FeatureWorks can't recognize more than one feature at a time.

Richard,

I did a little more checking and MachineWorks now claims to support
Unix environments.

http://www.machineworks.com/mw_dev090.htm

Perhaps a small company like VX feels it would be to expensive and to
difficult to support both platforms especially because VX seems to be
sold mainly to small and mid-size companies most of whom run Windows
XP.

VX is *just beginning to learn how to market* and they seem to be
making good progress. For years they just developed for one large
client.

http://www.vx.com/background.cfm

"Founded in 1985, VX provides design-through-manufacturing solutions to
help companies speed time-to-market, increase profitability and gain a
sustainable, competitive advantage. Formed by a group of talented
mechanical and software engineers headed by Mark Vorwaller, their
vision was to develop highly functional, highly productive and
extremely accurate software tools to serve the needs of both design
engineers and manufacturers.

Originally known as Control Automation Inc. (CAI), the company entered
into a four-year joint development agreement with NKK Corp. of Japan
and introduced the industry's first hybrid solid/surface/wireframe
CAD/CAM system in 1991. In 1994, the company became known as
Varimetrix, deriving its name from "variational geometry" and
"parametric technology" to reflect the two key components of VX's
core technology. Also that year, a long-term partnership was formed
with South Korean-based Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. to develop and
produce an advanced CAD/CAM system for Samsung's internal product
development.

The result was VX CAD/CAM™, an advanced, integrated CAD/CAM solution
that delivered powerful and affordable, three-dimensional hybrid
modeling capabilities to the desktop. In March 1999, VX CAD/CAM was
released and made available commercially, featuring assembly-centric
wireframe, surface and solid modeling with drafting, manufacturing and
rendering built in. In April 2000, Shin Nippon Koki (SNK) of Osaka,
Japan, invested $20 million in VX to sell, market and distribute its
products globally. In 2001, Varimetrix was shortened to VX, with a new
logo and brand, to further drive the sales and marketing of its
enterprise-level products globally. VX CAD/CAM™

VX technology is built on an exclusive, high-performance engine, the VX
kernel, that delivers sophisticated 3D hybrid modeling capabilities and
provides interoperability with emerging process management and
engineering tools. Some of the world's leading manufacturers already
rely on VX CAD/CAM software to drive the design, engineering and
manufacturing of their innovative products.

With the introduction of VX CAD/CAM, VX extends enterprise-level
mechanical design and engineering capabilities to the desktop-at a
fraction of the cost of comparable systems. VX's fully-integrated
CAD/CAM environment provides an intuitive user interface, advanced 3D
modeling and the open, powerful VX kernel, needed to rapidly develop
high-quality products.

VX is privately held. In addition to Shin Nippon Koki (SNK, Osaka,
Japan), a privately held, major machining systems supplier affiliated
with Daiwa Can Co., Nissan Machine Co. and Nippon Steel Corp, VX's
investor partners have included Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.

With global headquarters in Palm Bay, Fla., VX maintains sales and
marketing offices worldwide and can be accessed on the Web at
www.vx.com."


jon

 

I'm going to try and answer this in several parts.

My VX AE (who values his privacy) has a Cadkey background. Also a
SolidEdge background. AFAIC I personally hate anything that's modal
especially in a CAM program.

VX is the way to go if one wants powerful surface and solid tools that
work reliably and in a consistent manner. VX is the way to go when you
want one company to control both CAD and CAM. VX is the way to go when
you want a company who has more experience with hybrid modeling than
SolidWorks does. VX is the way to go when you want the product you buy
to have total control over it's kernel. VX is the way to go when you
need a company that understands what job shops / mold shops /
progressive die shops really need and focuses on that market. VX is the
product that comes closest to the way I think interaction with a
CAD/CAM system should be... this is a very personal thing... I just
like how VX interacts with a user better. VX is how I think a CAD/CAM
system should work. I thoroughly enjoy using it... so far. I have not
pushed VX's limits yet but I hope to in the coming weeks / months. If I
break it I will be more than happy to say where I think VX needs work,
just like I'm going to do in this post in an area you brought up.

I disagree. VX's CAD side has a lot more development money into it....
a lot more ! I feel that modal CAD/CAM systems are the wrong way to go
in a machining job shop where speed and change are a way of life...
this is one of the big problems with SolidWorks heavy (almost
exclusive) reliance on FeatureWorks.... it's SLOW !!!

On the CAM side, non modal and the ability to handle change at any
stage, is what set a product like SmartCAM apart from all others...
SmartCAM *was better thought out*, SmartCAM gave the user more control.
By exposing it's database of elements, SmartCAM allowed one to change
anything at anytime. SmartCAM was not modal in anyway. After not seeing
development for years SmartCAM's approach is still unique ! It's dated
in many ways but it still has a beauty to it, much like I feel VX has.

Like you want specifics... I want them also. I will acknowledge you
have provided specifics in the past on other products. I would like to
hear them from you on VX. I'm sure others would also benefit from
someone who uses / has used Pro/E, SolidWorks and MDT.

