CAD Insider

Autodesk at Maker Faire - Crazy Like a Fox

2013-05-20T01:19:59-07:00

How often does a CEO of a billion dollar company give up a Saturday to guide kids? Carl Bass, CEO of Autodesk, is doing just that. Before a standing room only crowd at Maker Faire, he delivers a heartfelt plea for one and all, the young and their parents, to use his company’s software, to help make things, something, anything -- whatever their heart might desire, it seems. To help them, he’ll make his software, some of it sold to professionals for thousands of dollars, available for free --or really cheap.

It is a message that plays well to those attending Carl's talk “CAD for Kids.” A lot of kids have actually showed up – along with their parents. Before the show, Carl tells me, it was the parents he actually wants to reach.

Carl is on a mission to gain acceptance among the youth. But spending millions on software just to give it away? But for those outside the room, the shareholders, the board, the financial community, people without kids… are they thinking Carl has gone crazy?

He might be crazy like a fox, though. Autodesk discovered the consumer market almost by accident. Its Sketch app for the iPhone got a million downloads in almost no time. It had taken years before its flagship AutoCAD reached a million users. To say it struck gold with Sketch might not be accurate as most users stay on the free version, generating zero income, but Autodesk was in a place that it could afford to commit millions of dollars to see where such numbers might lead. A consumer division in Autodesk was born.

Autodeskers credit Carl for such the initiative, the daring to go after a not-immediately-profitable market. Sowing the fields, i.e., providing technology at low cost hoping for commercial success is not new. Apple did it for years. Now generations of kids have grown up with Apple computers. It can be argued that it led to Apple’s success today. It’s not entirely without risk. Didn’t Apple almost run out of money before its mobile devices saved the day?

Carl gets the maker movement. He is a maker. His medium is wood and his tools are his own CAD products. He gets making things like no other CEO I can think of. It’s not just dollars and cents with Carl but some higher calling. Make something! He seems to say.

In jeans and a t-shirt, he's not your usual CEO. He seems more like an uncle. And a kindly one, too. The uncle who remembers your birthday and what you actually like, not the one who gives you socks. He knows you play too many video games but he won’t tell you to get off your ass and make something of yourself. He’ll play ball with you in the front yard.

The tools he has offered are substantial and generous. What is he hoping to gain? To me, it seem nothing less than a resurgence of creativity and productivity, starting with the young, but applied on a scale that Autodesk can address, this could be BIG! Give me your kids, I’ll give them the means…starting with software, but with 3D printing, a lot more. Let’s see that they can make. Why can’t they make anything they want? Including making America great again.

I find myself under Carl’s spell and have to shake myself. But the message of hope is unmistakable.

There may be detractors among the more cynical. For sure, a couple of bad quarters could make detractors out of the previously hopeful. The road to winning the minds of the next generation is a long one, but the difference from one Maker Faire to the next is considerable and noticeable. Kids are swarming the Autodesk booth, playing on iPads, using Sketch, the 3D Creature, wanting to get a 3D print of themselves. I don’t remember so many kids last year. I wonder if the kids belong to Autodesk employees but I am assured they most certainly are not. The kids seem to be having fun.

I allow myself to slip into Autodesk’s fantasy: a generation of children growing up using Autodesk applications of whatever devices their little hands can hold, all cheap or free, all online, not caring if on the cloud or what format their data is in, who their reseller is, how to install it or maintain it, no need to train on it or do homework.

Crazy like a fox, indeed.

Chasing Maker Gold

2013-05-20T00:28:11-07:00

SAN MATEO, CA (Maker Faire), May 18, 2013 – The line to get into Maker Faire is a mile long. Spread out over the San Mateo Fairgrounds, just south of San Francisco, this show expects 120,000 people over the next two days. Some of the halls will be so packed by later this afternoon that I will not be able to get from one end to the other.

The last big show before Maker Faire I went to was Comdex. The biggest CAD show I go to is Autodesk University. But AU pales by comparison as it cannot summon even 10,000 attendees. Could this maker movement be the next phenomenon? And is there money to be made selling to all these makers?

