EskoArtwork announced that the newly released ArtiosCAD 7.4 focuses on easier administration of packaging projects, along with new design features for curved creases and ‘mating’ folding parts and multi-component designs. ArtiosCAD increases productivity throughout the entire packaging supply chain, a reason why nearly 70% of all structural packaging worldwide is designed on ArtiosCAD.
ArtiosCAD is being used for corrugated, folding cartons and POP displays. Complete 3D integration allows for quick prototyping of designs and presentations, eliminating communication errors and reducing design review cycles.
3D Product Enhancements
A number of features has been added to enhance the 3D design and viewing experience within ArtiosCAD. For example, Curved Creases makes it easy for designers to work with curved folds and cuts by allowing them to visualize designs with curved creases as part of its 3D module.
A new Mate tool, available in ArtiosCAD 7.4 as part of the 3D module, allows for the simple assembly and visualization of connected folds and parts. Users can identify glue areas and corresponding targets to connect designs or perform simple assembly of displays.
It is also easy for users to create 3D animated AVI or QuickTime movies.
ArtiosCAD 7.4 also includes a bend tool for visualizing bends in 3D. Bend lines can be specified in 2D, and then visualized in 3D using various angles and radii. By supporting all these new visualization features in 3D, ArtiosCAD users can use the actual 2D design files to make 3D presentations for their clients. This saves hours of design time within other 3D applications, re-creating additional 3D models or mockups just for presentation purposes.
Version 7.4 has new design geometry and file integration features. ArtiosCAD 7.4 can extract vector geometry data from PDF files and automatically create ARD structure files—the native file format of ArtiosCAD. Meanwhile, the 3D rendering performance of ArtiosCAD has been enhanced so that 3D solids with edges are rotated faster. By supporting VMware Fusion for the Mac using Windows XP Professional, users can run ArtiosCAD on the Mac, and Score! native files can be opened directly in ArtiosCAD. Within the 3D animation module, ArtiosCAD 3D outputs now allow for the creation of AVI and QuickTime movies.
Enhanced project management
ArtiosCAD 7.4 includes more powerful tools to manage CAD Projects. A project is a container that organizes a series of single designs, which exist as resources, into a unit of work. Using the Reportmaker module, Bill of Material Reports (BOM) can be created that list all the elements of a project as an item within the BOM. BOM reports may be configured in a variety of ways: as a table of items, or one page per item using printers, PDF files or customized files. Furthermore, if PDF file is used, U3D may be specified for 3D visualization of folded designs.
Design tools have been enhanced
Other tools have been added that make the use of ArtiosCAD more productive for designers. A new Circle diameter tool can draw circles using controls similar to the ArtiosCAD line tool. The Line join tool has been extended so that an angle from the originating arc can be specified. The Trim selection tool has been extended so a designer can assemble a selection for trimming against or extending to. The Hatch tool has been added to the Annotation toolbar and extended so that closed regions can be hatched more easily.
Having completed a successful beta testing, ArtiosCAD 7.4 is currently available for delivery. This upgrade is free for EskoArtwork customers with a full software maintenance contract.
