Delcam PartMaker Modeling 2013 can rewind history
1 min read
A significant feature of Delcam's 3D CAD-for-CAM 3D solid modelling application is its ability to rewind the solid history tree of a model to any position using a graphical slider. Edits can then be made, either by applying the Solid Doctor to repair problematic data or by using the full range of direct modelling tools, without losing the history of the model. Once the required edits have been completed, the rewind point can be moved or deleted. The complete solid history is then re-built automatically.
A variety of ease of use improvements in PartMaker Modeling 2013 include featuring the command input box more boldly in the user interface, which will make it easier for new users to come up to speed. Additionally, new work planes can be more easily snapped to existing solid faces. This makes it easier to add new solid features to 'dumb' solid models. Solid features can also be grouped, to create more organised, easy to manage feature trees.
Another time saving change is that a right mouse button click now has the same effect as pressing 'Apply' or 'OK' on all forms. This is particularly useful when carrying out repetitive tasks such as filleting around a complex model. The user selects each edge to be filleted, clicks the right mouse button and then moves on to the next edge. Similarly, a series of holes can be created just by selecting the desired position and clicking the right button for each hole.
A more flexible replace-face option allows faces of one solid to be replaced with faces from another, while new hole types allow faster creation of holes for standard cap-head screws and bolts. Additionally, the power and flexibility of chamfering in both 2D and 3D have been much improved.
Solid Doctor has also been made more flexible with the ability to relax or tighten the linking tolerances on specific edges. This is important for subsequent modelling as tolerance issues can affect the reliability of Boolean operations.
PartMaker Modeling 2013 also includes a powerful functionality for performing automatic nesting of 2D shapes.