Dale Dougherty, founder of Make: magazine and the wildly successful Maker Faire, introduces a speaker during the press event

I’m certainly not the only CAD insider trying to figure this out. Exhibiting at this show are Autodesk, Trimble (SketchUp), NVIDIA… and a host of 3D printing vendors.

Surveying the sprawl of exhibits, how to tap into the maker market may not be very clear. As varied as it is big, Maker Faire at first glance is but a loose collection of disparate movements, trends, arts and crafts. Among mechanical fire breathing contraptions (the Burning Man crowd is well represented), produce from inner city gardens, robot kits that promise on time meds to Chinese grandmas, aerial farm drones…a hundred products from science fairs and the minds of whimsical artists, 2 things seem clear:

Everybody is making something
Everybody is young

Maker displays are often wildly creative, such as this huge draw at Maker Faire Bay Area.

Making something invariably involves materials and resources and with the numbers Maker Faire can produce, it was only a matter of time before corporate America came a’ knocking. Not just CAD companies, but insurance companies, Intel making music, Radio Shack just signed a big partnership... and more. Young makers may be spending their allowances or their parent’s money and the artists their welfare checks, but that’s still more than the average bear. I hear the typical maker manages to spend $1800 a year. Quick SWAG*: Maker Faire claims a total audience of almost a million. Let’s suppose that 9 of 10 makers are too busy tinkering, soldering, sewing or cooking to even show (that’s very conservative) and we can estimate the total spend of the makers to be about $10 billion! Some of that has to be design software.

Of course, capturing the young hearts would only produce greater dividend over time. Successful tinkerers and inventors mature over time, increasing their buying power and influence. Get them while they are young, right?

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*Scientific wild ass guess

CAD Leaders Face China Threat, Pt 2: Does GstarCAD Have a Chance?

2013-05-06T07:15:00-07:00

In the wake of the GstarCAD8 launch last month in Beijing, to which 3 of us western journalists were invited, I reflect on the chances of success of a Chinese CAD company in the US and world market.

Registration for the GstarCAD8 launch in Beijing.

GstarCAD8 was launched with sufficient fanfare. There were pretty girls, bright lights, a big stage. As more CAD companies are choosing to soft launch major releases from behind WebEx screens, this did make us sit up and take notice. One might read a lot into their willingness to fly 3 western industry journalists half way across the world to see the unveiling. We listed through translator headphones to company executives extolled the product’s technical prowess ( a full list of the quite impressive features is here) as well as a deliberate, long term campaign that over the years sought to establish Gstarsoft first as a regional CAD product, then as an international tool of choice.

GstarCAD has been a major player in China but now plans an international expansion.

Can they do it? We are only too well aware to what China has done to us with manufacturing. Can they do it with software? Guess what? Your software is probably already made in China – and India. I cannot think of a major CAD vendor that does not have a development team in China or India –or use Chinese or Indian labor on its home soil. A CAE vendor once told me that almost all of its developers were2 distinct groups, one from China, one from India. That was 20 years ago. The world has only got flatter since.

The Gstarsoft executive team launches GstarCAD8 in Beijing

Still, to see one Chinese company extol their CAD product is not enough to convinced that it will rule the CAD world. GstarCAD has only about 400 people. It is funded privately, not by the vast, concerted might of the country itself. Autodesk, and other CAD companies, can exhale.

There are signs, however, of a national directive for China to establish itself as a major player among software vendors. At the GstarCAD8 launch, Ky Xiang president of GstarCAD, tells us "China will be the software center of the world."

Clearly, China is no longer content to be bridesmaid. Pennies for factory, sweatshop and cubicle farm labor while it sees US stockholders pocket the big bucks--that has to hurt. God help our current CAD market leaders should China ever get its act together. Even our current heavyweight Autodesk would be knocked clear out of the ring if that happens.

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Roopinder Tara of TenLinks (left), Cyrena Respini-Irwin from Cadalyst, Jeff Rowe from MCADcafe, enjoy dim sum in Beijing, courtesy of our hosts, Gstarsoft.

Roopinder Tara, TenLinks editor, with a Red Guard in Beijing hotel.

