Delcam to preview new PowerSHAPE CAD software at CADCAM Matters in UK

Delcam will give UK designers their first chance to see the forthcoming release of its PowerSHAPE CAD software at the CADCAM Matters event being organised by Machinery magazine at Donington Park on 18th November. The 2010 version has seen its solid modelling abilities reinforced through the incorporation of the Parasolid kernel alongside PowerSHAPE’s well-established surface modelling operations. The combination of the two technologies will offer significant benefits both to designers that undertake conceptual design with PowerSHAPE and to toolmakers that use the software for data translation and tooling design.

Delcam has been developing its surface modelling technology for more than 30 years. This long history has given PowerSHAPE unrivalled ability to design and edit the most complex shapes. The addition of the Parasolid kernel will give equal strength in the development of history-based geometric models.

The combination of the two technologies is especially important for designers of plastic products and housings. These frequently need surface modelling to create an attractive external shape but require solid modelling to generate the more geometric internal features, such as reinforcing ribs and bosses for fixing.

A similar mix of technology is needed for tooling design. Surface modelling is essential to undertake detailed operations like creating and adjusting split lines. Solid modelling really comes into its own when the designer moves from creating the core and cavity into building the rest of the tool. Most of these other components are made up from simpler prismatic shapes and the Parasolid kernel is the acknowledged leader for this type of design work.

At CADCAM Matters, Delcam will also demonstrate the broad range of machining systems that has made the company the world’s leading specialist supplier of CAM software and services. "With PowerMILL, FeatureCAM, PartMaker or ArtCAM, we now offer a CAM system to machine virtually any product, in any material on any type of equipment,” claimed Delcam’s Marketing Manager for China, Peter Dickin. "Recently, we have added dedicated products for the manufacture of dental restorations and the production of orthotics. No other supplier has such a broad range of software to increase productivity, improve quality and shorten delivery times in so many applications.”