertise in AR, which allows you this case, Creo Simulate. This is based on the In terms of using assemblies, the system
to take your digital model and view it in the rather aged Pro/Mechanica set of tools that assumes full rigid contact between all parts.
real world using a variety of devices. Creo 4 will be familiar to many Pro/Engineer users Also, as with ADL, you have control over
introduced the ability to generate these AR out there, albeit updated and presented in the fidelity of results, allowing you to move
assets from a Creo session and then share the Creo interface style. between super-quick but coarse results, and
them, but there were some restrictions It follows the same workflow as most of higher resolution results that take a little
around how you could control that data. these tools: take your 3D model, remove more time.
In the intervening releases (both large inconsequential features to make meshing While we’re not able to discuss pricing
and point releases), this capability has easier, mesh it, add loads and constraints (PTC declined to provide list pricing), I think
been both expanded (to now include Creo – and then wait. Maybe you’ll wait for 10 we can safely assume that this module is
Elements Direct and Windchill) and finessed. minutes, maybe six hours, to get your result. going to be in the same region of ADL, so
For Creo 6, PTC has added not only greater Rinse and (frankly) tediously repeat – this is around the five grand mark. Also worth
control over access to the assets you create, how it’s always been done. noting is that PTC has made this available

54 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3D.COM

p53_54_55_56_D3D_APR19_Creo6.indd 54 26/03/2019 15:21

 3

example, internal walls in a part, where ●3 The new Build

 additions to the lattice might eliminate the Direction Analysis
tool will find the
Because it is built into the design environment need for additional support structures.)
There’s also a new tool called Build
optimum build
orientation based on
and not a separate application, users can now Direction Analysis. This works in a similar your requirements,
manner to Draft Angle Analysis already but won’t account for
continue to evolve their design, while having Creo available in Creo, but focuses on ensuring where you need the
best surface finish
Simulation Live providing continuous, live updates that you can build your part. Obviously,
this depends on the machine, material and
of simulation results process (none of which is accounted for in
 the tool).
It works purely on the geometric aspects
of the system. In the first instance, it
identifies which areas are going to need
support structures, then allows you to
optimise the orientation of your part. This
latter tool is particularly useful, as it will
not only to Creo 6 users, but also as part of In terms of new types of lattice, you can carry out a series of optimisations to find
maintenance releases for both Creo 4 and add both gyroid lattices and stochastic the best orientation, though it’s worth
5. There’s no big differences between the lattices (these are the sort of randomised noting that this doesn’t account for which
different versions, except that in Creo 6, lattices you might have seen, based on part of that geometry you want to be
you can add in more detailed probes to grab Voronoi mathematics). The latter are useful a-surfaces and achieve the best surface
data from your results. for a variety of engineering applications, finish.
Lastly, if you’re a Creo Simulate user, from filter design and light-weighting to The new optimised orientation can then
any studies and load cases you set up in more niche areas such as medical device also be directly fed into the lattice feature
Simulation Live can be reused in Creo design. It’s worth noting that these are sized to allow your lattice features to be oriented
Simulate to save you a bit of time, if you at the time of creation and are consistent based on build direction. This process helps
need to carry out more in-depth studies. across the lattice. to remove the need for addition support
It’s also possible to model up your own structures and the time-consuming post-
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING lattice cells. Of course, these need to be processing work needed to remove them.
PTC has introduced a set of additive based on a repeatable and tillable cube, on Lastly on the additive manufacturing
manufacturing focused tools over the all six sides of that cube. front, there are some interesting additions
last few releases, from build chamber Once lattices are built, there are new in terms of export options. As you’ll be
preparation and lattice design tools in Creo controls over how the geometry transitions aware, STL has been the standard format
4, to the introduction of support structure from lattice to the surround geometry/wall for 3D print-focused communications for
generation in Creo 5. For Creo 6, the work of the model. There is also an interesting decades now. It sucks, and it’s certainly not
on lattices has developed a fair old bit, with set of tools to add additional supports into particularly intelligent, but it at least works
not only more control over the process, but a lattice to assist with the build process, fairly reliably.
also an increase in the types of lattice you so that it is self-supporting and supports For Creo 6, PTC has extended its support
can create. the surrounding geometry. (Consider, for for the more modern, more intelligent