Autodesk Faces China Threat, Pt 1

2013-05-02T14:21:54-07:00

Autodesk, the heavyweight champion of the world, is about to take on a contender. This one’s from China. Gstarsoft invited me to their 3rd annual conference in Beijing where, with great fanfare, introduced their contender GstarCAD 8.

Being virtually unknown outside of China (80% of its sales) did not deter GstarCAD from laying out its plans for world domination, a confidence inspired by the success of Chinese manufacturers and a hope that this will somehow translate to the software. GstarCAD resellers were on hand to point to the inevitability of the business software market caving in to the just-as-good-for-a-lot-less philosophy China is adept at capitalizing on. Why would anyone in their right mind spend $4,000 for AutoCAD, when they can do everything with GstarCAD --for only hundreds of dollars?

It is a familiar refrain for CAD insiders. We’ve heard contenders, foreign and domestic, proclaiming that they will be the ones to knock out Autodesk out of the ring. Remember DataCAD, TurboCAD, VersaCAD, Ashlar Vellum...? IntelliCAD and all the AutoCAD clones it spawned? Even Draftsight, which is propped up by CAD heavyweight Dassault, is unlikely to do much damage. But none seemed to even have slowed Autodesk. Autodesk gets bigger and stronger every year. With annual revenue of billions, profits of hundreds of millions and a seeming endless number of 2D users only too willing to convert to its vertical applications, Autodesk is indeed in an enviable position. Bentley, a long way back in the #2 spot with MicroStation, has about a quarter of Autodesk’s revenue.

One might dismiss previous contenders as lightweights, but can you ignore China? China’s will and weight of numbers is sufficient to frighten established market leaders – in any market. The list of big American manufacturing industries that have suffered from Chinese competition is long. Can China’s success in manufacturing be duplicated with software? To aspiring Chinese contenders, Autodesk’s success represent a huge target, no different than a Chinese factory undercutting a domestic manufacturer of doorknobs, underwear, cameras, dog food, computers...and almost anything else you can think of. China has proven it can rule in making all sorts of physical and consumer goods. Almost the same, for a lot less. It works. We’ve all bought into it.

But here is CAD software selling for thousands of dollars. It makes no sense to the Chinese. It’s vexing that it has continued so long. Artificially priced, as opposed to value priced, like diamonds. Ready to cave in, they’re sure, like all the other industries.

It’s only going to take perseverance, some sustained pressure and patience.

Tristram Carfrae - Engineer With Eye for Aesthetics

2013-04-20T10:16:38-07:00

LONDON, UK (Smartgeometry 2013), Apr 20, 2013 - Civil engineering firms work on the grandest scale. pushing back the sea, building dams, bridges, highways. Tristram Carfrae, structural engineer, director and Arup Fellow and keynote at Smart Geometry 2013, is used to overcoming the vast forces of nature. Carfrae and his firm, Arup, have built many big projects, including tall buildings, bridges, the Birds Nest Stadium and the Water Cube for the Beijing 2008 Olympic and plenty more. He is accustomed to moving heaven and earth. But when came up against a frog, he had to back down.

The diminutive green and golden bell frog (litoria aure) was endangered, and lived where Arup was digging for bridge.

The Kurilpa Bridge in Brisbane, Australia. (picture courtesy of Arup)

The distinguished and accomplished Carfrae admits to being "out of phase" here at Smartgeometry, where a decidely more youthful crowd forms clusters to build structures which can resemble modern art and playful experiments without immediate practical application. But Carfrae’s use of digital tools are lesson to all, especially in simulation. He is able to combine aesthetics with the practical… and deliver results.

One of his creations is in Brisbane, Australia, a cable-stayed bridge like no other, is as likely to invite criticism as it is praise. “I love that it has a polarizing effect,” says says Carfrae. What might appear as a random jumble of rods actually is. A spreadsheet produced random numbers which determined the length of each supporting rod. All in one shot. "We liked it, and left it alone.”

