Latest News Content Feed

ROI calculator shows how much money you save

Leslie_Gordon — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:54:43 -0600

The right hardware boosts the performance of CAD applications. NVIDIA's ROI calculator lets users easily find out how many hours they will save on each project or see how short the payback period is on upgrades. For example, say you are a design engineer making $55,000 a year and you use your Dell workstation about 50% of your time on the job, which is 240 days a year and 8 hours a day. Assume that the workstation will be upgraded in three years and that you mostly design large assemblies.

Why do you need a professional graphics card?

Leslie_Gordon — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:03:07 -0600

A common question is why should I choose a professional graphics card such as NVIDIA Quadro over gaming cards such as GeForce? For one thing, professional users such as CAD designers and engineers have more stringent hardware requirements than those of average users or gamers. The primary concern of workstation professionals is stability and reliability.

Introducing Maximus: A new technology from NVIDIA

Leslie_Gordon — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:10:22 -0600

How would it impact design if it were possible to completely eliminate off-lining rendering to a centralized cluster or an outsourced-company? NVIDIA Maximus lets users design and simulate or render at the same time on the same workstation. The technology features intelligent GPU job allocation; a single unified driver; full independent software vendor (ISV) application certification; and it works with a range of OEM workstations, including Dell.

Composite keeps deep-drawn luggage cover gleaming

Leslie_Gordon — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:38:19 -0600

Interior parts for public buses are designed for durability, safety, and appearance, an exacting balance that leaves little margin for tradeoffs. One such part, thr luggage cover for use on mass transit buses is produced by composites specialist Amtech LLC in Wapato, WA.

Coke bottles jump on the biomaterial bandwagon

Jared Rader — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:23:12 -0600

Resources:
Avantium
The Coca-Cola Co.
Gevo
Virent Inc.

Compliant linings deaden hydraulic noise

Jared Rader — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:25:11 -0600

Resources:
Georgia Tech Professor Ken Cunefare: ken.cunefare@me.gatech.edu
project 3B.1

A new approach to squelching noise in hydraulic systems applies compliant linings to noise-control devices for fluid-power systems.

A backpack for electric cars

Jared Rader — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:27:02 -0600

Resources:
Rinspeed

Electronic cables keep military robots on the battlefield

Jared Rader — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:28:43 -0600

Resources:
Cicoil Corp.

Giving underwater robots a firm grip

Jared Rader — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:30:06 -0600

Resources:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

If an underwater robot has a task to perform, such as opening a stuck valve or repairing a leaking pipe, it must anchor itself so it can apply force without the reaction pushing it away. A team of engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have devised a solution: Give the robot a way to “grab hold” of ferrous surfaces.

Coating could protect helicopter blades

Jared Rader — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:31:38 -0600

Resources:
Army Research Laboratory