News from the ID WorldCategory Archives

solidThinking Expands its VAR Network by Adding U.K.-Based Cadsoft Solutions

We are pleased to announce that we have recently signed Cadsoft Solutions Limited to our network of worldwide distributors. As the company’s U.K.-based distributor, Cadsoft Solutions will introduce its creative design and architectural customer base to the extensive design capabilities of solidThinking 8.5 and solidThinking 8.5 Inspired™.

Located in Cambridge, Cadsoft Solutions provides 2D and 3D CAD and design software solutions that enable innovative product development and design. The addition of solidThinking to its product portfolio will further enhance Cadsoft Solutions’ ability to provide its customers with the latest in concept design technology.

solidThinking and Cadsoft Solutions will jointly offer hands-on demonstrations of solidThinking 8.5 and solidThinking 8.5 Inspired™ at the ProductDesign + Innovation Conference in London, May 18-19. solidThinking is a major sponsor of the event, where senior product design and innovation professionals from leading brands, OEMs and consultancies will share ideas and explore emerging sources for growth. Come and meet us!

solidthinking
May 5, 2011
Events, News from the ID World, solidThinking News
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The Design Competition 2011 has started!

If you are a student of a college or university and you are 18 years of age or older, the solidThinking Design Competition is a great opportunity to express your creativity, use advanced 3D technologies, be evaluated by global design thought leaders and win great prizes.

The Competition has no category restriction. Design something that solves a problem. Any type of product design can be submitted.

Each applicant student will receive a full license of solidThinking Inspired 8.5 expiring on November 30, 2011 for preparing the entries.

Deadline for entries submission is September 30, 2011 (11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time).

Click here to read more. Take your chances to win!

solidthinking
April 7, 2011
Education, News from the ID World, solidThinking News
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solidThinking supports Industrial Designers’ Continuing Education Through Program-wide Sponsorship of 2011 IDSA District Conferences

Connect with us at the Industrial Designers Society of America’s (IDSA) 2011 district conferences.

As a comprehensive program sponsor, solidThinking aims to support the continuing education of industrial designers and contribute to the conferences’ ongoing collaborative discussions on technology and the future of industrial design.

During the tour, we will offer personalized previews of solidThinking and solidThinking Inspired and show some of the key product advancements delivered with the just launched 8.5 releases. Mark the dates!

Midwest Conference
St. Louis, MO
April 1-3

 

Northeast Conference
Providence, RI
April 8-9

 

Mideast Conference
Cincinnati, OH
April 8-10

 

Southern Conference
Austin, TX
April 15-17

 

Western Conference
San Jose, CA
May 6-7

solidthinking
March 29, 2011
Events, News from the ID World, solidThinking News
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Floating Shapes

One of the latest projects developed by designers Paolo De Lucchi and Emanuele Rodella is certainly an interesting one, from both the design and the modeling point of view.

Modeling a complex object can be challenging but modeling something that, in some way, has no concrete shape – like a cloud – is even more challenging.

In order to develop a shape like one of the new Nèfos lighting systems (pictures below), it was essential to be able to modify the design while trying to achieve the desired result, a shape that could realistically resemble a soft and floating cloud.

Thanks to solidThinking’s Construction History, and how it handles parameter and control points editing, the result was great.


“The challenge was to create the model in a way that could allow us to handle any further variation that would have been required for aesthetical reasons,” said Emanuele Rodella. “We wanted to achieve the same shape control you have with a sculpture, especially for evaluating the whole shape while adjusting each single concave or convex area. I found a method to create a grid shaped structure that gave me the total control over the result, and each piece was dynamically connected to each other through solidThinking’s ConstructionTree. The modeling quality was noticeable, resulting in a smooth and sinuous model. solidThinking helped us a lot to realize this project.”

Nèfos is manufactured by Myyour and will be developed in four sizes and variants.

In the pictures below, designers Emanuele Rodella (on the left) and Paolo De Lucchi with some of his preliminary hand sketches.

 

solidthinking
December 3, 2010
News from the ID World, product design, solidThinking News, User Stories
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solidThinking at the Inno Design Tech Expo in Hong Kong December 2-4, 2010

solidThinking will exhibit at the HKTDC Inno Design Tech Expo in Hong Kong. The HKTDC Inno Design Tech Expo (IDT Expo) is a one-stop platform where visitors from different industries can explore the latest commercial design, brand strategies, applied technology, and related consultancy services. This exhibition is part of the Business of Design Week (BODW) an annual event which brings the best of the global design world to Hong Kong.

Come and meet us at Booth 1AF11/13 in the Trade Hall, Innovation and Applied Technology Pavillion.

Location: Hong Kong Convention& Exhibiton Centre1 Expo Drive, Wanchai, Hong Kong, China

When: December 2-4, 2010

For more information, send an e-mail to: info@solidthinking.com

solidthinking
November 26, 2010
Events, News from the ID World, product design, solidThinking News
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TCT Live 2010 in Coventry, UK – October 19-20, 2010

Taking place annually, TCT Live draws together everyone involved in the concept, design, manufacturing and specification functions. Designers, prototype specialists, technical directors, product managers, design directors, chief engineers, consultants and other manufacturing professionals attend TCT searching for the latest technologies. solidThinking will be exhibiting at TCT LIve 2010 for the first time.

Attendees visiting solidThinking’s Booth G8 will be able to preview the capabilities of the upcoming solidThinking software release.

