This week we decided to check whether you are familiar with some of our earlier tech tips. Specifically the importing and exporting of AutoCAD files as our Support Team continues to get daily requests on how to import AutoCAD drawings into AllyCAD.
 

COMPANY NEWS

The Cape Technikon held their annual prize giving ceremony in May recently and Knowledge Base was there to present their top students with awards in the areas of:

• Best AllyCAD Project (First Year)

• Best Civil Designer Project

• Best Student in Computer Applications III

We would like to congratulate these students on their outstanding achievement!

PRODUCT INFORMATION

IMPROVED MECHANICAL TOOLKIT IN ALLYCAD 3.4 - ALL DISCIPLINES WILL FIND THESE FEATURES TO BE OF GREAT USE!

The Mechanical Toolkit in AllyCAD 3.4 has evolved into a powerful set of tools designed to make the drawing of mechanical components quicker and easier. These tools can be split into 4 main categories:

Simple Fasteners (Bolts, Nuts, Screws and Rivets)
Drawing a bolt is as simple as clicking on the bolt function and selecting the bolt you would like from the predefined list. Drawing nuts, screws and rivets is just as easy, because these functions all work in the same way.

They allow you to specify whether you would like to draw a side view, plan view or both views of the component. Other options allow you to specify with what type of head (Flat, Countersunk, Rounded) you would like to draw the screw.

In addition, there are related functions that allow you to draw tapped holes, slots, concentric circles and there is even an option to add a centreline to an existing circle.

Complex Components (Gears, Shafts, Flanges and Links)

The Mechanical Toolkit contains specialised functions for drawing Gears, Shafts, Flanges and Links. You can draw a predefined gear with just a few mouse clicks, and you will be able to specify your own gear parameters with the same ease. Like most Mechanical Toolkit components, you can save your gear parameters as a new gear "definition", and re-use it later.

Annotations

Create a Welding Spec, a Surface Finish Annotation, a Tolerance "Feature Control Frame", or a Datum Indicator in no time at all, by using the Annotation Function in the Mechanical Toolkit.

The program will allow you to save your annotation definitions for re-use so that you can save time and effort.

Tables of data

The "Table" functions make it faster and more convenient to add or import tables of data to your drawing:

• The "Coordinate Table" function allows you to create a table of coordinates by simply clicking on points in your drawing, and then indicating the text marker for each point.
   

• The "Parts List" function allows you to create a list of the parts in your drawing, by clicking on the parts' labels and then entering a short text description for each part.
   

• The "User Table" is a customisable general-purpose table that allows you to manually input a table of data, or to import the contents from a spreadsheet. The data from all 3 types of table may be saved as a text or spreadsheet file.

FEATURES FOR IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY

• The Mechanical Toolkit includes a set of component "definitions" for some of the common mechanical components. You may however edit and add to these component "definitions" in order to create a standardised set of components that is customised to suit your specific requirements.
  
  The use of component definitions saves you time because it eliminates the effort in having to re-specify the component you need each time that you draw.
   

• The Toolkit may be configured to suit your individual needs. You may specify the pen colour, linetype and linewidth for the solid, hidden and centre lines used to draw the mechanical components.
   

• The Mechanical Toolkit has its own toolbar so that you have quick and easy access to all the functions.

TRAINING

If you are interested in training, please contact your regional office to make your booking as the courses are extremely popular. 

 

REGIONS	CONTACT
Western Cape, East Cape, Namibia & International	Cape Town (Head Office)	Shantell Tel: (021) 701 1850
Kwazulu Natal, Free State, Lesotho, Swaziland & Zimbabwe	Durban Office	Nalini Tel: (031) 566 3323
Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga region & Botswana	Johannesburg Office	Barbara Tel: (011) 675 3959

Best Regards,

The Knowledge Base Team

Here are the latest downloads available on the updates page:

• AllyCAD v3.4 PRO & SME
  Build 8 (23/07/2004)
   

• AllyCAD v3.4 Micro
  Build 8 (23/07/2004)
   

• AllyCAD v3.4 Freeware
  Build 8 (23/07/2004)
   

• AllyCAD Help file Update
  (14/05/2004)
   

• AllyCAD v3.3 PRO & SME
  Build 33 (31/05/2004)

BUY YOUR HP PLOTTER FROM THE PEOPLE WHO DEVELOP YOUR SOFTWARE AND KNOW HOW TO USE AND INSTALL THEM