What’s New in IronCAD Design Collaboration Suite 2025 Product Update 1
May 5, 2025 |
IronCAD 2025 Product Update 1 (PU1) brings a host of new features and enhancements designed to improve the efficiency, flexibility, and precision of your design process. This release includes significant updates across various modules, ensuring that users can leverage the latest tools and functionalities to streamline their workflows.
One of the standout features in this update is the Piping Module, which offers comprehensive tools for precision piping design. The module includes toolboxes of industry standards and automatic routing and splitting tools, allowing for dynamic updates and ensuring that modifications to the piping route are accurately reflected in the 3D model. This module is essential for engineers and designers looking to enhance their piping design process with accuracy and efficiency.
Another key feature is the Advanced Toolbox Browser, which simplifies the management and customization of components. Users can store both standard and parametric components with variable drivers, drag and drop components into their design workspace, and set values for driving parameters directly within the property browser. This table-driven format enhances usability and boosts productivity by making it easier to manage and customize components.
The update also includes General Design Improvements, such as the ability to create linear dimension constraints on the TriBall position and exclude items using custom properties during interference checks and view creation. These enhancements provide greater control and flexibility in managing parts and assemblies, improving the precision and efficiency of your design operations.
Sketch Design Improvements are another highlight, with enhanced graphical precision for 2D sketches, improved sketch box selection for 2D shape geometry, and advanced dimension editing capabilities with parameterization. These updates ensure that users can create precise and accurate designs, with consistent graphical display and flexible dimension editing options.
Additionally, Sheet Metal Design Improvements include enhanced sorting and filtering capabilities in stock tables, the ability to create tear bends in unfolded sheet metal parts, and improved miter support for in and out bends. These features streamline the sheet metal design process, making it easier to manage stock items and create accurate and clean bends.
Overall, IronCAD 2025 PU1 is packed with features that enhance the usability, flexibility, and precision of your design process, making it an essential update for users looking to improve their productivity and design accuracy.
Table of Contents
Piping Module Improvements for Official Release
Introduction of the Piping Module
Advanced Toolbox Browser for Enhanced Component Management
Dimension Constraint for TriBall “Edit Distance from Point”
Exclude Items Using Custom Properties in Interference and View Creation
Enhanced UI Options for Mirrored Parts/Assemblies
Support for Drag/Drop TriBall Patterns with Multiple Shapes to Catalog
Stretch Command on Parts with Pattern Features
Enable Sizebox Handles on Assemblies Without Variable Expression Creation
Enhanced Graphical Precision for 2D Sketches
Enhanced Sketch Box Selection for 2D Shape Geometry
Enhanced Dimension Editing with Parameterization
Enhanced DWG/DXF Dimension and Leader Line Import
Sheet Metal Design Improvements
Sorting and Filtering in Stock Tables
Sheet Metal Closed Corner Tear Option
Miter Support for In/Out Bends
Apply Cross-Break Lines to Patterns
Structured Part Design Improvements
Drag-and-Drop Part Properties for Bodies
Improved Default File Names for Externally Linked Bodies
Enhanced Multi-Body Trimming in Structured Frame
Custom Hatch Mapping in Section Views
Consistent View Label Positioning
Add Selection to Existing Drawing or Sheet
Functional Improvement with Leader Lines for Linear Dimensions
Section View Hatch Fill Styles
Dynamic Sheet Size Linked Text
CAXA DRAFT Detail Drawing Improvements
Projection Lines Use Body Color First
Circular Array Centerline on View Projection
Hole Table Function for Concentric Circles Support Single Note
Remove Overlapping Center Lines of Concentric Circles
Enhanced View Positioning in CAXA Draft
3DXML Import and Export Support for Native Translator
Piping Module Improvements for Official Release
Introduction of the IronCAD Piping Module Official Release: Experience the new piping module with toolboxes of industry standards and automatic routing and splitting tools for precision piping requirements.
