A collection of notes, ideas, and pictures
Not all CAD companies play in the same arena. While most CAD companies stay busy talking to the press, explaining strategies to financial analysts, and placing expensive ads in magazines nobody reads anymore, some CAD companies invest their time and money in talking to customers. These companies are less likely to be on a stage... Continue Reading →
A few major trends are shaping the balance between classroom training and online/DVD self-training. The first trend is the gradual decrease of CAD system prices. It used to be normal to pay a few thousand dollars for a training class. It is now perceived as unfair to have to pay as much or even more... Continue Reading →
Articole published on June 9, 2009 on the NOVEDGE blog. One of my recurring complaints about surface modeling is the intrinsic complexity of existing modeling systems. Even if the level of user-friendliness of these systems has improved, sooner or later, every user needs to invest some time to understand how the underlying geometry works and... Continue Reading →
Article published on June 2009 on the BAIA Blog. As an Italian, I always loved my mother tongue. When I was a kid, I believed Italian was the most musical, easy to write, and enjoyable among all the languages. My first experience as a student with French grammar was a confirmation of the indisputable superiority... Continue Reading →
In the past, if someone asked me to come up with improbable or strange combinations of technologies I would have suggested things such as 3D animations and Twitter or CAD and podcasts. I have since learned that if something looks improbable or strange to me it doesn't mean it's impossible or even wrong. Tackling those... Continue Reading →
Lynn Allen is one the most popular bloggers in the CAD world (Lynn blog, Lynn on Pulse). She is also a sort of ambassador for AutoCAD, promoting this CAD system in every context. In a world of stodgy CAD executives and unexciting CAD geeks, she brings a sparkling touch, feminine charm, and a solid technical knowledge. Lynn... Continue Reading →
Let's be honest: the CAD world is boring. I read CAD blogs and news every single day (using Novedge Pulse), and I rarely find something really exciting. In this market, technological improvements are very gradual and real breakthroughs happen only once in a decade. Also, the adoption of new technologies in the design and manufacturing process is... Continue Reading →
Novedge recently added a section at the bottom of each page of its website providing a space where visitors and customers can leave comments sharing their opinions and experiences. The tools that allowed us to implement this service are provided by Disqus, a new startup located in San Francisco, just a few blocks from Novedge headquarters. Disqus has... Continue Reading →
When buying a CAD product most of us consider many factors, such as the list of features, the price, the platform, the level of integration between programs our clients and customers are already using, and so on. While we may not realize it, many times we are also looking for something that feels or looks... Continue Reading →
It is difficult for me to write an introduction for Al Dean. On one hand I have read several articles and blog posts by Al, but on the other hand I've never had the opportunity to meet him personally (this interview was done by e-mail). What I like the most about Al and what keeps... Continue Reading →
Direct-modeling is the new trend in CAD. No doubt about it! Some call it Synchronous Technology, some Interactive Solid Modeling, and some direct-editing. All of these approaches differ, but all are trying to overcome the limitations of existing parametric systems. If we were to identify one original source that started this trend, we would certainly have to recognize that SpaceClaim was... Continue Reading →
Siemens NX, with various names and affiliations, has been around for several years. Nobody would really expect a well establish CAD system to become the lead innovator of a new technology. Usually those kinds of CAD systems invest in maintaining their user base rather than trying to acquire new users and push technological limits. For these... Continue Reading →
When Solidworks was first released in 1995 it changed forever the way design and manufacturing companies approach CAD software. Compared to the contemporary 3D modeling systems, Solidworks had a significantly lower price and was much easier to learn and use, with almost no compromise on features. This was a clear call for a new generation of PDM... Continue Reading →
Creative professionals have always had a fascination with Apple products and the Mac personal computer in particular. While Mac was one of the first personal computers to have a graphic user-interface, the connection seems to goes beyond that -- and to continue even after the GUI became a standard. One of the first websites who endorsed the... Continue Reading →
The relatively short story of CAD visualization is paved with big ambitions and small results. No company has been able to escape this spell. Looking at the target market the opportunities for a CAD visualization system seem huge, with potential users by the millions including entire departments outside the design and manufacturing areas. Here's the... Continue Reading →
Articolo pubblicato nell'agosto 2007 sul blog di BAIA. In a tall building in downtown San Francisco, facing the crowds on Market Street, there is a small but notable Italian school. Every day in the classrooms of this school passionate teachers engage students in the culture and language of Italy. The school's name is ItaLingua, and it... Continue Reading →
Current CAD systems are all based on only a few core geometric engines. Among those software engines, the ones that integrate solid modeling with free-form surfaces can be counted on one hand. One of those few engines is made by Think3, an Italian company that has been trying for several years to enter the US market... Continue Reading →
It's part of my daily job to stay in touch with new technologies and systems by reading CAD news and playing with trial versions. Over the years I've become immunized to most of the CAD marketing buzz. Despite the grand announcements, the CAD world evolves at a slow pace with few real advancements each year.... Continue Reading →
Articolo pubblicato nel giugno 2008 sul blog di BAIA. A couple of months ago I received an e-mail from Roberto Bonzio, asking for an interview. Roberto told me he was here in Silicon Valley for a few months on a project about Italians. After a few e-mails, we set up an appointment and a few... Continue Reading →
Articolo pubblicato nel giugno 2008 sul blog di BAIA. Last week I received an e-mail from the Italian Consulate asking for my availability to answer a set of questions from a questionnaire. The questions were part of a survey of Italian companies in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley. I was pleasantly surprised. This was the first... Continue Reading →
Franco Folini Blog 