April 27, 2013

I'd love nothing better than to see your company FAIL......earlier in the design process.

I must admit that I borrowed part of this post's title from the April issue of Product Design and Development, but the title made perfect sense to me, especially in light of the numerous issues that Boeing is having with the Dreamliner 787.

Specifically, the Dreamliner's lithium-ion batteries had been shown in rare circumstances to catch fire. Though I'm sure a degree of thermal testing was probably done prior to manufacturing of the batteries, the recent problems encountered by Boeing point out the importance of virtual testing, and doing so earlier in the design process. The FAA has just recently lifted a 3 month ban on Dreamliner flights, and Boeing has stationed 300 workers on 10 teams around the world to do the work of replacing the defective units with a revamped battery system that's better insulated against a short circuit.

So let's do some math here - it's said that it will take about five days to install the revamped lithium-ion battery system on each plane, so 5 days of rework with 300 workers salaries at double the minimum wage would be close to $180k. But that PALES in comparison to other stats, such as Quantas Airlines' scrubbed purchase of a single Dreamliner (they're estimated to be $207 million SRP), and Japan's largest airline's cancellation of 3,600 Dreamliner flights.

Here's another costly example of "failing late" - Microsoft's XBOX 360. There have been over 60 million sold since 2005, and it continues to be a big seller. However, early customer surveys indicated that over 42% of the consoles had to be repaired or replaced by Microsoft due to some level of failure.


Remember the RROD (Red Ring of Death)?


Early XBOX systems often encountered conditions that caused them to overheat, thus the Red Ring of Death. Microsoft took a second look at the problem, extended their warranty coverage from 1-3 years, and after a class action lawsuit in 2007 and almost $1 billion, they've managed to reduce the failure rates and remain a viable player in the home video game industry. However, most companies couldn't afford a billion dollar mistake.

A common line I hear from companies when I ask them about product testing is either "oh, we have some calculations we use, and they almost always fit the need", or, "we just overbuild to make sure it can take whatever our customers throw at it".

The good news is that we've reached a point where technology can enable even the smallest of companies to perform virtual drop tests, wind tunnel analysis, and thermal fluid flow simulation. And the technology doesn't require guys like these (>>>) to run it.......

Autodesk recently released a set of tools that refute the
traditional perception of difficult to use, expensive (and hardware intensive) software simulation programs that only a NASA scientist with a very powerful computer could even attempt to work with.

Autodesk Simulation 360 is game changing software, lowering the 3 barriers to traditional simulation that prevent companies from earlier incorporation in the design process - cost, hardware and knowledge.

Simulation 360 combines the power of Autodesk's Mechanical Simulation and CFD products in a cloud based, easy to use interface where the user inputs geometry, materials and desired conditions to predict product performance EARLIER in the design process. And it's CAD neutral, so you can load Inventor, Pro-E, Solidworks, CATIA or other 3D model content for simulations.

As a service based model, Simulation 360 can be used when you need it at a far lower cost than purchasing perpetual licenses.You simply log into the Simulation 360 service, upload your models, materials and conditions for testing, then utilize the Autodesk cloud servers to act as the solver. And with infinite cloud computing power, you can generate multiple scenarios for testing, load them, and continue working on your designs while Autodesk's cloud servers do the number crunching.

So to summarize, the key is to fail FASTER in the design process. Equip your engineers with these low cost simulation tools to validate and test multiple iterations of a design before manufacturing, and you'll reduce physical prototypes, increase innovation, profitability and customer satisfaction. And who knows? You may even prevent a billion dollar mistake.

April 26, 2013

What happened to my RIBBONS!

I installed Autodesk BDS 2014 on my Windows 7 64-bit computer yesterday. Today, I noticed my ribbon in Revit Architecture 2012 was not working correctly. The first step is to verify all updates or service packs are installed for your specific program. If they are, the following should help you resolve the Ribbon problem.
The problem is between Revit and .NET 4.5. The fix or work-around is to uninstall .NET 4.5 and replace with .NET 4.0. Ribbons now appear to work correctly. However, you should verify .NET 4.5 is not required by other programs.

April 19, 2013

Trelligence Affinity 8 Software Released for AEC

HOUSTON, TX, Apr 19, 2013 - Trelligence, Inc announced the new Trelligence Affinity 8 software release today. Recognized as the leading AEC solution for architectural programming, schematic design and design validation, Trelligence continues to expand the functionality in Affinity software and available add-ons to deliver a full-service BIM tool. Affinity integrates with other prominent BIM tools - Autodesk Revit Architecture, Bentley AECOsim Building Designer, Graphisoft ArchiCAD, Trimble SketchUp, and IES VE - to enhance the project lifecycle, providing a seamless transition from the initial planning and programming phases of a building project, through to the final design and building construction.

Read full article here:
Contact Applied Software for more product information:  800.899.2784



 

April 16, 2013

Ask Matthew at Autodesk

Ask Matthew is a Virtual Agent who can answer your questions and help you find files on Autodesk's website. He's a little hard to find so click HERE to link directly to Mathew and ask him a question. Need help downloading 2014 product? Ask Matthew will help. How about activating a license? Stand alone? Network? Doesn't matter, ask Matthew.

April 9, 2013

Online Classes Added to Training Calendar

Applied Software has added the following classes to its Training Calendar:

Revit MEP 2013: 101Fundamentals
          May 6-10 -- 1pm to 4:30pm
          May 13-15 -- 1pm to 4:30pm

AutoCAD Civil3D 2013: 102 Survey
          May 20-22 -- 9am to 12:30pm

See more at:  

April 8, 2013

APRIL-MAY-JUNE web-based, online training is ramping up!

Applied Software's online Autodesk software training classes are the same high-quality, expert-led training taught at our on-site Autodesk Certified Training Centers, but from the convenience of your office or home.

Learn the newest applications while keeping training costs down and your projects moving forward. Easy-to-use training materials and session length is designed to keep you productive.

For classes and registration, visit: http://www.asti.com/Training/VOLT_training.asp

2013 Autodesk Platinum Club Award...

Applied Software has been awarded the 2013 Autodesk Platinum Club award for new product revenue growth year over year. In 2012, the company won the Platinum Club award for marketing and in 2011, for reseller of the year. This year’s win marks the seventh year that Applied Software has achieved the Autodesk Platinum Club honor.

Source: http://www.aectechstrategies.com/news-applied_software_wins_2013_autodesk_platinum_club_award-598.html

Sustainability Technology Solutions: Green ERP, Building Modeling

Tech Target (techtarget.com) recently published an article entitled: "Sustainability technology solutions: Green ERP, building modeling" featuring expert commentary on BIM technology solutions from Applied Software's Rabi Sidawi, Senior AEC Solutions Consultant, and Michael Ruiz, Vice President of BIM Strategies and Business Development.

Read article here: http://searchitchannel.techtarget.com/feature/Sustainability-technology-solutions-Green-ERP-building-modeling