Matthew H.

Implicit modeling is about a lot more than just lattices (as much as I love lattices). Highly parametric designs can be updated nearly instantly with no risk of small topological changes breaking the workflow. Derivatives can be accessed quickly for gradient-based parameter optimization within a broader engineering system. I had a lot of fun making this parametric impeller completely in nTop. This particular design has 16 parameters exposed, which could be reconfigured depending on the design study. If I save it to a .implicit file, each variant is just 61KB! nTop is making lots of advances in #implicitmodeling and Computational Design that I can't wait to see go out into the world. What modeling features and #computationaldesign examples would you like to see? (this gif is real time, by the way, not a time lapse!)

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One of the side-effects of parametric modeling with implicits is that your designs update in real-time. Useful for not just interactivity but also simulation. Also, the new rendering in nTop is a major lifestyle upgrade.

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This week at the Automate Show I had a really great conversation with Alvin Clark, a Sr. Developer Relations Manager at NVIDIA. My connection to NVIDIA is actually not new; they used to be my customer when I was the Silicon Valley Sales Manager at CST (now part of the Dassault Systemes - Simulia Software Portfolio) and also a partner for the development of high-performance engineering simulation using GPUs. I joined the NVIDIA Inception Program while developing supply chain AI at Algo - this program has now grown to a global network of over 18,000 technology startups! Fast forward a few years, after some twists and turns, now I get to partner with NVIDIA to learn and share ideas about innovation in robotics and AI for supercharging the manufacturing and automation industries, which I love! Based on Alvin's recommendations I managed to visit a few NVIDIA partner booths to see the practical applications being developed with their tech and it's a mix of industry heavy weights and newer startups: Universal Robots - dare I say the King of Cobots? Siemens - needs no intro Intrinsic - an easy to use developer platform for robotics & automation Axiomtek USA - IPC vendor Apera AI - 4D Vision for Robotic Automation A few that I missed that I am interested in learning more about: Instrumental Inc. - Find and fix manufacturing issues with Data and AI Invisible AI - an on-premise computer vision platform that captures data from manual assembly work Dori AI - an AI-powered video intelligence platform who I realize I also missed last week in Nashville at the Assembly Show South 🤦🏻‍♀️ Anna-Katrina Shedletsky I would love to invite you to the Automation Ladies Podcast and anyone else from these companies interested in having a conversation please reach out 😊 #automationcommunity #aiinmanufacturing #aiinrobotics #smartmanufacturing #automate2024 #partnerships NVIDIA Robotics

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Someone asked me yesterday what is a good blade loading for a compressor impeller, I mentioned that a good starting point is to understand the flow and the dominant adverse flow phenomena such as shock losses (eg. turbocharger / aerospace) or secondary flows (eg. low PR industrial applications). So while I appreciate all the work behind this but it is strange to see the science behind an impeller design to be reduced to a bunch of generative parameters, probably linked to some CFD tool for a few tens of thousands iterations. Comes to mind the conclusion of a recent thesis I read along the lines of the future of aerodynamic designs seems to be in the hand of computer programmers rather that aerodynamicists.

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Excited to share a 3D model I created in SolidWorks for a recent project— Its a capital for a column. Projects like this this remind me how grateful I am for the career I've built. Since graduating, I’ve learned and grown so much. The journey hasn't been easy, but one thing I’ve learned is this: if you want to reach the top of your field, you have to work hard, stay obsessed with your craft, and be willing to take risk. For me, it means averaging 85-hour weeks—intense, but necessary for growth and progress. The hard work pays off, and I truly believe that great things are on the horizon. Keep pushing forward, stay focused, and trust the process! #SolidWorks #3DModeling #Engineering #CareerGrowth #WorkHard #EngineeringDesign #ProductDevelopment #WorkEthic #FutureGoals

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🌟 Unleashing the Power of Creo! 🌟 I recently dove deep into the world of #Creo modeling, exploring the incredible tools and flexibility it offers for #mechanicalengineering design. From complex surface modeling to efficient assemblies, Creo empowers engineers to bring ideas to life with precision and efficiency. 📐 Working with Creo has not only enhanced my technical skills but has also transformed the way I approach design challenges. It's amazing to see how virtual models translate into real-world applications, paving the way for innovation in engineering. 🎉 Whether you're a seasoned user or just starting, Creo has something for everyone. Excited to keep pushing boundaries and refining my expertise in this tool! #Engineering #3DModeling #Creo #Innovation #Design

