progeCAD 2020 Update Released on CADDIT.net

Sydney, Australia 09 November 2019 - progeCAD 2020 Professional 20.0.6 has been released on CADDIT.net, with free upgrade entitlement for all existing progeCAD 2020 users. progeCAD Professional is an affordable general-purpose CAD computer program having similar commands and workflow to AutoCAD, native DWG file read/write and extensive publishing/translation features. Advanced progeCAD features include full 3D modelling and rendering, extensive symbols library and Express Tools similar to those offered in AutoCAD. Using progeCAD, designers can seamlessly communicate with an AutoCAD environment. progeCAD 2020 was first released on CADDIT offering a heap of new features like 4K display support, drag-and-drop icon palettes, BIM IFC and RECAP .rcp/.rcs support, table formulas, 3D silhouette printing as well as new interfaces for PUBLISH and EXPORTPDF and new EXPRESS Tools.

BIM IFC files can now be fully imported as editable geometry. progeCAD now supports either import or export of at least 40 different major design formats (not including format versions), including 3D models, 2D drawings, mesh and point cloud models, vector and raster graphic images as well as embedding formats like PDF, offering a true swiss-army-knife like set of CAD functionality essential and affordable for any CAD designer.

Direct BIM IFC import into progeCAD 2020 Professional with immediate 3D rendering in free Artisan rendering studio (Artisan for progeCAD included with purchase)

 The new progeCAD Professional 20.0.6 is a bugfix release offering users over 100 improvements over the previous 2020.0.4 version:

• Improved support for functions like hatches placed in layout, nested BEDIT sessions, REFEDIT fade, embedded image PAN and ZOOM (when MTMODE = 3), Unicode support and 3D solid regen improvements.
• Targeted fixes for existing commands like HATCH, BOX, HELIX, FILLET, SWEEP and dozens more..
• Performance improvement for STEP import, 3D PDF, APPLOAD, COPYCLIP
• API tweaks and small fixes to DCL, LISP and .NET
• General improvements in interface and workflow

Users of previous progeCAD versions are strongly encouraged to consider upgrade to progeCAD Professional 2020, for better compatibility with AutoCAD as well as the ongoing updates for Microsoft Windows. A full price list for all upgrade options, including multiple stand-alone, USB and floating network licenses, can be found on the CADDIT website here (link). A fully enabled 30-day trial can also be downloaded. Additional questions about progeCAD features or upgrade options can be sent directly to CADDIT Australia via the Contact Us page.

Free Pro/ENGINEER "Lite" CNC, FEA, Structural Steel & Ergonomics Design Modules

Did you know that every seat of Pro/ENGINEER now includes full-featured CAD/CAM milling, mechanical assembly FEA simulation, human factor analysis ("Manikin" analysis) piping and cabling design?* Here is a list of functionality now delivered to every Pro/ENGINEER user with updated maintenance:

CAM Lite – (Expert Machinist)
Pro/ENGINEER Foundation XE includes a basic 2 ½-axis CNC milling license, allowing machining of prismatic parts in 5-axis positioning. There are no “Menu Manager" menus; interface is completely icon/dialog driven. Pro/ENGINEER NC Lite follows a simple workflow:

• Specify final part and original material stock
• "Work cell" definition - specify milling machine type and machine zero
• Toolpath strategies - define machining "features" to block list
• Toolpath calculation is virtually automatic when all parameters are defined
• Post CNC machine G-code (generic FANUC post processor included)

Toolpath definitions are stored independently of machine features. More specific additional NC G-code POST processors can be used, they should be acquired from AustinNC or other developers.


CAE Lite – "Mechanica Lite"
Pro/MECHANICA finite element analysis and simulation ("FEA") for maximum 100 surfaces. CAE Lite enables you to perform static structural analysis on parts and assemblies so you can virtually test your product earlier in the design cycle. Intuitive interface walks users through analysis setup:
• Static Structural Analysis for Parts and Assemblies
• Apply Loads and Constraints (Displacement, Pin, Ball, Planar)
• Full results functionality
• Results Probing, Animation, etc…
Leverages Pro/ENGINEER Mechanica technology. Complete upward model compatibility to the full version of Pro/ENGINEER Mechanica for large-scale analysis.

Manikin Lite
Find out how a human might interact with your design with ergonomic studies. Any Pro/ENGINEER user may load, place, edit placement and manipulate a manikin in the product scene. Explore the base concept of digital human modeling, directly inside Pro/ENGINEER!
• Limited selection of full manikin design extension tools for manipulation (2D drag and apply posture only)
• Manikin Extension adds the capabilities to check reach envelopes, vision cones, first person vision window
• Manikin LITE analysis extension offers Pro/ENGINEER users several important ergonomic analysis software tools for product designs.


Pro/ENGINEER Frame Extensions Lite (EFX)
Beginning with Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 M020, EFX Lite is now also available to all new and maintenance users. Expert Framework (EFX) is for structural steel design, framework assemblies made up of steel beams, aluminum profiles and other types of custom profiles. Customers are using EFX to create industrial machinery, cranes, buildings, assembly lines, conveyor systems, marine structures, roof designs and much more. Essentially all the engineer needs to do is to create or import the underlying structural shape using Pro/ENGINEER datum curves, where the curves represent the major structural beams. Designers then use EFX commands to convert these shapes directly to framework assembly / structural profile.

WILDFIRE 5.0 is now available, for Pro/ENGINEER information inside Australia you can contact CADDIT via their website http://www.caddit.net/ or http://www.cadcam.com.au/ For an up-to-date product comparison between the several available product bundles included with Pro/ENGINEER, see the PTC website HERE.

*Lite modules included free as of Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 4.0 refresh M70

Chief Architect Software Shafts Resellers as "Thank You"

I have been working in CAD support for over a decade. But it's not often that I read a CAD homepage like these quotes, as of 04.10.2009, from what was once Chief Architect in Australia (original misspelling included):

"Chief Architect Inc's USA short sighted management has made the decision that in an effort to support all Chief Architect users 'more efficiently' (?) they will totally eliminate the middle men.. i.e. their remaining commercial Chief Architect dealers acoss the world, before the end of the year.. and have started the ball rolling by terminating the contracts of Gordon McDermott and his dedicated team at BayCAD in New Zealand.. and of course ourselves here at Chief Australia.

May we however suggest that you read between the lines, and instead of the words 'more efficently' substitute.. 'now we'll be able to have ALL of the income from sales and support internationally.. not just the major portion of it'.

From a personal point of view.. we have spent thirteen years building up this business, and dedicated it almost exclusively to the sale and support of Chief Architect software. It has now just been totally destroyed by Chief Architect Inc with only 60 days notice.. notice initally delivered by email no less! So now we're all unemployed!...

Interestingly, there has been no contact with us at all from Greg Wells, the President of Chief Architect.. not a quick phone call offering a word of thanks, no golden handshake (God forbid).. or even so much a letter of appreciation for our years of hard work in establishing and building Chief Architect's user base here in Australia.. just a single sentence in an email that they sent out to our customers.

So on behalf of our loyal Australian users we'd just like to say..

Thanks for nothing Chief Architect!"

WOW.

I wasn't actually surprised by the story, had already heard it from another former reseller. And although this kind of disloyalty disgusts me, it doesn't necessarily surprise me either. I find the apparent ingratitude from Chief Architect USA somewhat bold. But I would be surprised if a seasoned mid range CAD developer would really be so out of touch and so naive to believe that many will continue paying an Aussie-four-grand for an engineering package that doesn't offer local support. I guess time will tell what they really have in mind...