WorldCAD Access

Who Needs MicroStation?

Chris Hannukainen of Pangaea CAD Solutions reminds me about their free DualCAD editor that reads and writes design files in MicroStation format.

It views, draws and edits elements, measures, and prints V7 and V8 DGN files in 2D. The included PDL lets you write macros.

(It used to also handle DWG files, hence the "dual cad" name, but Pangaea found the ODA libraries too cumbersome, and dropped DWG. As a result, the size of Dual CAD fell from 10MB to 2MB. With Dual CAD no longer dual-CAD, what to do about the name? Keep it, for it refers now to the dual uStn formats, V7 and V8. AutoCAD 2008/9 users can export their drawings to DGN, and then use DualCAD.)

It runs on Windows, but has been coded to work with the WINE Windows emulator on Linux. Download it free from here.

With DualCAD being a free MicroStation, who needs the $4000-MicroStation? Everybody else. Those who run vertical apps, need 3D, do programming, import AutoCAD drawings, and so on.

Think of Dual CAD as the AutoCAD LT of the MicroStation world. With one important difference: DualCAD is free.

Free CAD Files from Via

Via is a Taiwanese chipmaker that today unveiled its OpenDesign site, where you can download the CAD files for a notebook computer.

Powered by the VIA C7-M ULV processor, the Windows Vista-capable VIA OpenBook mini-note reference design is a small, 1kg, 8.9" Mini-Notebook form factor design that supports screen resolutions of up to 1024x600.

To download the CAD files, you need to register at the site. I did, as much as I get r-e-a-l-l-y tired of Web site registrations. But then it got worse when the picture code is nearly unreadable and so I had to enter it in numerous times before getting it right. Once registration was finished, I was prevented from entering the CAD download site for the following reason:

Your login has been blocked. Please contact the administrator.

At this point I gave up. The only thing I was interested in was learning the format of the CAD files.

Update

The CAD files are in prt.n format, ie prt.1, prt.2, and so on. I assume that these are Pro/Engineer part files.

Free: CoCreate PE 2.0

PTC has updated its free CoCreate Modeling Personal Edition to 2.0 with these improved features:

-- Select and move faces and parts by windowed selection.
-- Mirror complete assemblies, and create symmetric parts.
-- Blend with new options.
-- New Annotation default settings browser.
-- Works with Vista, XP, and Windows 2000.

Available in English, German, Italian, and Japanese. Register here to download.

PTC reports that version 1.0 of this software has been downloaded 80,000 times.

Free Alibre CAM, For the Elect

Alibre is giving away its new CAM Xpress free, but only to a selected group of users. In Google GMail fashion, the Elect will be permitted to invite others (the Sub Elect) to also get their free copy of CAM Xpress (formerly Alibre CAM). The related Web page is vague as to how one qualifies, other than to leave one's email address.

What do you get for free? Not a lot, obviously:

* Profiling (2.5 axis).
* Horizontal roughing and parallel finishing (3 axis).
* Drilling, including user-defined drill cycles.
* Hole sorting.
* Some post-processing.
* Tool path and holder simulation.
* Standard mill and drill tools.

The next level up, Alibre CAM Standard at $1000, provides a whole lot more features.

"Alibre CAM and Alibre CAM Xpress are going to disrupt the stagnant CAM software market," says CEO Greg Milliken in a press release. The problem isn't stagnancy; it's fractiousness. Even the biggest CAM software vendors have small marketshares.

KOMPAS-3D LT

ASCON offers a free version of its professional MCAD solution, KOMPAS-3D LT.

Its 3D portion is functionally-reduced, 'natch, but includes 2D Drafting and Design and 12 lessons; all that's lacking is 3D assembly modeling. (Commercial use is prohibited.)

To download KOMPAS-3D LT, register at ascon.net/download.php?dl=305.

Autodesk Keeps Inventor LT Free

Autodesk released a reduced-function edition of Inventor last year in preview mode. The plan was to decide what to do with the product this time this year. They've decided to keep it free (for at least another year), as well as update some of its features to match Inventor 2009 in some ways.

Inventor LT Technology Preview 2009 will become available before the current one expires May 1, 2008; it'll be free, but will stop working roughly a year later. (It's not yet available.)

Adobe Updates 3D Xlation

Adobe has a free download for its Acrobat 3D V8 software that updates its translators to the latest versions of:

-- CoCreate OneSpace Designer
-- I-deas
-- Inventor
-- JT
-- NX
-- SolidWorks

Download here.

Beta-test IFC Plugin for SketchUp

Cadalog has a beta of an IFC plugin fore SketchUp 6. It directly imports IFC-formatted models and their BIOM data into SketchUp, such as from Revit, ArchiCAD, VectorWorks, MicroStation, and AutoCAD Architectural.

The research department of Secom and Cadalog are looking for beta testers, particularly those using Revit, ArchiCAD, Microstation, or Architectural. You can download the free IFC2SKP beta from ohyeahcad.com/ifc2skp.

Free Sheet Metal Design for Linux

CAD Schroer Group adds a Sheet Metal Design module to the free Personal version of MEDUSA4 2D/3D CAD software. It runs on six Linux variants -- CentOS, Fedora, Mandriva, RedHat, SuSE and
Ubuntu -- as well as two varients of Windows, 2000 and XP.

The Personal version has these limitations:

-- different sheet file format.
-- watermarked print output.
-- import DXF/DWG but not export.
-- no customization.

Start the process here for downloading.The software is locked to your computer's MAC [media access control] address, which means it has to have a network adapter, either wired or wiresless.

SharePoint Free EditionSometime Next Year

Several CAD packages work with SharePoint, a piece of Microsoft software that searches through data. Solid Edge has been a big proponent of it, and more recently Inventor noted that it will be getting onto that particular bandwagon.

The problem for the CAD user is that SharePoint isn't free. But soon a stripped-down version will be. Search Server 2008 Express returns search results from multiple databases, local computers, and Microsoft's sad Live.com Internet presence. The free version is limited to running on a single server; the non-free one allows the software to run on multiple server. In beta soon, shipping by June of next year, requires Windows Server OS, which isn't free.

If you can't wait until next year, IBM and Google already have their free enterprise search software products on the market. Dunno if they work with CAD software, tho.