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Saw an update to Preform recently and it was very close to a feature that has been on my wish list for years. For a bit of background, FDM slicers have implemented infill patterns for a while. This has not only enabled material saving and light weighting, but when combined with elastomeric filaments like TPU, they enabled production of parts with variable densities and softness. I’ve always thought this was ingenious as it bypassed cumbersome workflows of adding these lattice patterns using a seperate software and the nightmare of importing huge stl files into the slicer not to mention waiting an eternity to slice them. Formlabs finally implemented an update to preform under the dental workspace where you could use the “Scan to model” feature to hollow out and add a honey comb pattern (with drainage holes) to a dental model. I used the Stanford Bunny to hack this idea and try printing on Flexible 80A resin with he Form4. Albeit some current limitations of the tool, I was still able to create a print that had multi density! Imagine the possibilities that could be unlocked with elastomeric resins ( or even SLS powders) by slicers implementing more light patterns that could produce TPMS style lattices! The patterns can be optimised so that they print successfully, similar yo how support structures are printed currently. I hope the software department of Formlabs sees this post so we can have some really cool features implemented in Preform for a hassle free workflow! Let me know what you think!

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Before I worked at SOLIDWORKS, I used to wonder how people got their 3D renderings onto the SOLIDWORKS 💦splash💦 screen (if you're wondering: DM me!) This Friday, we've set up a special YouTube stream with someone who's worked on several: Jesse Sprague. He'll be available to address your 3D rendering questions, while exploring the importance of PBR (Physically Based Rendering) materials within SOLIDWORKS Visualize! 🤩 https://lnkd.in/esWV5Vex

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You want to check and convert your CAD geometry files easily to surface meshes like STL or OBJ files? Salome or FreeCAD are too heavy and takes so much time to install just for CAD conversion? Or you are in a tight situation with slow internet connection in order to even download these heavy weight software packages? A very light weight solutions is the CAD Assistant which is a powerful offline 3D viewer and converter with a simple but intuitive interface. Built on OpenCascade Technology, CAD Assistant natively provides support for most used universal CAD formats like IGES, STEP, BREP and you can easily save from one format to another. Or you can save as STL or OBJ formats to be used as an input for snappyHexMesh, cfMesh or commercial meshers. Here is link to CAD Assistant: https://lnkd.in/eWPc5Xeh Disclosure: I have no affiliation with OpenCascade nor CAD Assistant. Just sharing what I found useful. Our OpenFOAM newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eDgEhSGt Our informative OpenFOAM/CFD articles: https://cfdmonkey.com Free OpenFOAM resources: https://lnkd.in/gPbF9XvJ

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We know about I-beams - but how do R and T beams compare? *spoiler alert* Not so good. https://lnkd.in/gHys-PFZ Check out this #Onshape simulation of these 3 beams - scaled to the same weight.

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We're mixing up Tech Tip Tuesday with tips and tricks from #SOLIDWORKS users! SOLIDWORKS Champion and Animation Advocate Yahya T Khedr is here to teach you how to create turntable animations with Model-Axis Rotation. Check it out in this blog. http://go.3ds.com/TNU

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Learn how new NX™ software features for Core Design streamline end-to-end workflows during the design process! We’ll be covering: 📝 Selecting, creating, and customizing datum planes for sketches 📊 Interpreting information from tabs and columns within Sketch Navigator 🤝 Converting Found Relations into Persistent Relations 🧑‍🤝‍🧑Chamfer clone finding for Delete Face command Find out more with the link below 👇 https://sie.ag/4pxYLr #NXMakesItReal

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ANSYS 2024 R2 is on another level!

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SImplified parametric models combined with 3D Print on demand is going to completely change how spare parts are sourced. Rather than a catalogue, you will just have a configurator that doesn't match to a part, it creates the part.

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Hi MCAD/Solidworks nerds, I never have a clear idea of what Solidworks charges. It seems like my reseller and/or Dassault give some random pricing depending on their monthly/quarterly need for growth, maybe? I already had issues with them (reseller) up-charging me for the yearly maintenance, adding on superfluous fluff we didn't ask or needed (like the PC professor DVDs or something like that). Then I had to jump through hoops to get them to give me a refund for the overcharge. They ignored me for months and only acted when I told them we would never add any licenses until I had that refund check. A few weeks ago I asked for a quote and told me that to add an extra permanent floating license I need to pay ~ U$15K (they wanted me to pay permanent license + 3 years of maintenance up front). Now I get this FOMO email (see screenshot) that the price will go up by 2X in a couple of days? I'm not sure if they are now 2Xing their already unviable pricing or if this is another trick? Does anyone here have any unbiased and clarifying feedback on this? What's happening after July 1st? Dealing with Dassault and their resellers is the worst supplier experience we have in our company by far. They really work very hard to motivate me to try to use Solidworks less and less. I need to look for some MCAD alternatives soon for our mechanical works (...I wish Siemens NX was cheaper, or Onshape run local and faster).