The Helix Bridge, Singapore (image courtesy of Arup)

But Carfrae really let the computers hammer away during the digital simulation of a high rise office building that employed twisted columns. It took millions of iterations to get the columns to twist yet still be able to sustain wind and structural loads. The tower was grown one floor at a time, each time satisfying structural criteria, until all floors were created. After 20 towers were declared okay by the computer, the final design selection was based on aesthetics – by humans.

But it was another aquatic creature that almost stymied Carfrae once again. This time, fish. He was pitching a bridge in Singapore. The design was inspired by a Malaysian fish net. A local touch sure to be appreciated, right?

“Mr. Carefrae, what makes you think Singaporeans would like to get to get caught in your net?,” he was asked. He was also getting vibes that Singaporeans and Malays were not exactly friends. It seems that Singapore, a city state of 5 million, maybe be the most modern of Asian cities, was cautious of its more backward neighbors. in fact, the bridge was over a body of fresh water source, meant to reduce Singapore reliance on Malaysia.

Changing gears, Arup looked into a spiral construction, but a spiral is not structural, something easily observable with a Slinky, which droops easily when its ends are pulled apart. But combine that with an opposing Slinky and connect them? Simulation validated the design. But the maintenance cost would go way up, unless the bridge was built with stainless steel.

“What would that add to the project?," the customer wanted to know.

“$15 million.”

The Singaporeans didn’t blink. They were already in love with the design. The double helix would link Singapore forever to biotechnology, a business they were chasing, and one with a ridiculously high economic potential. Singapore was already in love with the design. The double helix would link Singapore forever to biotechnology, a business they were chasing, and one with a ridiculously high economic potential.

Arup got the job, now worth $45 million.

For more information

Tristram Carfrae - a Retrospective

Designing Killer Robots

2013-04-18T08:13:56-07:00

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Apr 5, 2013 -- Killer robots are hardly the first MCAD application you think of but here is Mark Setrakian, designer and creator of SyFy network’s Robot Combat League, at Autodesk’s very popular Design Night¹ showing me how his creations –- one of which has an axe for a head – are designed to win in robot-vs-robot competitions. The robots are actually controlled by a human being doing the same motions. Think about it, says Mark. This could actually replace human-vs-human gladiatorial combat, such as the increasing popular UFC fights, thereby saving human beings from being brain injury, which he says is being increasing associated with the sport. And designing robots is also just plain fun. Sure beats designing pumps and speed reducers.

Combat robot designed with Inventor

Mark has been making killer robots and winning the heavy weight division (machines between 220 and 340 lbs) so often that he qualifies as a superstar in the combat robot world. These guys have been staging matches pitting mechanical monsters against each other for years, on stages, with large and boisterous crowds. I hadn’t even known this “sport” existed. I must get out more.

Seeing menacing looking robots surrounded by fleshy, vulnerable humans makes my concern for safety kick in but Mark assures me there is no danger. I think that’s what Dr Frankenstein said. But there is a kill switch, and the robots are on a tether. No one in the audience has died yet. I think.

Unlike the FIRST competitions in which high schoolers pit robots against each other, battle robots are decidedly more more Hollywood. This is not by accident. Mark’s creations have actually been in Hollywood movies. He lists Men in Black, Hell Boy, M Night Shamalyan’s Lady in the Water, for which he made a robotic grass dog, others… It seems that the best and brightest makers of the battle robots could hope for stardom in the entertainment industry.

Designing battel robots was looking less like child's play and more like a not-so-bad career choice. But even if you still think it's all fun and games, Mark’s creation have also served in bomb disposal squads for police forces. But Mark seems to draw the line when it comes to helping the military – the other big buyer of robotic technology².

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¹Autodesk’s Design Nights are held once a month at the Autodesk's San Francisco Gallery. Situated in a choice location with views of the bay and the Bay Bridge, Design Nights are popular with the public. For $20, every one gets to see some show (tonight, robots) and unlimited food and drink. It's practically the best deal in town. Does it hurt that the public gets to see what Autodesk software is actually used in cool and interesting applications?

²Wired for War, by PW Singer - an excellent book on how the military is getting increasingly roboticised.