DEVELOP3D.COM APRIL 2019 55

p53_54_55_56_D3D_APR19_Creo6.indd 55 26/03/2019 15:21

 SOFTWARE REVIEW

 other, non-optimised parts pass through

to the optimisation domain. Think of it as a
●4 Although Creo 6
sees some advances in
topology optimisation,
For those outside of the PTC fold, looking in, remote load on your domain, which really
users can expect
helps you assign loads more accurately.
I would suggest that Creo is as worthy of your Of course, we can’t discuss topology
a great deal more
work on this front
attention and investigation as it ever has been. optimisation without mentioning PTC’s in Creo 7, as PTC’s
recent acquisition of
recent acquisition of Frustum and its
There is some true innovation here, backed up optimisation technology. None of those is Frustrum begins to
bear fruit
included Creo 6, so we’re likely to see it in
with three decades of development, fine-tuning the next major update.
and exacting use by some of the most advanced
IN CONCLUSION
customers on the planet The 3D design software market is in a
 strange place at the moment. There are
a number of brand-new systems making
a lot of noise, but which don’t seem to be
achieving a huge amount of headway, while
some market leaders are refocusing on new
initiative and industries.
This puts PTC in a very strong position
with its Creo product. It’s mature enough
3MF format. This will retain colour and of these tools to help with lightweighting to be able to cope with the serious
material information when present, but in and optimisation, used in the manner you’d engineering heavy-lifting that many new
more recent definitions, it has some very expect: you develop a domain space, add in systems can’t handle, but PTC is also clearly
useful support for lattices that makes the the features you need to retain, loads and investing in development in order to build
communication of such heavy data more constraints, and have at it. in brand new functionality at the same time
efficient. What PTC already handled nicely was the as revitalising more mature toolsets. Creo 6
There’s also support for CLI (which stands final part of the process, which saw typically is a pretty rock-solid release for those who
for Common Layer Interface) output; this mesh-based, quite coarse results turned are keeping up-to-date with their software
is a method for communicating additive into a pretty decent surface model, making releases. For those who have skipped Creo
manufacturing geometry as a series of integrating those forms into downstream 5, it’ll give them a good impetus to catch up.
slices. The reason this is so useful is that processes more efficient. For those outside of the PTC fold, looking
Creo is generating slices from real CAD What’s new for this release is that you’re in, I would suggest that Creo is as worthy
geometry, rather than a tessellated mesh, now able to include assembly geometry into of your attention and investigation as
so definition should be more precise. the process. It’s important to understand it ever has been. There is some true
how this can be used and the assumptions innovation here, backed up with three
TOPOLOGY OPTIMISATION that the system makes. It assumes, for decades of development, fine-tuning
To close out this look at Creo 6, let’s talk example, that the whole assembly is in full and exacting use by some of the most
about topology optimisation – something rigid contact and is used to help position advanced customers on the planet.
of a hot topic of late. Creo 5 gained some loads. It does not compute how loads on ptc.com

56 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3D.COM

p53_54_55_56_D3D_APR19_Creo6.indd 56 26/03/2019 15:21

 Unleash the Power
of KeyShot 8

Image: Thomas Burke & Others

The fastest, most powerful software for real-time 3D rendering

and animation brings you even more ways to enhance your
visuals to create amazing shots.

TRY FOR FREE

www.keyshot.com
 Two Shows.
One Location.
May 21-23,2019 / Anaheim Convention Center / Anaheim, CA

The AEC & 3D tech education you need,

all in one place.

USE CODE DEVELOP3D FOR $100 OFF

ANY CONFERENCE PASS OR
FREE EXHIBIT HALL ENTRY.

REGISTER NOW AT:

aecnext.com or
spar3d.com/event

PRODUCED BY
DIVERSIFIED COMMUNICATIONS

wf_aec-spar19_combo_print_ad_Dev3D.indd 1 3/5/19 2:07 PM

 1

Fusion 360 & generative design

Autodesk’s generative design technology has been discussed for some five
years now, but it has finally made it to Fusion 360. Al Dean walks you through
what to expect if you decide to dive in and give it a whirl

A
utodesk has been talking » Product: Fusion 360 year, when the Fusion 360 team finally and this is fundamental. During the set-up
about generative design for » Supplier: Autodesk updated the system to include the first stage, you define any geometry that you
quite a while now, stretching Price: See text variant of this technology as a real-world, require (such as mounting brackets or
back to 2014, when executives autodesk.com commercially available product. interface geometry, for example), and
began hinting at a future technology then define obstacle areas, where you
research project called ‘Dreamcatcher’. STUDY DEFINITION do not want any material present at the
While the term ‘generative design’ The place to begin with generative design is end of the process (for clearance of other
originated in the architectural design to define the geometry that will provide the components, for example, or movement of
technology field as a way to describe basis for your exploration of the technology. an assembly). In theory, this is all you need
the generation of multiple part designs As you might imagine, there’s a whole host to do for the system to handle the creation
from a single set of scripts (see Rhino’s of tools available in Fusion 360 that will of the domain for optimisation – but that’s
Grasshopper applications), it has since allow you not only to create geometry from a rather gross oversimplification.
been co-opted by several vendors in scratch, but also to repurpose existing For those used to working with more
the mechanical engineering space as a geometry if you’re looking at a redesign or traditional optimisation tools, this
way to rebrand decades-old topology re-engineering project. But what is it that domain-less approach takes a little time
optimisation technology. you need to model up? to sink in, but it can be powerful as a tool
What’s interesting here is that It’s at this early stage where we see one for experimentation, since you’re not
Autodesk’s definition has perhaps been of the main points of difference between immediately restricting the potential form
most loyal to the true origins of the term, Autodesk’s approach to these tools and of your part.
as we shall learn. that used in other topology optimisation- At the same time, it can be a challenge
Either way, in the time between 2014 based systems to provide similar results. to consider your project in this new way
and now, almost every Autodesk keynote Topology optimisation does exactly as and you may need to iterate your problem
presentation and corporate update has indicated in the name: it optimises a definition in order to fine-tune it. If you
mentioned generative design – to the given set of topology against a defined do have an explicit volume inside which
point where you might have been forgiven set of loading conditions. Essentially, you you need to work, there is the option
for expecting the Second Coming, rather ●1 Generative design define an explicit optimisation domain and to give the system a starting volume.
technology is built
than a nifty-looking bit of design and the system works from there to remove This automatically restricts geometry
directly into Fusion
engineering software technology. 360 and payment for material accordingly. to this shape – but it’s a shame to nail
Thankfully, the hype train came to the computation is made Generative design, by contrast, allows things down so firmly during early-stage
end of the line towards the end of last in cloud credits you to work without an explicit domain – experimentation.

