3D Computer-aided design (3D CAD) is the use of computer technology to aid in the design and particularly the drafting (technical drawing and engineering drawing) of a part or product, including entire buildings, with an automated process.

3D CAD packages, such as Pro/ENGINEER allow rotations in three dimensions providing you with the ability to view a designed object from any desired angle, including from the inside looking out. It is useful for detailed engineering of 3D models and is used throughout the engineering process from conceptual design and layout of products, through to strength and dynamic analysis of assemblies to definition of manufacturing methods of components.

3D CAD has become an especially important technology within the scope of computer-aided technologies, with benefits such as lower product development costs and a greatly shortened design cycle. Used by architects, engineers, and other professionals, 3D CAD software precisely represents and visualizes objects using a collection of points in three dimensions on the computer. 3D CAD enables designers to layout and develop work on screen, print it out and save it for future editing, saving time on their drawings.

BENEFITS

• Quickly create the highest quality 3D products with a broad range of core modeling, 2D and 3D drawing, sheet metal, weld, surface modeling, assemblies, kinematics and more
• Increase model quality, promote part reuse, and reduce model errors
• Lower your costs by reducing new part number proliferation
• Create innovative designs
• Reduce costs
• Increase productivity

CAD programs are used together with other tools, which are either integrated modules or stand-alone products such as CAM and CAE.

CAM software, which stands for computer-aided manufacturing, is used to manufacture prototypes, finished products, and production runs. CAM software uses the models and assemblies created in CAD software to generate tool-paths that drive machine tools to turn designs into physical parts. As with other “Computer-Aided” technologies, CAM does not eliminate the need for skilled professionals such as manufacturing engineers, NC programmers, or machinists. CAM, in fact, leverages both the value of the most skilled manufacturing professionals through advanced productivity tools, while building the skills of new professionals through visualization, simulation and optimization tools.

4th Dimension Technologies offer both the software and the training course, through highly trained engineers, so that you be ready and confident that you can meet the demands. Our company also offers support whenever you may need it.

BENEFITS

• Reduce errors
• Optimize manufacturing process
• Achieve manufacturing excellence
• Create, verify and optimize programs for all machine types: 2 1/2- to 5-axis milling, 2-to 4-axis turning, mill/turn machines, and 2-to 4-axis wire EDM
• Simplify storage and reuse of best practices by using proven manufacturing templates
• Improve product quality & manufacturing consistency by generating tool-paths directly on 3D designs

Reduce time-to-market with associative tool path updates to design changes CNC machine simulation (G – Code) & part verification CNC program cutting speed optimization.

Computer-aided engineering (CAE) is the broad usage of computer software to aid in engineering analysis tasks by simulating performance in order to improve product designs or assist in the resolution of engineering problems for a wide range of industries. This includes simulation, validation and optimization of products, processes, and manufacturing tools.

CAE systems can provide support to businesses. This is achieved by the use of reference architectures and their ability to place information views on the business process. The reference architecture is the basis of the information model, especially the product and manufacturing models. In general, there are three phases in any computer-aided engineering tasks:

• Pre-processing: defining the model and environmental factors to be applied.
• Analysis Solver
• Post-processing of results

In the preprocessing phase, engineers model the geometry (or a system representation) and the physical properties of the design, as well as the environment in the form of applied loads or constraints. Next, the model is solved using an appropriate mathematical formulation of the underlying physics. In the post-processing phase, the results are presented to the engineer for review.

BENEFITS

• Plastic injection simulation
• Casting simulation
• Flow & thermal simulation
• Save time and reduce errors by working in a seamlessly integrated design and simulation environment – with no data translation
• Gain early insight into product performance and discover design flaws early as you increase first-time build success
• Obtain realistic performance data and improve product quality by directly applying real-world conditions to design geometry
• Evaluate more scenarios than with physical prototypes
• Increase innovation by simultaneously designing and simulating design variations
• Decrease development costs by reducing or even eliminating physical prototyping