IronCAD Proudly Announces the Release of IronCAD Version 8.0

IronCAD version 8.0 - the leading 3D design alternative to today's parametric systems

ATLANTA, GA. June 8th, 2005 – IronCAD, a leading provider of 3D Design Productivity Solutions announces the immediate availability of IronCAD V8, the latest offering of its award winning 3D design solution, known worldwide for its ease of use and end user productivity.   IronCAD V8 solidifies its position as the industry's leading 3D design alternative to today's parametric and constraint history based systems.  The combination of its advanced architecture and additional features found in IronCAD V8 allow designers to capture innovative design concepts in 3D faster than any other system available today, IronCAD truly is The Fastest and Easiest Way to 3D.

IronCAD V8 is a major step forward with over 200 customers requested enhancements and quality improvements.  Also included with version 8.0 is a second bonus CD containing a suite of free integrated third party solutions making this release a tremendous value to its customers.  Some of the key areas of improvement in this release can be found in the modeling, 2D drawing, third party software integration and general product performance areas.

Some of the key features being introduced in IronCAD V8 are:

Modeling

• A new draft feature command supporting neutral plane, parting line, and stepped parting line draft options for improved plastics design.
• A new face to face and full round blend options that operate either on surfaces or solids enabling better mold and casting design.
• A new split line command that allows the division of a selected face of a solid or surface into multiple separate faces utilizing either a projection or silhouette technique.
• The addition of the TriBall precise positioning tool as an input device in the creation of 3D curves for improved surface creation.
• A new snap point tool bar which allows precise selection of selected points on a 3D curve by picking in the general area.
• A new split 3D curve option that utilizes other curves and geometry for better surface manipulation.
• The addition of control handles at all points of a spline allowing greater control of tangency and magnitude, enabling more precise input.
• A new helix 3D curve option that allows the creation of many forms of helix that can be utilized by the sweep command.

Surfacing

• A new patch surface option that creates a surface from multiple curves maintaining tangency with adjoining surfaces.
• A new combine surface command that creates a new single surface from multiple selected part faces.
• A new surface to curve fillet command that creates a fillet surface between a surface and a 3D curve.
• A new surface fillet option with guide curves improving organic surface creation and manipulation.

Sheet Metal

• Enhanced conical sheet metal with added stock with full unfold.

2D Drawing

• Perspective view creation for more realistic illustration
• Enhanced Bill-of-Materials that supports model configurations for more flexible drawing creation.
• Enhanced standard view option that allows multiple standard view sets on a single sheet.
• Enhanced overlapping view selection.
• New capability to create and manipulate elements outside of the sheet boundary.
• A new detail view option that allows the creation of a detail from an existing detail view.
• Enhanced detail view boundary definition, which allows any custom boundary to be used.
• Enhanced text placement options for the detail view.
• New hot key options to control horizontal and vertical view movement.
• New join and merge options for sheet curve geometry.
• New standards compliance options for view names.
• Enhanced print options that simplify multi-sheet drawing management

General Enhancements

• 3D display performance enhancements that dramatically improve large assembly handling.
• Upgrades to both ACIS and Parasolid kernels to the latest available versions improving supplier collaboration.
• Enhancements to the DXF/DWG importer/exporter making working with legacy files even simpler.
• A new CATIA V5 import and export translator making collaboration with suppliers even easier.
• Enhanced box select options that dramatically improve selection speed.
• A new face highlighting option that makes selection much easier.
• A new mechanism mode that provides motion visualization in the creation of mechanisms.
• Enhanced 3D constraint tool allowing greater flexibility in the creation of mechanisms.

Solution Partner Bonus CD

• Included with each shipment of IronCAD and Inovate 8.0 is a special bonus CD containing fully integrated solutions from leading vendors in the areas of FEA, CAM, PDM/EDM, Custom Tools, Viewers and Surfacing.  Each integrated solution can be immediately used by each IronCAD customer to help maximize their overall design productivity.  Some of the vendors available on the CD are the following:
• FEA - Algor. Inc.
• PDM/DDM - CSI, Ltd.
• CAM - Camtek, Ltd.
• Viewer/Collaboration - Informative Graphics, Inc.
• IronCAD Productivity Tools - Progress Soluzioni Srl.

IronCAD V8 and its accompanying bonus CD are available for immediate delivery and will begin shipping to existing customers around the end of June 2005. For a more complete view of the exciting new features within V8, please visit the IronCAD website at www.ironcad.com.

“IronCAD V8 further expands on IronCAD's vision of delivering a leading alternative 3D design solution to the parametric, history based constraint system architecture used by today's mainstream 3D CAD systems.  As any users of this type of system know there are many shortcomings of parametric systems which are frustrating to work with.  IronCAD was built from the ground up to avoid these problems while still allowing the user to employ parametric concepts when it makes sense.” explains Shaun Murphy, VP of Sales and Marketing at IronCAD. “We recently showed V8 to our worldwide network of Channel Partners during our World Summit in Atlanta in May and the reception was terrific.  The combination of new features and integrated solution partner applications is a product customers have been looking for, and we are more than happy to provide this solution.”

IronCAD’s award winning technology enables small-to-medium sized manufacturers and engineering teams develop products more quickly, at higher quality standards and lower cost. The combination of IronCAD’s design productivity with its value price point is making it a favorite choice of companies from around the world.

About IronCAD
Based in Atlanta, GA, IronCAD is a leading provider of 3D Design Productivity Solutions that deliver the highest levels of customer satisfaction and productivity. Solutions that can be used either standalone or as complimentary collaboration solutions of a broader PLM initiative. Its flagship product IronCAD has won many industry awards for its innovative technology and leads the industry in its ease of use and design productivity. IronCAD products are being used successfully by thousands of customers worldwide. For additional information, please contact IronCAD at 1-800-339-7304 or visit our website at www.ironcad.com