Product category:
CAD draughting software
News Release from: Punch! Software | Subject: ViaCAD
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 12 January 2007
Versatile 2D/3D design software for $99
ViaCAD revolutionises Windows and Mac 2D/3D design at a price everyone can afford.
Punch! Software, LLC, developers of the #1 best-selling retail home and landscape design software, has announced the launch of ViaCAD, a high functionality, low-cost 2D/3D design product that revolutionises the way everybody creates designs in 3D The product will be released for both Mac OS X and Windows platforms starting in March 2007, and will retail for $99
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 12 Jan 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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ViaCAD delivers a powerful new way of designing, delivering a surprisingly easy system for creating 2D and 3D designs using its patent-pending adaptive user interface and LogiCursor technology.
In ViaCAD, 3D designs automatically create 2D details, plans and elevations with a single mouse click.
The software also delivers industry standard interoperability including Google SketchUp, AutoCAD 2007, Adobe Illustrator and other common 3D formats.
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The product supports 2D, 3D, surface and solid modeling tools with a wide array of features to allow precision illustrations while keeping the process of design simple.
Accuracy is ensured by ViaCAD's ACIS-based kernel.
The new release creates section and detail views, Bill of Materials lists, and includes complete 3D editing tools, annotation, and dimensions, among many other practical features for the designers of every scale and level.
"ViaCAD has been created with a laser beam focus on ease of use, so that it's now fun being effective and highly productive with design software," said Tim Olson, VP Development, Punch! Software, LLC.
"We anticipate that designers, engineers, and actually everyone who is curious about 3D, will find ViaCAD a great way to continue using 2D, while experimenting with 3D in an unbelievably simple way that can be understood by everyone".
Key features to ViaCAD comprise a powerful array of features not normally seen in retail products:.
* Innovative patent pending interface that makes 2D and 3D design easy.
* LogiCursor that anticipates your moves.
* Data entry windows for precise creation of geometry.
* Unlimited undo and redo histories.
* Sketching functions.
* Support for multiple monitors.
* Easy Switching between 2D and 3D functions.
Part of the interface tools comprise the LogiCursor technology that 'thinks' while you draw and sketch, anticipating your next move and providing an easy way to snap to elements, and find intelligent locations of centres and endpoints.
This simple, easy interface also provides the ability to create 3D on the fly from 2D line profiles.
Fast, unique 2D and 3D design: The unique automated 3D to 2D procedures in ViaCAD allow the designer to create 2D drawings automatically from 3D models, as well as create scalable views, section and detail views.
The easy toggling between 3D and 2D design means that users can visualize in 3D and then make quick, precise edits to the design in 2D, and then continue working in 3D.
Advanced CAD tools: Both the 2D and 3D design functions provide a complete set of tools for professional and precision designers that include:.
* NURBS-based creation.
* Complete set of line, arc, circle, polygon, ellipse and spline tools.
* The ability to create tangential lines, fillets, chamfers, bosses, shells, variable radius blends.
* Boolean operations in solids, extrusions, healing and repair, parametric features and associativity at high precision.
Parts Libraries as a standard: A 26,000-plus parts library enables the rapid creation of 2D and 3D designs with existing parts, using drag-and-drop functions and dynamic positioning.
Ready-to-use models include HVAC networks, kitchen elements, posed figures, office furniture, mechanical parts, home elements and more.
These parts libraries are delivered as a standard part of the product.
Rendering 3D views for clarity in ViaCAD is easy, with options for lighting from ambient, point, distant and spot locations.
Industry-Standard Interoperability: ViaCAD has been developed to include professional industry standard interoperability including format support for: SketchUp (.skp), AutoCAD 2007, Adobe Illustrator, DXF/DWG, ACIS SAT, IGES, Rhinoceros, STL, 3DS Max, TurboCAD for Mac, Punch! Objects and more.
ViaCAD will be released in March 2007, and will be available at major retail stores as well as direct from Punch! Software's web site.
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