ViaCAD V12 New Features
Overview for Alpha/Beta Testers
Usability
• Save Layers with Views
• Repeat Last Command
• Select Similar
• Show/Hide Sketch Axis
• Save Layers with Views
• Repeat Last Command
• Select Similar
• Show/Hide Sketch Axis
Drafting/Annotation
• Best Fit Line
• Best Fit Circle
• Updated Angular Tolerances
• Updated Dual Tolerances
• Line normal from curve
• Line normal to curve
• Line normal two curves
• Weight Tables
• Best Fit Line
• Best Fit Circle
• Updated Angular Tolerances
• Updated Dual Tolerances
• Line normal from curve
• Line normal to curve
• Line normal two curves
• Weight Tables
Visualization
• PhotorRender Spot Default
• Show/Hide Face
• PhotorRender Spot Default
• Show/Hide Face
Other
• 2K New 3D Symbols
• Mac OS 10.15 Support
• Universal Product Installer
• 100+ issues corrected from v11
• 2K New 3D Symbols
• Mac OS 10.15 Support
• Universal Product Installer
• 100+ issues corrected from v11
Interoperability
• Import 2D PDF
• Import Adobe Illustrator
• Import Collada (DAE)
• SketchUp 2019
• Spatial Interop Update
• Updated DWG
• Import 2D PDF
• Import Adobe Illustrator
• Import Collada (DAE)
• SketchUp 2019
• Spatial Interop Update
• Updated DWG
3D Design
• Wrap Imprint
• Wrap Emboss
• Wrap Engrave
• Mesh Booleans
• Mesh Split
• Group Centerlines/Paths
• Wrap Imprint
• Wrap Emboss
• Wrap Engrave
• Mesh Booleans
• Mesh Split
• Group Centerlines/Paths
Wrap (Imprint, Emboss, Engrave)
Placing text, company logos, or complex patterns onto 3D surfaces can be a daunting task. Especially if you need to preserve size and scale of the details from the 2D shape to the 3D surface.
The new Wrap tool introduced in V12 maps text or planar surfaces onto a 3D solid model. The results are perfect for imprinting, embossing, or engraving 2D shapes onto 3D surfaces.
Highlights of the wrap implementation:
Imprint:
The imprint option takes the 2D wrapping surface and creates new regions on the resulting 3D surface. These new regions are used to apply color or textures, typically for visualization purposes.
For example, if you are designing a car and need to place a sponsor logo, the imprint may be just the tool you are looking for.
Emboss
The emboss option takes the 2D wrapping surface, imprints regions onto a 3D surface, and then adds offset faces to the part.
Engrave:
The emboss option takes the 2D wrapping surfaces, imprints regions onto the 3D surfaces, and then subtracts offsets to the part.
For example, if you are designing a ring and want to place an inscription on the inside the ring, you would use the engrave option along with text.
Products : ViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro
Video : click to watch wrapping video
Example File : download ring to explore tool
The new Wrap tool introduced in V12 maps text or planar surfaces onto a 3D solid model. The results are perfect for imprinting, embossing, or engraving 2D shapes onto 3D surfaces.
Highlights of the wrap implementation:
Imprint:
The imprint option takes the 2D wrapping surface and creates new regions on the resulting 3D surface. These new regions are used to apply color or textures, typically for visualization purposes.
For example, if you are designing a car and need to place a sponsor logo, the imprint may be just the tool you are looking for.
Emboss
The emboss option takes the 2D wrapping surface, imprints regions onto a 3D surface, and then adds offset faces to the part.
Engrave:
The emboss option takes the 2D wrapping surfaces, imprints regions onto the 3D surfaces, and then subtracts offsets to the part.
For example, if you are designing a ring and want to place an inscription on the inside the ring, you would use the engrave option along with text.
Products : ViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro
Video : click to watch wrapping video
Example File : download ring to explore tool
PhotoRender SpotLight
The default PhotoRendering method uses a distant light offset from the viewing direction that creates an image suitable for most conditions.
The new “Use Spot Light as Default” option calculates a spot light with a cone angle directly above the rendered objects. Combined with a floor, soft shadows are created below the objects providing an alternative to the default.
The new option is accessed from the PhotoRender tool palette Settings option.
Products : ViaCAViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro
Video :
The new “Use Spot Light as Default” option calculates a spot light with a cone angle directly above the rendered objects. Combined with a floor, soft shadows are created below the objects providing an alternative to the default.
The new option is accessed from the PhotoRender tool palette Settings option.
Products : ViaCAViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro
Video :