Introduction of the Piping Module
The Piping Module offers a comprehensive set of tools for precision piping design. Key features include:
- Toolboxes of Industry Standards: Access a wide range of predefined standards, or customize your own to meet specific project requirements. This flexibility ensures that you can adhere to industry norms or tailor designs to unique specifications.
- Automatic Routing and Splitting: Utilize automatic routing to quickly lay out pipe runs. The module allows for easy adjustments to meet critical design criteria. You can split runs and insert various components, including flanges, elbows, and fittings, as well as welding gaps where necessary.
- Dynamic Updates: Any modifications to the piping route are automatically reflected in the 3D model. This ensures that all components and connections are accurately updated, maintaining the integrity of the design.
This module is designed to streamline the piping design process, ensuring both accuracy and efficiency, making it an essential tool for engineers and designers.
Advanced Toolbox Browser for Enhanced Component Management
IronCAD 2025 PU1 introduces the new Toolbox Browser, a powerful feature designed to streamline the management and customization of components. This browser allows users to store both standard and parametric components with variable drivers, enhancing design flexibility and efficiency.
Key Features:
- Component Storage: Easily store and organize components and parametric components within the Toolbox Browser.
- Drag-and-Drop Functionality: Quickly drag and drop components from the toolbox into your design workspace.
- Parameterized Customization: Set values for driving parameters directly within the property browser, allowing for precise control over component variations.
- Table-Driven Format: Utilize a table-driven approach to manage and set parameter values, similar to IronCAD’s Design Variations capabilities but with enhanced usability.
This feature simplifies the design process, making it easier to manage and customize components, ultimately boosting productivity and design accuracy.
General Design Improvements
Dimension Constraint for TriBall “Edit Distance from Point”
An improvement on the “Create Dimension on the TriBall” in IronCAD 2025 PU1 allows users to create linear dimension constraints on the TriBall position when using the “Edit Distance from Point” tool. This feature enhances the precision and control of positioning operations.
Key Highlights:
- Dimension Constraint Checkbox: A new checkbox in the “Edit Distance from Point” dialog allows users to create dimension constraints, locking the distance between the TriBall and the selected entity.
- Flexible Application: Supports creating dimension constraints for various entities, including vertices, edges, and faces, with specific conditions for each type.
This feature improves the usability of the TriBall tool and building parametric dimensions, making it easier to manage and control distances in your designs.
Exclude Items Using Custom Properties in Interference and View Creation
We are excited to introduce a new enhancement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 that allows users to exclude items based on custom part/assembly properties during interference checks and view creation. This feature provides greater control and flexibility in managing parts and assemblies in operations where various elements are not necessarily needed.
Key Highlights:
- Custom Property Exclusion: Users can create custom properties (e.g., Category = Fastener) and use them to exclude items during interference checks and view creation.
- Interference Check Enhancements: A new property provider allows users to create and manage exclusion lists, ensuring more accurate interference reports.
- View Creation Filters: A sliding dialog enables users to apply custom property filters during view creation, improving the clarity and organization of technical drawings.
This feature enhances the precision and efficiency of interference checks and view creation, making it easier to manage complex assemblies and drawings.
Material-Only Catalog Items
We are excited to introduce a new enhancement in IronCAD DCS 2025 PU1 that allows users to store and apply material properties exclusively from the catalog. This feature provides greater flexibility in managing material properties separately from SmartPaint properties.
Key Highlights:
- Material-Only Option: A new “Material” option in the EyeDropper tool’s right-click menu allows users to create catalog items that store only material properties.
- Simplified Application: Applying a material-only catalog item to a shape in the scene will update only the material properties, leaving other properties unchanged.
- Editable Catalog Items: Users can edit material-only catalog items, with the catalog item labeled using the material name.
This feature enhances the precision and control of material property management, making it easier to apply and update materials in your designs.