DEVELOP3D.COM APRIL 2019 59

p59_60_61_62_63_D3D_APR19_Fusion360_GenDesign.indd 59 26/03/2019 15:47

 SOFTWARE REVIEW

WORKFLOW: HOW TO USE AUTODESK’S GENERATIVE DESIGN

TECHNOLOGY - FROM STARTING POINT TO VALIDATED RESULTS

●1 Begin with your target part. At present, the generative ●2 Now strip back all but essential geometry to build your ●3 As you move into the Generative Design environment,
tools in Fusion 360 only work with a single body part, optimisation domain. Parts can be idealised (such as the you’ll be able to make edits using the built-in ‘Model Edit’
without much consideration of assembled parts around it caliper envelope and axle mounts) or modelled from scratch tools. These do not pass back to the design environment

●4 Here, you see preserved geometry shown in blue and ●

5 Once you have your geometry in place, you can add ●6 Define materials that you could like to include in the
obstacle geometry shown in red, along with any starting in loads and constraints. Fusion 360 allows you to define optimisation studies. Fusion 360 has a good selection, but
geometry you need separate load cases, so some planning is essential here custom materials can be added (assume isotropic materials)

●
7 Define manufacturing constraints. AGD includes controls ●8 Define the objective for the optimisation study; minimised ●9 The last step before starting computation is to use the
over build style suitable for additive, machining (of organic mass or a maximised stiffness are available, along with prevewier, which quickly generates a domain locally to give
shapes), as well as an ‘unrestricted’ option factors of safety and a mass target you a vague but handy idea of likely results

●
10 We talk about costs in the review, but it’s worth noting ●
11 Once computation is underway, the Explore environment ●12 Perhaps the most useful window in Explore is the
that once you hit Generate, you’ve just spent $25. Make sure will show you the studies underway, with filters on the left- charting environment for comparing a mass of results,
you’ve done your best to mitigate any errors before this step hand side to explore partial and completed results according to performance requirements on both axes

●
13 The model comparison tool lets you deep-dive four ●
14 With one or more concepts to explore further, you’ll need ●
15 Your end result is a model that could be used as is, or
results at a time, with synchronised views, FEA-based display to output those files as either an editable BREP or a mesh. further refined, or used as inspiration for a more traditional
of stress concentrations and property interrogation Again, this has a cost attached to it of $100 per model modelling workflow, all of which is supported in Fusion

60 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3D.COM

p59_60_61_62_63_D3D_APR19_Fusion360_GenDesign.indd 60 26/03/2019 15:47

 2

It’s also worth noting that the Generative is split into two steps. The first step is to optimisation process. At this point in time, ●2 Arguably, this is