Use Spot Light as Default
Split Mesh
The Split Mesh tool will divide a mesh into two portions based on a cutting plane. Split Mesh is an ideal tool for those working with facetted data along with 3D printing manufacturing processes.
Highlights of the Split Mesh implementation:
Split Closed Mesh:
Splitting a closed mesh will create two closed meshes. This is ideal for taking a large model and dividing into smaller models that fit onto a smaller print bed. The individual splits can be later reassembled into the large model that did not originally fit on the print bed.
Split Open Mesh:
Splitting an open mesh will automatically close the mesh along the splitting plane. Used discretionary, this tool will allow you to quickly close large open holes in your model.
Mesh Booleans:
After using the Split tool, use the new boolean add, subtract, or intersect tools to create alignment holes to reassemble your split model.
Products : ViaCAD 2D3D, ViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro
Video : click to watch split video
Highlights of the Split Mesh implementation:
Split Closed Mesh:
Splitting a closed mesh will create two closed meshes. This is ideal for taking a large model and dividing into smaller models that fit onto a smaller print bed. The individual splits can be later reassembled into the large model that did not originally fit on the print bed.
Split Open Mesh:
Splitting an open mesh will automatically close the mesh along the splitting plane. Used discretionary, this tool will allow you to quickly close large open holes in your model.
Mesh Booleans:
After using the Split tool, use the new boolean add, subtract, or intersect tools to create alignment holes to reassemble your split model.
Products : ViaCAD 2D3D, ViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro
Video : click to watch split video

Mesh Split to fit on a 3D printing bed

Weight and Volume Tables
Whether you’re designing an aircraft, automobile, or picnic table, weight is key control parameter in a design. V12 introduces a new Bill of Material(BOM) attribute specific for creating a summed weight table. Creating a weight table is based on the designer assigning a material using the Verify : Properties dialog box followed up by applying a weight attribute. With just these two steps, designers can create an accurate Weight table used to explore impacts of material types on design weights.
Highlights of the Weight BOM tool:
Volume:
Precisely calculates the volume of any NURB or analytic based part .
Weight:
Apply a material from a large selection of predefined materials for woods, plastics, and metals. Or add your new material to the list. Provides a total weight value for the objects in the table.
Associative Parts and Tables:
Changing a part size(volume) or applying a different material will automatically update the table for quick design exploration that impact weight calculations.
Video : click to watch weight video
Products : ViaCAD 2D3D, ViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro
Highlights of the Weight BOM tool:
Volume:
Precisely calculates the volume of any NURB or analytic based part .
Weight:
Apply a material from a large selection of predefined materials for woods, plastics, and metals. Or add your new material to the list. Provides a total weight value for the objects in the table.
Associative Parts and Tables:
Changing a part size(volume) or applying a different material will automatically update the table for quick design exploration that impact weight calculations.
Video : click to watch weight video
Products : ViaCAD 2D3D, ViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro

Bill of Materials : Weight Table
Show/Hide Face
The Show/Hide Face tool will hide faces within a part enabling access and visibility into the internal representations of complex models.
Highlights of the Show/Hide Face tool:
Hide Face:
Right clicking over a face displays a menu of options including the Hide Face. Selecting Hide face will turn off the display list of that particular face.
Show Face:
Right clicking over a face displays a menu including the Show Face. Selecting Show Face will turn off the display list of that particular face.
Regenerating a part will reshow hidden faces. Likewise the show/hide status is not preserved on saving a file. This is a temporary status.
Video : click to watch show/hide video
Products : ViaCAD 2D3D, ViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro
Highlights of the Show/Hide Face tool:
Hide Face:
Right clicking over a face displays a menu of options including the Hide Face. Selecting Hide face will turn off the display list of that particular face.
Show Face:
Right clicking over a face displays a menu including the Show Face. Selecting Show Face will turn off the display list of that particular face.
Regenerating a part will reshow hidden faces. Likewise the show/hide status is not preserved on saving a file. This is a temporary status.
Video : click to watch show/hide video
Products : ViaCAD 2D3D, ViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro

