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View Full Version : Time and frustration saving tools


gmatelich
06-22-2005, 11:30 AM
I have been beta-testing some software for Aspiration Innovation (www.asp-inno.com) off and on for awhile. They have several tools I have found very valuable, some of which began as suggestions and were quickly made reality. To name a few (my favorites):

AI MultiRename: Great when I’ve had to import another company’s models for other cad tool that get unwieldy (and even illegal) names assigned at import, as well as getting all fasteners in an deep level assembly reassigned to a more useful standard. Also useful for cleaning up obnoxious names like Screw.1.1.1.1.

AI PowerSharePro: Wonderful productivity tool when placing many parts (most commonly fasteners) throughout an assembly since I’m rarely able to use a simple pattern. And I love the intelligence built into the PowerShare naming tool preventing obnoxious names like Screw.1.1.1.1.

AI ReplacePart: To quote myself when I first tried this tool “That is awesome! Where has that been all my life?” A perfect example of using this tool is changing screw lengths (or styles) in an assembly – pick a starter screw and it replaces all shares of that screw in just a couple clicks.

AI Export: Incredibly valuable for exporting models for machine shops – pick your assembly and it will export all the parts in their own individual zip files containing IGES, STEP, and SAT models to insure the vendor will be able to import at least one. It gives several file naming options.

They also have several other utilities that I either don’t need or don’t use regularly. I had just started using PowerVisuals when my free trial expired but was starting to see how I could get addicted to the quick switching of views and drawlists. Now that I’ve got a SpaceBall – I wonder if I could have gotten the two working together and really flew around my models. . .