Design Workspace contains a sub-set of select your materials. Fusion 360 comes there are two options: reduction of mass the more useful screen
tools to help you abstract a model from pre-set with a wide range of material or maximisation of stiffness. for Fusion’s generative
design tools, allowing
an existing set of parts. This is useful for definitions (with the option, of course, to Typically, in an optimisation process, the user to examine
making smaller edits as you go through add to this range.) This is done from the you have a mass reduction percentage, concepts according to
this period of iteration. familiar materials dialogue: you simply but with the Fusion 360 generative design a variety of metrics,
There are also tools that help to save drag and drop your requirements into the approach, you don’t have a starting from factor of safety
time; a good example is the fastener window at the top of the dialogue. It’s worth volume or mass, so you have a target to mass displacement
to stress/strain
obstacle tool. This allows you to very noting here that the maximum allowable mass that the system tries to achieve.
quickly model up a shaft for a fastener, number of materials per study is 10, at least There is also a factor of safety, so you can
and add in a bolt-head and an additional for the time being. dial in how close you want to run things
cylinder on top, for ensuring bolts/screws Then you move onto the definition of to the bone. (It’s worth noting that any
can be accessed with the appropriate tool. manufacturing constraints. These are the optimisation process is working on the
constraints that control how the system basis of idealised inputs and outputs, so
LOADS AND CONSTRAINTS should approach building geometry to factor of safety is really important here.)
The next step is to start to define your solve your loading conditions. Generative The last stage is to use the newly added
loads and constraints. Constraints are design in Fusion 360 has some interesting Previewer tool. This will take a quick scan
pretty straightforward: you can define options and these are expanding with of your job and generate a pretty rough
fixed, pinned and frictionless constraints, each update. The most open option is to optimisation domain for your studies as a
locked to the axes you need. You can then have the system work in an unrestricted greyed-out lump of geometry. This gives
start to define the loads on your part. manner. This means that it will build you a very quick sanity check, indicating
Again, you have a set of common loads, to optimise, without thinking about the direction your studies might take and
including forces, pressures and bearing manufacturing method or processing. possibly flagging up any glaring errors.
loads. These are applied in distinct sets of Then, you move into additive options.
load cases. This allows you to define a number of COMPUTATION AND COSTS
There are a couple of things to note here. controls over geometry – specifically, Now that you have your geometry set up,
The first is that each load case definition overhang angle and minimum thickness of with loads, constraints and optimisation
is weighted equally during computation. material allowable. parameters in place, the final step is to
The second is that loads and constraints You then get into the milling methods. compute the study. It’s here you start to
can only be applied to the ‘preserved You can not only limit the geometry to an use your cloud credits, either supplied
geometry’ that you have defined; this is axial direction (so that all features can be with your subscription to Fusion 360, or
absolutely key and might be the cause machined from the defined directions), drawn from a company pool. At present,
of some iteration during set-up. In other but also have it respect your requirements there is a fixed-rate cost of conducting a
words, good planning is required upfront in terms of number of axes (3- and 5-axis generative solve of 25 cloud credits, which
before a project begins. is available), minimum tool diameter, at current pricing is $25.
tool shoulder length and head diameter. At this point, it’s worth considering what
MATERIALS, MANUFACTURING With these, you can just about define the generative design technology in Fusion
AND OBJECTIVES the parameters of your machine tool 360 is actually doing. It is taking your load
Once your load cases are in place, the next capability. case and geometry and creating a matrix
step is to start to define the material and The last set of parameters you must of studies that sees every material option
manufacturing aspects of the project. This define is the overall objective for the run through with every manufacturing

DEVELOP3D.COM APRIL 2019 61

p59_60_61_62_63_D3D_APR19_Fusion360_GenDesign.indd 61 26/03/2019 15:47

 SOFTWARE REVIEW

option you’ve selected. If you max the There are another couple of ways So, what’s next? You have a range of ●3 The Comparison

system out by selecting the maximum to view this data: as a grid; as a grid tools to do some basic inspection of view allows you to
compare, contrast and
allowable materials and clicking on every with expanded properties; or most results, but chances are that you’ll want evaluate up to four
production option, you’re likely looking interestingly (to my mind), as a scatter plot to take these further. It’s here that having concepts at the same
at a 10x10 matrix; in other words, 100 that plots your current studies against two these tools built into a full-featured time, using some solid
optimisation runs at $0.25 each. properties of the study/results. modelling and manufacturing system like visualisation methods,
You also need to consider how quickly By default, this shows you factor of Fusion 360 comes into its own. including plotting of
stress across the parts
you need your answers back. Each safety versus mass, where each study is
computation is iterative in nature plotted against those axes, but these can PROGRESSING PROJECTS
(typically resolving in around 25 be switched to whatever properties you’d At this point in our workflow, we now have
iterations). If you add in more materials like on each of the axes. Combined with the a shortlist of concepts from the generative
than are needed or more manufacturing filters and grouping/colouring options, you design process that have both completed
variations, you increase the amount of can very quickly gain an understanding of and converged. These are available to
computation required. Conversely, you’re how your experiments are progressing or inspect within the Explore environment,
paying for it, so if you have time, max out have completed and where they lie on the but to progress things further, you need to
your options and see what comes back. performance front. export each concept that you’re interested
When using any of these results in from the generative design environment
EXPLORING RESULTS inspection methods, it’s possible to to the regular design environment, either
Either way, at some point, you need to both dive into the results individually or as a b-rep model or as a mesh.
make the call and hit that ‘Generate’ select up to four for close comparison. The mesh is just as you would expect
button. The system packages the work The comparison environment allows you – a high-resolution triangulated mesh of
up and sends it for computation – and to have up to four concepts on screen at the result set. The b-rep model is a little
this is where things get really interesting. once, with synchronised views and inspect different. The Fusion 360 team has worked
Simulation is often a non-interactive tools, ranging from standard pan/zoom/ out a way to combine both the preserve
process: define your results, send to rotate, to display of stresses on the parts, geometry from your study and convert the
compute, and come back to your results (if design space ghosting, and more. mesh-based results from the generative
you’re lucky). It’s worth talking at this stage about the design process into a complex, but
With generative design in Fusion 360, different end results of each study. Some editable, t-splines model (the Fusion 360
by contrast, as you start computation, concepts will fail, due to a range of issues. variant of sub-d modelling tools).
you can enter the Explore environment. Some will complete, but not converge. This can be created either with or
This gives the user a window into the Others will both complete and converge. without an intact construction history
experimentation that the generative Convergence is a term that’s widely and can then be taken through further
design solver is performing. used in the simulation world and can be workflows and validation, and eventually,
On opening it up, you’ll be presented applied to a number of different factors, perhaps, into production.
with a grid-like window that shows each but within the context of generative design This is where, in Fusion 360, you incur
study underway, with a bunch of filters to in Fusion 360, it means that strain energy more cost, because to export concepts is
the left-hand side. Each of these shows history change, factor of safety change, going to cost you 100 cloud credits.
you the current state of a study in terms and volume change have normalised over That, on the face of it, might sound a
of geometry, and you can quickly arrange the last 10 iterations, so the system is bit off. The reality is that you’re not really
them by material, maximum stress, confident that the requirements have been paying a huge amount for the software in the
volume, completion stage and more. met and the concepts are robust. first place. (Remember, including all of these

