I know it was mentioned earlier that ( by Tim) that there is a Licensed part library that may be included at some point.

I just had to create a worm (threaded rod for worm drive) and I resorted to Vectorworks with actually has a 3d object (among others) for this purpose.
It is very adjustable, and I then exported out to ViaCAD. I prefer not to use the 3D in Vectorworks.

Is something like this possible now in Shark, or in the future? Massive time saver. And love the option of showing/not showing threads. (Tim also mentioned no thread-detail would be included in the Library.)

I know Vectorworks costs more than ViaCAD, but price wise for the "Machine Design" version, it's on par with Shark FX.
How can they do this?
What is preventing Punch from doing this in ViaCAD/Shark?

Thanks,
Norbert M

[img=http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/4404/wormgear.th.jpg]

The inteface is much slower that ViaCAD's for one (part is very heavy in VW when rotating and moving--fine in ViaCAD--using a Intel-Quad-Core Mac-), and it would be nice to be able to do this in the same program. ( I had to export as an IGES file).
Once you have the file in ViaCAD and you need to update it, you have to revise the part in Vectorworks, and import back into ViaCAD.
It then needs to be moved to the correct position, put on the appropriate layer, material attributes changed, etc.

It's a workflow thing.
Just surprised that Vectorworks has this and not ViaCAD (Shark doesn't either I presume?).

Norbert M

VectorWorks is slow...not ViaCAD.
Yes I know you can "build" a threaded rod/worm in ViaCAD/Shark, but it would be nice to have the workflow of a parametric "detailed" part library like Vectorworks.

That is the point of my post.


Norebert M

lgrijalva,

Agreed, VW is slow in the 3D, but very efficient in the 2D (ALOT more than ViaCAD/Shark).

And yes it would be nice that when you need a fastener, you just select one, and modify the parameters in a window and back you go to modeling the more important parts...


Norbert M

Well not for long though :D

Highdesign and PowerCADD 8 are two fantastic 2D apps (Mac only- sorry). Many architects use a combination of these two paired up with SketchUp. Shame that VC never gets mentioned.

I'd love to see these parametric tools in Punch products- especially if nice little sliders controlling every parameter were to get involved. I don't know about you guys, but my math skills are appalling. I tend to do most things by eye, in real time :D

You should read about StreamCAD if you like this kind of stuff;

http://www.streamspace.com/

The developer used to develop for Autodesk, but got fed up with them- hence StreamCAD.

Having a parametric library is one thing but being able to create your own parametric items to add to a library is another. Having text recordings included in the parametric symbols has also been useful.

Alan,
Could you give some examples of what you are looking for ?