TenLinks Editor Roopinder Tara Escapes Boston Explosions

2013-04-15T19:35:09-07:00

Apr 15, 2013, BOSTON, MA - Roopinder Tara, founder and editor of TenLinks, Inc., was in Boston to run the 117th running of Boston Marathon, and was only a few blocks away from the explosions that rocked the city and have already recorded 3 deaths and over a hundred injuries.

(photo courtesy of Boston.com)
Boston Marathon competitor and Boston police near the scene of the bombing near the finish line.

"I heard what I initially thought was thunder, but was confused as it was a clear and sunny sky," says Roopinder. "They were that loud. I couldn't tell where the sound was coming from as I was surrounded by tall buildings"

Roopinder was able to collect his belongings after finishing the race, but as he was leaving, the scene was getting increasingly active. The area in which family and friends were to meet the runners was filled with frantic people who were trying to connect with each other, as police and authorities were trying to secure the area, and trying to direct people away. Sirens were heard almost immediately and the streets were quickly filled by emergency vehicles.

The race has over 30,000 runners from all over the world. Many are cheered on with family and friends. The event itself is one of the most popular in Boston and nearby area, as hundreds of thousands of spectators line the 26.2 mile route from Hopkinton. The city holds the race during Patriots Day, a Monday, which many celebrate with a day off from work.

The indoor shopping mall, the Prudential Center, was closed early. Other public space may also have been closed and evacuated, either by demand or voluntarily and people crowded the sidewalks, trying to figure out what was going on, many trying to keep up with breaking news on smart phones. The race finish area was cleared out and barricaded, snarling downtown traffic. The race was abruptly stopped, even though racers were still coming in.

The explosion occurred about 2 hours after the 1st finishers had already crossed the line.

Those who sought to assure loved ones were thwarted by lack of cell phone service. It was reported that cell service was halted as the explosive devices may have been set off by cell phones.

Boston is not new to terrorist activity. The airplanes involved with 911 all took off from Logan, Boston's Int'l Airport.

For coverage on this story, go to www.boston.com

SpaceClaim Founder Blake Courter Moves to GrabCAD

2013-02-11T13:01:37-08:00

Ending speculation as to where SpaceClaim founder would surface, Hardi Meybaum, CEO of GrabCAD, announced Blake's new job as product manager.

http://blog.grabcad.com/2013/02/taking-it-to-the-next-level-again/

It appears Blake first wowed Hardi with his "maker space" studio when the two first met.

Blake Courter, Founder, Leaves SpaceClaim

2013-02-11T06:00:00-08:00

SpaceClaim has confirmed that Blake Courter, founder of SpaceClaim, left the company in January. SpaceClaim did not provide any further details.

Coulter, normally very active on Twitter during his time at SpaceClaim, tweeted on Feb 6 that he had a new job only to invite guesses as to what it was. About the same time, he also joined the GrabCAD Customer Advisory Board, according to his public LinkedIn profile GrabCAD has acquired over $12M in funding in 2012 (see GrabCAD profile on TechCrunch).

SolidWorks User Awards Go to Woods, Tiffany, Fisher, NYCSWUG

2013-01-23T19:44:41-08:00

picture thanks to @SolidSmack

ORLANDO, FL (SolidWorks World), Jan 23, 2013 - Anna Woods received the Michelle Pillars Community Award. The award, along with all user group awards, was presented on the big stage at 2013 SolidWorks annual user meeting by SolidWorks user community manager Richard Doyle. Anna is a member of the Kansas City SolidWorks User Group and writes the Solid Muse blog.

picture thanks to @kennethwongSF

The late Wayne Tiffany (1955-2012) was honored with a new award in his name, user group leader of the year. Wayne, a veteran SolidWorks user, lost his battle with cancer last year. The award was received by his sons, Michael and Josh. SolidWorks has honored Wayne with an "Easter egg." Apparently, you can hold down Shift and click on the red SolidWorks logo in SolidWorks 2013 to see it.*

The inaugural User Group Leader of the Year Award ws given to Peter Fisher, head of the Central Indiana SolidWorks User Group, by Peter by Michael and Josh Tiffany.

picture courtesy of LinkedIn

User Group of the Year: New York City SolidWorks User Group (NYCSWUG)

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*According to CATI Tech Notes.