62 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3D.COM

p59_60_61_62_63_D3D_APR19_Fusion360_GenDesign.indd 62 26/03/2019 15:47

 4

tools and much more, it’s £54 per month.) such as facing off mating faces, thread or it comes to project budget forecasts. ●4 The final stage

There’s also the fact that this type of other operations. On the other hand, the ability to run is, of course, to
manufacture one of
software is using resources off-loaded optimisation studies across a matrix of these parts. Fusion
from your workstation (and on IN CONCLUSION inputs and parameters, as you can here, 360 supports a range
Autodesk’s dime). After some five years of hints and promises, would take days, if not weeks, of work to of manufacturing
Compared to the ‘all-you-can-eat’ Autodesk’s generative design technology set up manually. And then you would still approaches, from
approach to engineering software, this is is finally here. And from what we’ve seen, have an enormous amount of processing to additive (currently
in preview) to more
where things are heading. You might not after just under six months on the market, it do in order to compute it and sift results.
traditional methods
like it (and I personally have a few issues shows huge promise. There is more to come in Fusion 360. Some such as machining
with it), but it’s a good indication of the There is a natural instinct to compare of the updates teased at Autodesk University
adjustments many users will need to make. this set of tools to the more common last year included one variant of the
If there are things to look out for at topology optimisation tools available geometry controls that only builds prismatic
this stage, the big one is the t-splines in other systems (including Fusion 360) shapes, while another looks for beam-based
model, if you’re looking to use these parts – and, at present, the results appear solutions, allowing users to scheme out a
directly. While you have a robust set of similar in nature. But to do so would be a framework (perhaps based on CNC cut and
geometry that you can use Fusion 360’s fundamental mistake. welded tubing) using the same approach.
native editing tools to manipulate, if As we discussed at the outset, topology There’s also rich potential to expand this
you’re looking to run it through the Fusion optimisation refines a singular form system to include multiphysics simulation
360 simulation environment, you might to an optimised state, typically using a and to expand the remit beyond simple
encounter a few issues when it comes to singular material. Generative design in part geometry and into assemblies
meshing such data. Fusion 360 is, by contrast, a platform for (which might be particularly useful for
Yes, the generative design technology experimentation on a much grander scale. more accurate loading cases in the first
does carry out a cursory simulation using The fact is that you are generating, instance.)
your load cases, but this won’t be enough without a great deal more effort, All in all, what Autodesk has delivered
to validate whether these hyper-optimised potentially hundreds of ideas and on here, in its first pass, is pretty damned
forms can withstand real-world loading avenues for exploration. You are able to impressive. For those looking to explore new
conditions. explore not only material variations, but materials options, new manufacturing options
They can then either be placed into the different geometry controls (and hence, or to open up their design engineering work
context of assemblies; or used as the basis manufacturing methods), meaning you to new ideas and experimentation, it’s a
for machining operations or preparation can truly explore your design space. Yes, launchpad for new journeys.
of data for casting; or, in coming releases, the problem definition capabilities need Design and engineering thrive on
prepared for additive manufacturing a little more maturity. Yes, there needs to experimentation, of course. It’s what we,
(the latter is in technology preview at better ways to document the process and as a community of professionals, have
the moment). Indeed, a mix of all three is to shortlist potential solutions, but what always done.
entirely possible, too. we have here is already a great start. Now, it seems, we’re seeing a new class of
Consider a part that is additively The issue of cost, of course, will need tools that can support that process and give
manufactured to start with (as per our to be considered by all prospective it a huge boost, thanks to the unprecedented
example). You’ll also be able to use the customers. On one hand, being charged levels of computational power that we have
Fusion 360 modelling and CAM tools to to obtain results from a system for which at our disposal today. Strap yourselves in,
develop jigs/fixtures to carry out those you’ve already paid a subscription may it’s going to be a fun ride.
inevitable post-build machining cycles, seem counterintuitive and unhelpful when autodesk.com