Enhanced UI Options for Mirrored Parts/Assemblies
An improvement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 provides greater control over mirrored parts and assemblies. These improvements allow users to manage BOM settings and part naming conventions more effectively.
Key Highlights:
- Disable Auto Mirror Settings: A global option to disable the automatic setting of newly created parts “as mirrored parts/assemblies in BOM properties.”
- Auto Add Suffix: An option to automatically add the suffix “_Mirror” to the part name of mirrored parts/assemblies.
- Flexible Control: These options are located under the TriBall Behavior section of the Tools/Options/Interaction and will affect both commands – Assembly Mirror and TriBall mirror move/copy/link.
This improvement enhances the flexibility of managing mirrored parts and assemblies, making it easier to maintain consistent naming and BOM settings.
Support for Drag/Drop TriBall Patterns with Multiple Shapes to Catalog
A new enhancement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 allows users to drag and drop TriBall patterns with single or multiple shapes to the catalog while maintaining their relationships of the pattern skeleton and features. This feature improves the usability and reusability of patterned shapes.
Key Highlights:
- Multiple Shape Support: Users can now drag and drop multiple shapes with TriBall patterns to the catalog, preserving the association between the pattern and its source shapes. Select the Pattern Objects and Pattern Shape in the Scene Browser using Ctrl-Left-Click selection and drag the selection to the Catalog.
- Enhanced Catalog Functionality: The new implementation saves the parent shape and its related shapes together, ensuring that the pattern and its master and slave shapes are correctly associated when dropped from the catalog.
- Improved Workflow: Simplifies the process of reusing patterned shapes, making it easier to model and manage complex designs.
This feature enhances the flexibility and efficiency of using TriBall patterns, making it easier to create and reuse complex patterns in your designs.
Stretch Command on Parts with Pattern Features
We are excited to introduce a new improvement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 that allows users to stretch parts/features contained with patterns, including suppressed parts. This update ensures that all parts, regardless of their suppression status, are processed correctly during stretching operations.
Key Highlights:
- Support for Suppressed Parts: Suppressed parts are now included in stretching operations, ensuring accurate and comprehensive modifications.
- Enhanced Flexibility: Simplifies the process of stretching parts with patterns, making it easier to manage and modify complex designs.
This improvement enhances the usability and precision of stretching operations, making it easier to work with patterned parts in your designs. Note: The Stretch will not change the pattern information (i.e. it will not stretch within the pattern direction), but will stretch Parts/Assemblies and move patterns that are in the stretch direction.
Enable Sizebox Handles on Assemblies Without Variable Expression Creation
A new enhancement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 when enabling Sizebox and Sizebox Handles on Assemblies that allows users to break the association between the shape and the sizebox variables. This feature ensures that the sizebox covers all shape geometry without setting variables (and impacting existing parameter expressions), providing greater control and flexibility.
Key Highlights:
- New Option: A new option “Break Association and Do Not Set Variables on Children Shapes” has been added to the sizebox dialog and the Reset Sizebox command dialog.
- Assembly Support: This option is available for assemblies only, ensuring that the sizebox covers all assembly children shapes geometry without setting variables.
- Enhanced Control: Users can enable this option to prevent any association between the sizebox variables and the shape children geometry.
This feature enhances the control of sizebox operations, making it easier to build parametric handle-driven assemblies that drive parametric values below the assembly.
Sketch Design Improvements
Enhanced Graphical Precision for 2D Sketches
We are excited to introduce a new improvement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 that significantly improves the graphical precision of 2D sketches. This update addresses issues related to the accuracy of displayed curves in large sketches, ensuring that users can trust the visual representation of their designs.
Key Highlights:
- Improved Circle and Arc Rendering: Circles and arcs are now drawn using improved graphical functions, providing more accurate and visually precise representations.
- Enhanced Display: The graphical display of small objects and large radius arcs has been refined to prevent discrepancies between the actual geometry and its visual representation and selection location.
