SpaceClaim Showcases Multi-Touch for 3D Engineering Design

Entertaining Video Demonstrates Breakthrough Interaction with 3D Models.

Concord, MA : SpaceClaim, provider of the world’s fastest and most innovative 3D Direct Modeling solutions, today announced the company will enable engineers and industrial designers to leverage Windows Touch to create and edit precise solid models. SpaceClaim marked the news by releasing a highly entertaining and instructive video that demonstrates how multi-touch with SpaceClaim 3D Direct Modeling solutions will impact design and engineering.

Recently, SpaceClaim announced that the company was chosen by Microsoft® as one of a few select Independent Software Vendors (ISV’s) in support of the launch of Windows 7 and by N-trig to support DuoSense dual-mode technology, which allows multi-touch in conjunction with a stylus.

“Engineering design represents one of the earliest and most compelling uses of multi-touch technology as it further enhances the ability to employ 3D direct modeling for conceptual design, engineering simulation and analysis, and product styling,” said Chris Randles, President and CEO of SpaceClaim. “Touch technology lets anyone create, edit, and visualize 3D models with their fingers. SpaceClaim’s software was designed to give engineers and industrial designers the ultimate freedom and flexibility to solve complex design challenges. Our support of multi-touch is another example of our leadership in providing the most innovative 3D Direct Modeling solutions.”

Multi-touch – enabling on-screen objects to be manipulated using multiple fingers – is becoming mainstream through the launch of Windows 7 from Microsoft®. While multi-touch is expected to become common on PC hardware, SpaceClaim is ensuring that 3D design will be one of the earliest and most compelling uses of the technology. SpaceClaim will support any multi-touch hardware that uses Windows 7, including those from 3M, N-trig, HP, Dell, and Lenovo.

Windows Touch provides SpaceClaim customers with the most flexibility by augmenting the mouse and keyboard as a new way to interact with solid models.

“Windows 7 reflects Microsoft’s commitment to focusing on customers’ top priorities and emerging interests,” said Mark Rogers, director of Windows Software Ecosystem Product Management at Microsoft Corp. “Therefore, being able to take advantage of Windows Touch technology and the benefits of Windows 7 will help many customers work the way they want and make new things possible. SpaceClaim has worked with us as a valued partner, and its 3D Direct Modeling tools are applications that are ready to utilize the benefits of these new technology breakthroughs.”

The engineering benefits of touch in 3D direct modeling include:

• User interface controls are always close to a finger, so less mouse movement is required;
• 3D interaction, such as view panning and rotation, becomes much more intuitive than using a mouse with control keys or requiring separate tools;
• Selection becomes much simpler with conveniences such as select by painting or four-finger box select;
• Modeling becomes more hands-on, so the user experience feels more like working on a real part than a virtual one;
• Real-time, interactive design reviews are enabled by large-format multi touch displays.

SpaceClaim’s 3D Direct Modeling solutions include SpaceClaim Engineer and SpaceClaim Style and represent the most significant advancement in 3D engineering in more than 10 years. These direct modelers enable engineers to work in 3D and engage in conceptual design, engineering analysis, and simulation-driven design.

Earlier this year SpaceClaim announced the fourth release of the company’s solutions and, marking an aggressive development cycle, recently announced additional new enhancements through Service Packs. Multi-touch technology will be enabled in the next major release of SpaceClaim, which is due later this year.

SpaceClaim Engineer is a fast, simple, and powerful 3D direct modeler for top-down design, 3D layout, conceptual engineering, and model preparation for simulation and analysis. SpaceClaim Engineer pricing starts at $1,995 per seat. SpaceClaim Style brings 3D solid modeling to industrial designers and product stylists, delivering rapid model creation and versatile editing capabilities that accelerate product ideation and ease interaction with customers and the development team. SpaceClaim Style pricing starts at $895 per seat.