Show/Hide Face

Save Layers with Views
The Save Layers with View tool tool now includes an option to save layers associated with view orientations.
Highlights of the Save Layers with View option:
Save View:
Use the View : New View tool to create a view with the option to save layers.
Restore View:
To restore a view, select the View : User View :.
Video : click to watch video
Products : ViaCAD 2D, ViaCAD 2D3D, ViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro
Highlights of the Save Layers with View option:
Save View:
Use the View : New View tool to create a view with the option to save layers.
Restore View:
To restore a view, select the View : User View :
Video : click to watch video
Products : ViaCAD 2D, ViaCAD 2D3D, ViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro
Best Fit Line and Circle
The Best Fit Line and Circle tools are perfect for tracing precise curves over rough images. Both tools allow the designer to over sample a collection of points to account for fuzzy data.
Highlights of the Best Fit Line and Circle Tool:
Best Fit Line:
Enter an arbitrary number of points to create a best fit line terminating with right click.
Best Fit Circle:
Enter an arbitrary number of points to create a best fit circle terminating with a right click.
You may also select a polyline or curve where the tool will best fit the object into a circle.
Video : click to watch video
Products : ViaCAD 2D, ViaCAD 2D3D, ViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro
Highlights of the Best Fit Line and Circle Tool:
Best Fit Line:
Enter an arbitrary number of points to create a best fit line terminating with right click.
Best Fit Circle:
Enter an arbitrary number of points to create a best fit circle terminating with a right click.
You may also select a polyline or curve where the tool will best fit the object into a circle.
Video : click to watch video
Products : ViaCAD 2D, ViaCAD 2D3D, ViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro
Import PDF and Adobe Illustrator
Importing PDF and Adobe Illustrator files is now possible using the File : Import tools.
Highlights of the Importing PDF and Adobe IllustratorTool:
—Support for lines, arcs, circles, splines, and polygons
—Support for text
—Dimensions supported as exploded text, polygons, and lines
PDF:
Support for reading any native .PDF file.
Adobe Illustrator:
Support for reading native .AI files that are based on PDF. This are AI versions 9 and greater.
Video : click to watch video
Products : ViaCAD 2D, ViaCAD 2D3D, ViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro
Highlights of the Importing PDF and Adobe IllustratorTool:
—Support for lines, arcs, circles, splines, and polygons
—Support for text
—Dimensions supported as exploded text, polygons, and lines
PDF:
Support for reading any native .PDF file.
Adobe Illustrator:
Support for reading native .AI files that are based on PDF. This are AI versions 9 and greater.
Video : click to watch video
Products : ViaCAD 2D, ViaCAD 2D3D, ViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro
Angular Tolerance Updates
The Angular Tolerance user interface was updated to dynamically provide input from the Inspector dialog box.
Highlights of theAngular Tolerance Tool:
—Select an angular dimension
—Change tolerances
—Entity updates in real time for selected tolerance
Video : click to watch video
Products : ViaCAD 2D, ViaCAD 2D3D, ViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro
Highlights of theAngular Tolerance Tool:
—Select an angular dimension
—Change tolerances
—Entity updates in real time for selected tolerance
Video : click to watch video
Products : ViaCAD 2D, ViaCAD 2D3D, ViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro
Repeat Previous Command
Mesh Booleans
The Mesh Boolean tool provides a means to add or remove material from a mesh body. Previous versions only allowed boolean operations on ACIS based solids. Now with the introduction of mesh booleans, you can add/remove material imported from STL, OBJ, 3DS, and SketchUp.
Highlights of the Mesh Boolean Command:
—Add Material
—Subtract Material
—Intersect Material
Video :
Products : ViaCAD 2D3D, ViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro
Highlights of the Mesh Boolean Command:
—Add Material
—Subtract Material
—Intersect Material
Video :
Products : ViaCAD 2D3D, ViaCAD Pro, SharkCAD Pro
Collada Support
SketchUp Import/Export Updates
DWG Import/Export Updates
SharkCAD Pro Native File Updates