- Consistent Precision: Ensures that the graphical display matches the geometric accuracy, reducing confusion and improving trust in the design process.
This improvement enhances the usability and reliability of 2D sketching in IronCAD, making it easier for users to create precise and accurate designs.
Enhanced Sketch Box Selection for 2D Shape Geometry
A new enhancement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 allows users to select multiple 2D sketch curves that are connected or smooth connected during project and project constraint operations. This feature streamlines the process of referencing complex sketches by providing more efficient selection options.
Key Highlights:
- Project Selected Curve: The default behavior, allowing users to select and project one curve at a time.
- Project Connected Curve: Selects and projects all connected curves with a single click, making it easier to work with shapes like rectangles.
- Project Smooth Connected Curve: Selects and projects only smooth connected curves, ideal for shapes like rounded rectangles.
This feature enhances the design process in IronCAD, making it easier to reuse and reference sketch geometry in new designs.
Enhanced Dimension Editing with Parameterization
IronCAD 2025 PU1 introduces advanced dimension editing capabilities with parameterization, enhancing the flexibility and precision of sketch annotations.
Key Features:
- Reference Parameters On Edit: When editing a Smart Dimension in the Sketch, you can use a formula to reference other parameters in the Parameter table. When the edit dialog is open, right-click in the background to open the Parameter table. Click “=” in the Edit Dimension field and simply click on parameters in the parameter table to add them to the expression.
- Cross-Part Parameter Support: Allows referencing parameters from different parts within dimension expressions, enabling more complex and integrated designs.
- Scalable Edit Box: The dimension edit box can now be resized horizontally, making it easier to work with long expressions.
- User-Friendly Interface: Simplified process for adding and editing parameters, with intuitive right-click menu options and a clear parameter table interface.
This feature enhances parametric designs in sketches by creating references to existing parameters in the part and other parts/assemblies.
Enhanced DWG/DXF Dimension and Leader Line Import
A new registry controlled enhancement in IronCAD DCS 2025 PU1 improves the import of dimensions and leader lines from DWG/DXF files into the Sketch Environment. This update ensures that dimensions and leader lines are preserved during the import process, providing more accurate and complete data transfer.
Key Highlights:
- Dimension and Leader Line Import: Users can now import dimension lines and text, as well as leader lines in text with leaders, from DWG/DXF files.
- Registry Control: A new registry key “ImportAutoCADDimensionAndTxtLeader” under “Import Options” allows users to control whether dimensions and leader lines are imported. Set this option to 1 in the registry to allow the Dimensional Import into the Sketch.
- Enhanced Import Types: Supports importing dimensions and leader lines for both 2D profile curves and 2D reference curves (the latter is already supported).
This feature enhances the accuracy and completeness of DWG/DXF file imports, making it easier to work with detailed technical drawings.
Sheet Metal Design Improvements
Sorting and Filtering in Stock Tables
We are excited to introduce enhanced sorting and filtering capabilities in IronCAD 2025 PU1 for stock tables in sheet metal design. This feature allows users to efficiently manage and organize stock items with ease.
Key Highlights:
- Sorting: Click on column headers to sort stock items by various attributes such as Name, Code, Type, Gauge, Thickness, Weight, Minimum Radius, k-factor, and Price.
- Type Column: A new Type column has been added to the stock table to allow more methods of grouping various types of stock such as Metal, Wood, etc.
- Filtering: Use the filter text box and category combo box to narrow down stock items based on specific criteria.
- Improved Workflow: Streamlines the process of finding and organizing stock items in both the Sheet Metal Stock Preferences table and the drop stock dialog.
This enhancement improves the usability and efficiency of stock management in sheet metal design, making it easier to locate and organize items based on specific attributes.
Sheet Metal Closed Corner Tear Option
A new addition in IronCAD 2025 PU1 allows users to create tear bends in unfolded sheet metal parts. This feature provides an alternative to the linear weld result, offering a sharp corner in the unfolded part that will tear when bent which may be required for some manufacturing processes to reduce cutting process times.