The help and tutorial files provided by VX are extensive but they badly
need updating. Advanced surfacing is not covered in the way I feel it
should be. One of the nice things about Pro/E or SolidWorks is that
books and other forms of tutorials are available from independents.
This is not the case with VX and VX needs to get up to speed in this
area... quickly.

I'm actually thinking of buying a tutorial book on Pro/E Wildfire
because I think I maybe able to transfer what I learn about Pro/E
Wildfire to VX and this may help where documentation on VX fails to
deliver. Further it will allow me to make the kind of direct
comparisons that I enjoy making. I fail to see where it would hurt.

Let me be clear: VX has made a very good effort with documentation...
their documentation just needs to be updated in some areas and VX's
advanced surfacing needs much better coverage. IMO, documentation is a
major problem for all CAD/CAM companies. VX does better than most but
it's not good enough.

I think so but VX does not see SolidWorks as the market they really
focus on at the moment. I wish they would change this stratagy and
start doing more head to head and kicking some ass. The next market I
think VX will focus on is the progressive die market.... as most
progressive die shops are still using 2D AutoCAD.

I don't know anyone in VX's marketing department. Only real contact I
have is with my VX A.E. and it's limited.

I have not been over to CADChat, yet.

jon

 

What does non-modal and modal mean?
Thanks!

 

Are you just sending paper prints out?

 

So you are not actually an expert user yourself?
What have you been using for the last few months?
Before that?

 

Try using one someday.
Then find out what the word means.

 

IOW not to be associated with you or a newbie.

 

Does 3dinkies know that you've dumped them?

How was their party?

 

Use legal software & they have support & manuals & training <GG>.

 

You need to learn to read.

 

Just that jb has new buzzwords.

HTH

 

So, contary to most of what you posted, they did not
write it themselves.

 

Anybody that claims to be an expert is not.

The more you know, the more you realize you don't know.

 

Ok, thanks anyway. But, I guess I'll have to go with using VariCAD. Since
it's the only solid modeler that I've been able to find that will run under
on Linux.

Don't worry guys, I'm still using Solidworks at work and love it. I just
need something, like VariCAD, to use at home that runs on my Linux Laptop.

Richard



Richard,

I did a little more checking and MachineWorks now claims to support
Unix environments.

http://www.machineworks.com/mw_dev090.htm

Perhaps a small company like VX feels it would be to expensive and to
difficult to support both platforms especially because VX seems to be
sold mainly to small and mid-size companies most of whom run Windows
XP.

VX is *just beginning to learn how to market* and they seem to be
making good progress. For years they just developed for one large
client.

http://www.vx.com/background.cfm

"Founded in 1985, VX provides design-through-manufacturing solutions to
help companies speed time-to-market, increase profitability and gain a
sustainable, competitive advantage. Formed by a group of talented
mechanical and software engineers headed by Mark Vorwaller, their
vision was to develop highly functional, highly productive and
extremely accurate software tools to serve the needs of both design
engineers and manufacturers.

Originally known as Control Automation Inc. (CAI), the company entered
into a four-year joint development agreement with NKK Corp. of Japan
and introduced the industry's first hybrid solid/surface/wireframe
CAD/CAM system in 1991. In 1994, the company became known as
Varimetrix, deriving its name from "variational geometry" and
"parametric technology" to reflect the two key components of VX's
core technology. Also that year, a long-term partnership was formed
with South Korean-based Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. to develop and
produce an advanced CAD/CAM system for Samsung's internal product
development.

The result was VX CAD/CAMT, an advanced, integrated CAD/CAM solution
that delivered powerful and affordable, three-dimensional hybrid
modeling capabilities to the desktop. In March 1999, VX CAD/CAM was
released and made available commercially, featuring assembly-centric
wireframe, surface and solid modeling with drafting, manufacturing and
rendering built in. In April 2000, Shin Nippon Koki (SNK) of Osaka,
Japan, invested $20 million in VX to sell, market and distribute its
products globally. In 2001, Varimetrix was shortened to VX, with a new
logo and brand, to further drive the sales and marketing of its
enterprise-level products globally. VX CAD/CAMT

VX technology is built on an exclusive, high-performance engine, the VX
kernel, that delivers sophisticated 3D hybrid modeling capabilities and
provides interoperability with emerging process management and
engineering tools. Some of the world's leading manufacturers already
rely on VX CAD/CAM software to drive the design, engineering and
manufacturing of their innovative products.

With the introduction of VX CAD/CAM, VX extends enterprise-level
mechanical design and engineering capabilities to the desktop-at a
fraction of the cost of comparable systems. VX's fully-integrated
CAD/CAM environment provides an intuitive user interface, advanced 3D
modeling and the open, powerful VX kernel, needed to rapidly develop
high-quality products.

VX is privately held. In addition to Shin Nippon Koki (SNK, Osaka,
Japan), a privately held, major machining systems supplier affiliated
with Daiwa Can Co., Nissan Machine Co. and Nippon Steel Corp, VX's
investor partners have included Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.

With global headquarters in Palm Bay, Fla., VX maintains sales and
marketing offices worldwide and can be accessed on the Web at
www.vx.com."


jon