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Here is an example of how our 3D-printed SoPCAS gripper can interact with different environments (i.e., very soft to very rigid) using one real-time closed-loop feedback controller. Although soft grippers are inherently safe to interact with delicate environments, adding sensing elements to their structure allows them to extend such capability to interact with extremely soft environments. Full Manuscript | Open-Access | Robotics Reports | SoPCAS Finger: A Three-Dimensional Printed Soft Finger with Pneumatic Chambers for Simultaneous Actuation, Sensing, and Controlled Grasping https://lnkd.in/dTGyZK56 Omar Faris, Irfan Hussain Lebanese American University, Khalifa University, LAU School of Engineering #Research #SoftRobotics #Grippers #3DPrinting

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In our latest NX™ software Tips and Tricks video, we explore how to use NX Immersive Explorer for Desktop to achieve high-level 3D rendering and view new design changes in real time. Take a look to learn about👇 Essential settings and preferences for getting started ⚙️ Basic movement and navigation techniques🕹️ Material change and its impact on the Immersive experience 🧱 Take a look at the YouTube video here ▶️ https://sie.ag/3Z2zYu Read the full blog below 📚 https://sie.ag/6Erbuv #NXmakesitreal

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Best Practices for Prototyping: Turning Ideas into Reality Prototyping is a crucial step in the product development process, allowing designers and engineers to transform ideas into tangible objects. Whether you’re a startup founder, a product designer, or an engineer, creating a prototype can help you visualize your concept, test functionality, and gather valuable feedback. In this blog post, we will explore best practices for prototyping and share resources that can help you on your journey. Best Practices for Prototyping 1. Define Your Goals Before you start prototyping, clearly outline the goals of your prototype. Are you testing a specific functionality? Exploring design options? Gathering user feedback? Defining your objectives will guide your prototyping process and help you stay focused. 2. Start with Low-Fidelity Prototypes Low-fidelity prototypes (like sketches, paper models, or wireframes) are cost-effective and quick to create. They allow you to iterate on your ideas rapidly without investing too much time or resources. Use these early prototypes to explore different concepts and gather initial feedback. 3. Use the Right Tools Selecting the right tools for your prototyping process is essential. Depending on your needs, this might include software for digital prototypes (like Adobe XD, Figma, or Sketch) or physical tools for creating tangible prototypes (like 3D printers, laser cutters, or basic crafting materials). 4. Involve Stakeholders Early Engaging stakeholders—such as team members, potential users, and investors—in the prototyping phase can yield valuable insights. Their feedback can help you identify strengths and weaknesses in your design, ensuring the final product meets user needs. 5. Iterate Based on Feedback Prototyping is an iterative process. After gathering feedback, be prepared to make changes and refine your design. This cycle of testing, feedback, and iteration will lead to a more successful final product. 6. Focus on Functionality Over Aesthetics In early prototype stages, prioritize functionality over aesthetics. Ensure that the core features work as intended before investing time in refining the visual design. A functional prototype is more valuable for testing and feedback than a polished but non-functional one. 7. Document the Process Keeping a detailed record of your prototyping process can be beneficial for future reference. Documenting your iterations, the feedback you received, and the changes you made can provide insights that guide future projects. Conclusion Prototyping is an essential part of the design process that allows you to test ideas and gather feedback before committing to a final product. By following best practices and utilizing available resources, you can streamline your prototyping efforts and increase your chances of success. Remember, the goal is not just to create a prototype but to learn from it and use that knowledge to build something truly valuable. Happy prototyping!

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🚀 Transform Your Design Process with Creo! 🚀 In today's fast-paced world, innovation is key. With Creo, you can unlock unparalleled efficiency and creativity in your CAD workflows. Whether you’re designing intricate parts or complex assemblies, Creo empowers you to visualize and iterate like never before. 💡 Why Choose Creo? 1. Advanced Modeling: Effortlessly create and modify 3D models. 2. Parametric Design: Adapt quickly to changes in design requirements. 3. Collaboration Tools: Work seamlessly with your team, no matter where they are. 👉Connect with me to know more: [email protected] #CAD #Creo #DesignInnovation #EngineeringExcellence

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