DEVELOP3D.COM APRIL 2019 63

p59_60_61_62_63_D3D_APR19_Fusion360_GenDesign.indd 63 26/03/2019 15:47

 HARDWARE REVIEW

HP Z2 Mini G4
» With a high frequency 6-core Xeon CPU and several GPU options, HP’s updated micro
workstation is a great alternative to standard CAD desktops, writes Greg Corke

I
» Intel Xeon E-2176G n late 2016, HP broke the mould MXM GPUs, rather than standard desktop our IGES test model from SolidWorks in
CPU (3.70GHz, 4.7GHz with a desktop workstation that graphics cards, so they can fit inside 80 seconds and delivered good scores
Turbo) (6 cores)
was significantly smaller than any the compact chassis. In addition to the in our single-threaded Revit 2019 tests,
» AMD Radeon Pro other from a major manufacturer. promise of better raw 3D performance, maintaining a clock speed between 4.60
WX 4150 GPU (4GB
memory) The HP Z2 Mini delivered pretty much the additional 2GB of GPU memory should GHz and 4.70 GHz.
» 16GB (2 x 8GB)
everything you’d want from an entry- make a difference in some applications. In our multi-threaded rendering tests,
DDR4 2666 SODIMM level workstation for CAD or BIM Other than some minor tweaks, the additional two cores made a huge
NECC memory workflows, but the stylish, angular including faster memory (DDR4 difference. It completed our KeyShot
» 256GB HP Z Turbo chassis was only 216mm (w) x 216mm 2,666MHz vs DDR4 2,400MHz), optional render in 425 secs, significantly faster
Drive 2280 TLC SSD (d) x 58 mm (h) in size. Intel Optane memory and optional than the 733 secs it took the 2017 HP Z2
» 1TB 7,200RPM SATA HP’s space-saving workstation sat pretty Thunderbolt 3.0/USB 3.1 Type C, the core Mini G3, with a quad core Intel Xeon E3-
2.5inch HDD in any office. It could also be housed in a of the machine remains the same. 1245 v5 (3.5GHz, 3.9GHz Turbo).
» Microsoft Windows metal sleeve and mounted behind a display, For the first 20 seconds of the render,
10 Professional 64-bit on a wall or under a desk. It was ideal for we got 4.20 GHz out of the Xeon CPU,
» 216mm (w) x 216mm small spaces and you could also take but this soon went down to 3.90
(d) x 58 mm (h)
it home or to meetings. Read GHz. Impressively, it managed to
» 3/3/3 (material /
our full review at tinyurl.com/ maintain this frequency for over an
labour / onsite)
warranty hp-z2-Mini. hour with only moderate fan noise.
The second-generation HP With 16GB (2 x 8GB) of DDR4
Price £1,463 Ex VAT Z2 (actually called the G4 memory, our test machine is only
hp.com/zworkstation Edition to get in sync with really equipped for moderate
other HP Z Workstation release 3D datasets, but the Z2 Mini can
» CPU benchmarks cycles) includes some small but be configured with up to 32GB.
(secs - smaller is better)
significant tweaks, mostly around For storage, there’s the classic
CAD
(SolidWorks 2019 IGES
the kit that’s inside. combination of 256GB M.2 NVMe SSD (HP
export) - 80 secs The big news is the inclusion of the new THE TEST MACHINE Z Turbo Drive) for OS and applications and
Rendering ‘Coffee Lake’ Intel Xeon E-2100 CPUs, Our test machine featured the top-end 1TB 2.5-inch HDD for data.
(KeyShot 8.1) - 425 secs which feature up to six cores and clock six-core Intel Xeon E-2176G CPU and an
(V-Ray 1.08 Benchmark) speeds of up to 4.70 GHz. AMD Radeon Pro WX 4150 (4GB) GPU. On CONCLUSION
- 98 secs Four CPU cores has been the standard in paper, this is a good solid combination for The HP Z2 Mini G4 is a worthy successor to
» Graphics benchmarks entry-level workstations for over 10 years, entry-level to mainstream 3D CAD, BIM and the G3 edition. You get the same stylish,
(frames per second @ 4K res) so the move to six cores is a big step up for rendering which was borne out in our tests. space-saving design at a similar price
(bigger is better)
design, engineering and architecture firms In Autodesk Revit 2019 and SolidWorks point, but with potentially 50% more CPU
CAD (SolidWorks 2019) that rely on CAD software, as well as multi- 2019, 3D performance was pretty cores at higher frequencies. This leads
standard graphics engine
(beta graphics engine) threaded ray trace renderers. good. In these notoriously CPU-bound to clear benefits in single threaded
PC model - 27.4 (78.8) The flagship CPU on offer is the Intel applications, the HP Z2 Mini benefits from CAD/BIM software and multi-threaded
Machinery model - 4.5 (13.9) Xeon E-2176G, which features six cores, the high-frequency CPU, which pushes rendering software.
a base frequency of 3.70 GHz and a Max up frame rates. And you wouldn’t get The HP Z2 Mini is not the only micro
Turbo of 4.70 GHz. This is pretty much the much better from a more powerful GPU. workstation out there (we’re also big fans
fastest Xeon processor you can get for Switching to the new beta graphics engine of the minuscule Lenovo ThinkStation
single-threaded applications, such as 3D in SolidWorks 2019 generally gave a very P330), but it’s certainly the fastest. It
CAD. It’s also a significant step up from fluid viewport experience, even with fairly offers similar levels of performance one
the HP Z2 G3’s top-end Xeon E3-1245 v5, large assemblies. can expect from a Small Form Factor
which has four cores, a base frequency of When pushing the GPU much harder in tower but with much less bulk.
3.50 GHz and Max Turbo of 3.90 GHz. The the viz-focused applications Enscape and
additional 0.8GHz will make a noticeable Autodesk VRED Professional, performance
difference in CAD and the six cores should was less impressive – but that’s not
cut render times considerably. unexpected for such an entry-level GPU.
The HP Z2 G4 also offers several 8th Frame rates peaked around 10 FPS at FHD
Generation Intel Core processors and, resolution and the machine became pretty
for those on a really tight budget, an 8th much unusable at 4K resolution or when
generation Intel Core i3 and Pentium. anti-aliasing was enabled. In short, the HP
In total, there’s a choice of 14 different Z2 Mini should only really be considered
CPUs, though not all of these are currently for 3D CAD and BIM or very light real-time
available on HP’s UK store. viz work at FHD resolution. In saying that,
The other major news is an expansion if you do want to get more 3D performance
of GPU options. With the G3 Edition, it out of this tiny machine, you could
was Intel Integrated or the Nvidia Quadro always plug in an external GPU, such as
P620 (2GB). Now, there’s a choice of the Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box with a
three discreet GPUs: two from Nvidia, the Radeon Pro WX 8200, which connects over
Quadro P1000 (4GB) and Quadro P620 Thunderbolt 3.0.
(4GB); and one from AMD, the Radeon In our CPU tests, the HP Z2 Mini was
Pro WX 4150 (4GB). These are mobile very impressive. The machine exported

