MathCAD

[design-engine]

maybe a poll is in order here but I am wondering how many of us are using the PTC product MathCAD in conjunction with Pro/E?

 

[dr_gallup]

I use MathCAD but not in conjunction with Pro/E. We've been a user of MathCAD from long before PTC bought them.

 

[design-engine]

any comment on useng it with G2 or higher curve generation?

 

[solidworm]

have you seen anyone using it for that purpose?

 

[zpaolo]

I'm answering to this old post now because in my new job I don't use Pro|E so often, but I always use Mathcad. Designing X-ray reflective collectors I've come across the need to transfer design data (conic curves in mathcad) to Zemax and other software, and also to implement deformations of ideal curves.
I've developed in Mathcad a serie of tools that allow me to define a NURBS curve of any degree, define control points, weights and knots, split NURBS curves, insert knots and do degree elevation when needed. I can convert conics to NURBS, deform them adding knots and control points, and export from Mathcad in IGES format directly.
So far this is the heaviest use of curves I've done in Mathcad

Paolo

 

[solidworm]

can mathcad output curves and 3D plots directly to IGES or you use some kind of a plugin to do so?

 

[zpaolo]

can mathcad output curves and 3D plots directly to IGES or you use some kind of a plugin to do so?

Mathcad can't export directly in IGES, but I studied the documentation of the IGES format and was able to code a simple parser to produce directly an IGES file, which is basically an ASCII file that describes entities. I use this parser to export curves (NURBS and conics) and surfaces of revolution.

Paolo

PS: I also discovered that IGES supports parent/child relations and a sort of associativity (entity pointers, geometrical parenting and logical parenting) but these features are never found in IGES exporters from CAD software that basically export "stupid" files.