During the event, Jim Hassberger, solidThinking’s Vice President of  Business Development and Customer Relations, will  be presenting the white paper titled: “Human Thinking and Computational Inspiration, New Challenges and Opportunities for Product Design”  during the White Paper Session in Theatre 5 on Wednesday October 20th at 2:15 p.m.

Location:
Jaguar Exhibition Halls
IEC Ricoh Arena
Phoenix Way
Foleshill
Coventry, CV6 6GE, UK

When:
October 19-20, 2010

solidthinking
September 22, 2010
Events, News from the ID World, solidThinking News
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solidThinking at the 3rd China International Industrial Design Expo in Shunde September 16-19, 2010

solidThinking will exhibit at the 3rd China International Design Expo in Shunde. With over 300 exhibits and over 70000 visitors, the Shunde expo has become one of the biggest and most influential industrial design expositions.

Come and meet us at Hall 1, Booth A18/A19

Location: Shunde Exhibition Center, Guangdong, China

When: September 16-19, 2010

For more information, send e-mail to: info@solidthinking.com

solidthinking
August 5, 2010
Events, News from the ID World, solidThinking News
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A Nod to Innovative Design Solutions and ‘Greener’ Mass Transit: BUSolutions

We wanted to share with you a cool application of product design collaboration for the transportation industry from our parent company, Altair. The company’s ProductDesign division recently announced it has officially kicked-off its BUSolutions program to build an advanced bus design to lower transit authority operating costs and further minimize the environmental impact of public transportation.

The project makes extensive use of virtual prototyping and optimization technologies that drive the entire product design process, taking into consideration the needs of transit authorities, bus drivers, riders and the communities within the transit system.

It will deliver a low-floor, heavy-duty bus design that is substantially lighter than those currently available. This means reduced fuel consumption, reduced wear on city streets, longer tire and component life, and reduced noise and pollution; all highly-desirable benefits for communities that are reliant on public transportation.

BUSolutions is a collaborative effort between a number of public and private entities including local Southeast Michigan-based organizations Automation Alley, SMART and the Detroit Department of Transportation; and globally recognized companies Arvin Meritor and Alcoa Howmet among many others.

Altair ProductDesign is now one step closer to the fruition of the project. Fabrication of the bus body structure is currently underway with partner  Odyssey Industries.

Final assembly is slated to begin this summer at Altair, so we are looking forward to sharing progress on this project and other innovative design applications from Altair with you.

solidthinking
May 6, 2010
Altair, News from the ID World, product design, Transportation
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solidThinking at 2010 IDSA District Conferences

Connect with us at the Industrial Designers Society of America’s (IDSA) district conferences April 9-May 2, 2010. As part of this nationwide conference tour, we will offer personalized previews of solidThinking and solidThinking Inspired and show some of the key product advancements planned for 2010.

Southern District Conference
Mass Reduction: The Economy of Design
April 9-11, 2010
Hilton Charlotte City Center—Charlotte, NC

Northeast District Conference
CoCreate
April 16-17, 2010
Kean University—Union, NJ

Midwest District Conference
Using Story to Design Products and Experiences
April 16-18, 2010
Hyatt Regency Milwaukee—Milwaukee, WI

Western District Conference
Make a Scene!
April 23-25, 2010
The Curtis Hotel—Denver, CO

Mideast District Conference
Faces of Design
April 30-May 2, 2010
Western Michigan University—Grand Rapids, MI

solidthinking
March 26, 2010
Events, News from the ID World
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solidThinking exhibitions in China

To sustain expansion into Asian market, solidThinking is present in two important design events held in China.

The 4th ICCIE (International Cultural & Creative Industry Expo) will consist of 6 main components, i.e., Key Activities, Exhibitions, Forums/Summits, Promotions and Trade Fairs, Creative Activities and Art Performances.

The China National Convention Center will be the main venue for conferences and the China International Exhibition Center the main venue for exhibitions. 18 exhibition areas under different themes will be organized during November 26-29, 2009 covering a total exhibition area of 65,000m2, in parallel to which, the 4th ICCIE will arrange 9 subsessions, 9 quality-oriented forums/summits, 9 promotions/trade fairs, 10 creative activities and 5 performances.

4th Beijing International Cultural & Creative Industry Expo
November 25-26, 2009 (Exhibition)
International Exhibition Center, Beijing, China
Hall 4, Booth 4113-4114

Part of Guangzhou Design Week, the International Design Expo (Dec. 4 – 8, 2009) is one of the most influential comprehensive design exhibition in China. Since 2006, exhibition area has added up to 70.000 sq meters, boasting more than 100,000 professional visitors from design institutions as well as brands at home and aboard.

Int’l Design Expo 2009 covers a wide range of fields including architecture and landscape design, interior design, industrial design and graphic design. It plays the roles as an information center for sharing worldwide cutting-edge design trends and biz platform for designers and branding enterprises, leads trends life style, improving brands images to win the market opportunity.

The Guangzhou Design Week is endorsed & promoted worldwide by three of the top design organizations, such as International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID), International Council of Graphic Design Associations (ICOGRADA), and International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI).

Guangzhou Design Week
International Design Expo
December 4-8, 2009
Guangzhou Jinhan Exhibition Center
Hall 2, Booth 518

 

solidthinking
November 18, 2009
Events, News from the ID World, solidThinking News
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