64 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3D.COM

p64_D3D_APRIL19_HPZ2-JLTfinal.indd 64 26/03/2019 15:50

 DEVELOP3DSERVICES
TO ADVERTISE YOUR SERVICES HERE CONTACT STEVE KING
[email protected] | +44 (0) 20 3355 7314 | +44 (0)7850 507362

Advanced software for...

MOULD DESIGN
Tel: 01420 88645
www.cdg.uk.com

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
Advanced software for...Plastic | Rubber | Wax | Nylon | Metal
DIE DESIGN • SLS

• SLA
Sinterit, 3DS
Figure-4, 3DS
• MJP ProJet 2500, 3X00 Tel: 01420 88645
• FFF Omni, Intamsys www.cdg.uk.com
• DMP ProX Metal

Tel. 01420 88645 www.cdg.uk.com

Advanced software for...

ELECTRODE DESIGN
Tel: 01420 88645
www.cdg.uk.com

3D Modelling & Concept Design

CAD Rendering & Visualisation
Advanced software for...
NURBS Surfacing
NC PROGRAMMING
Product Animation
Tel: 01420 88645
YSF Design provides www.cdg.uk.com
expertise in the design,
development and
marketing of products.
Call Yusuf to discuss +44 (0)7903 833680
your project or for a
[email protected]
no obligation quote

DEVELOP3D.COM APRIL 2019 65

p65_D3D_APRIL19_Services.indd 65 27/03/2019 11:11

 THE LAST WORD

After spending a good chunk of March

writing about algorithmically driven
design solutions, Al Dean gets a press
release from Škoda that reminds
him that human-centered design
will always need... humans

T
his time of year is always
a good one for those in the
media/press/whatever
we’re called these days –
particularly if you keep
a watchful eye on how
automotive styling trends
shift with each year.
While it’s a cliche that all designers
and engineers love cars, from my own
perspective, I care less about performance
and brake horsepower than I do about how
these things look and how each year the
details change across a whole industry.
I recall writing about my love of grille
pattern trends a while back, so this new
blasphemy should come as no surprise to
long-time readers.
Either way, when the car shows come
around each year, it’s fun to see who’s doing
what, how and where. One of the most
recent events was the Geneva Car show –
always a good one for the higher end of
the market, even if, this year, the Honda E
Prototype stole the show from the McLarens
and Bugattis. that allow us to define the requirements of a Which brings me back to my delight at A new feature
As a result, I tend to pay attention to design or an engineered form and then have receiving a press release from the Czech available on the Škoda
automotive-related press releases more the computational devices we have at hand Republic’s most famous carmaker. Scala: a filler cap with
integrated funnel
closely than usual at this time of year and, perform most of the donkey work for us. You see, some bright spark there has
in the last few weeks, a fascinating one Give it a number of load cases and out pops developed an integrated funnel in the
popped into my email inbox from Škoda. It the answer – magic! We’ve talked recently windscreen washer tank lid. No more
cutting the bottom half off a bottle of
 water (we all use reusable containers
now, don’t we?). No more trying to lean
And that’s when it struck me. We might be entering over and carefully tip 5 litres of strangely
into the age of AI-assisted design, but artificial coloured ethanol into a one-inch opening.
Pop the cap, ready to pour. Although
intelligence isn’t going to help identify the solution Škoda describes this as “simply clever”,
when you’ve just pissed the best part of a gallon of when you look at the part itself, it’s a
screen-wash fluid all over your best trainers. That lovely piece of engineering in a single-
piece moulding of a flexible material.
bit is always going to need a human touch And that’s when it struck me. We might be
 entering into the age of AI-assisted design,
but artificial intelligence isn’t going to help
happened to arrive while I was writing the about how there’s very little actual AI identify the solution when you’ve just pissed
big software reviews for this month, which involved in these things; rather it’s iterative the best part of a gallon of screen-wash fluid
look at generative design capabilities in optimisation runs that bring you the answer. all over your best trainers. That bit is always
both Autodesk’s Fusion 360 and PTC’s But even if there was an AI agent sat at the going to need the human touch.
Creo 6, respectively. back of our computer cabinet (I know it’s
Both of these systems (albeit with very not a real thing), the chances are that it’s GET IN TOUCH: at [email protected] or @alistardean — He’s now
different approaches) are introducing tools not going to do anything particularly clever. regretting moving on from his Škoda Yeti, purely for this reason.

66 APRIL 2019 DEVELOP3D.COM

p66_D3D_APRIL19_LastWord.indd 66 26/03/2019 16:37

P
OWE
RTO
C
ADP
ROF
ESS
IONA
LS
CUSTOMPROFESSI
ONALWORKSTATI
ONSPOWEREDBYAMDGRAPHICSANDPROCESSORS.
BUI
LTFROMTHEGROUNDUPFOROPTIMI
SEDPERFORMANCEANDROCKSOLI
DRELIABI
LITY
.

REGI
STERF
ORA7-
DAYEVALUATI
ONSYSTEMBYVI
SITI
NG:
www.
wor
kst
ati
ons
pec
ial
is
t.c
om/
power
-to-
vis
ionar
ies

WhyAMD?Wor korPl
ay.Threadr
ipperhasthepowertooverwhelmyourmos
TM
tdaunti
ngworkl
oads,wi
th
upto16c
oresand32threadsforl
i
ghtni
ng-f
astcrea
tiv
eworkloads.ThenewRadeon ProWXs eri
esof TM

gr
aphi
cssol
uti
onsaredesi
gnedforprof
ess
ional
spushingt
hebounda ri
esoft
echnologyandengi
neeri
ng.

CONTACTAREPRESENTATI
VE

WWW. WORKSTATIONSPECI
ALI
STS.
COM
+44(0)8001804801
SALES@WKSMAI L.COM

©2018Works
tat
ionSpeci
al
is
ts-STRUMISLTD.E&OE.
©2018Adv
anc
edMi
cr
oDev
ices
,Inc
.Al
lr
ight
sres
erv
ed.
AMD,
theAMDAr
rowl
ogo,
Radeon,
Ryzen,
Thr
eadri
ppera
ndc ombi
nat
ionst
hereof
aret
radema
rksof
Adv
anc
edMi
cr
oDev
ices
,Inc
.int
heUni
tedSt
atesa
nd/
orot
herj
uri
sdi
cti
ons
.
 Reinventing the GPU
Quadro RTX 4000, 5000 and 6000 now available in 3XS Systems

3XS WI4000 Viz 3XS WI6000 VR 3XS Cloud Workstations

• Intel Core i9 9900K 8-core with HT • Intel Core i9 9820X 10-core with HT • High-end 3D graphics from any device
• Professionally overclocked up to 4.8GHz • Professionally overclocked up to 4.5GHz • Customisable to your requirements
• 32GB Corsair Vengeance DDR4 2666MHz • 64GB Corsair Vengeance DDR4 2666MHz • Maintenance-free
• 8GB NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 • 16GB NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 • Flexible business terms
• 250GB Samsung EVO M.2 SSD & 2TB HDD • 250GB Samsung EVO M.2 SSD & 2TB HDD • Public and private cloud options
• Microsoft Windows 10 Professional 64-bit • Microsoft Windows 10 Professional 64-bit • Free ‘Proof of Concept’ Trial
• 3 Year Premium Warranty • 3 Year Premium Warranty

FROM £2,049.99 EX.

VAT FROM £ 3,399.99 EX.
VAT

Scan recommends
Microsoft Windows 10

Contact us to discuss your requirements at [email protected]

• 01204 47 47 47