Key Highlights:
- Create Tear Bend Option: A new option in the closed corner command UI panel enables the creation of tear bends in unfolded sheet metal parts.
- Enhanced Unfolding: When enabled, this option results in sharp corners in the unfolded part, as opposed to the traditional V-shaped result.
- Persistent Settings: The selected option is saved and persists across file sessions.
This feature enhances the flexibility and precision of sheet metal design, providing users with more control over the appearance and functionality of unfolded parts.
Miter Support for In/Out Bends
New Improvements in IronCAD 2025 PU1 improves miter support for in and out bends used in multiple bend segments in sheet metal. This update addresses issues related to the negative first stock leg cutting through surrounding materials, ensuring accurate and clean bends.
Key Highlights:
- Enhanced Miter Calculations: Improvements in computing the taper angle to prevent incorrect material cuts in in/out bends.
- Accurate Bending: Ensures that bends inside and outside for the edge do not generate materials that are cut incorrectly.
- Reliable Unfolding: Guarantees that the unfold operations produce correct results, maintaining the integrity of the design.
This improvement enhances the precision and reliability of sheet metal design, making it easier to create accurate and clean miter bends.
Apply Cross-Break Lines to Patterns
A new improvement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 allows users to collect sketch pattern lines to be used in the Sheet Metal Sketched Bend Cross-brake lines. This feature streamlines the process of adding and managing cross-break lines within patterned sketched designs.
Key Highlights:
- Apply to Pattern Checkbox: Easily add cross-break lines from patterns with the new checkbox option.
- Flexible Design Control: Users can select and highlight lines within the pattern, and remove them by unchecking the box.
- Enhanced Workflow: Simplifies the creation and management of cross-break lines in sheet metal designs.
This feature enhances the efficiency of sheet metal design, making it easier to create complex patterns with cross-break lines.
Structured Part Design Improvements
Drag-and-Drop Part Properties for Bodies
A new enhancement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 allows users to drag-and-drop catalog-based properties (text part properties and material) onto individual bodies within structured parts. This feature extends the existing capability of applying properties to parts, providing greater flexibility and control in your design process.
Key Highlights:
- Drag-and-Drop Functionality: Apply text and/or material properties to selected bodies within structured parts using a simple drag-and-drop action.
- Property Application Selector: When multiple bodies are selected, a popup dialog allows users to choose whether to apply properties to all selected bodies or just the hit shape.
- Enhanced Workflow: Streamlines the process of managing properties for complex structured parts, improving efficiency and precision.
This feature enhances the usability and flexibility of property management in structured parts, making it easier to apply and control properties at a granular level.
Improved Default File Names for Externally Linked Bodies
A new enhancement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 that improves the default file naming for externally linked bodies. This update streamlines the naming process, making it more intuitive and user-friendly.
Key Highlights:
- Context Menu Update: The context menu command “Associate BREP with Body” has been renamed to “Link Body as Part”.
- Default File Name: The default file name in the save dialog now uses the body name instead of the structured part name.
- Consistent Naming: The part name in the newly created file now matches the file name, ensuring consistency.
This feature enhances the usability and clarity of file naming for externally linked bodies, making it easier to manage and organize your parts.
Enhanced Multi-Body Trimming in Structured Frame
IronCAD 2025 PU1 introduces an improved trimming feature within the Trim/Extend Structured Frame command, allowing for multiple trimming bodies with the operation using the Trim By Frame. This enhancement significantly boosts efficiency by enabling users to select and trim multiple bodies by multiple trim bodies simultaneously.
Key Features:
- Multi-Body Trimming: Supports selecting multiple structural part bodies as cutting tools in the Trim By Frame, streamlining operations that require multiple trims.
- User-Friendly Interface: Easily add multiple tool parts to the cutting tool list, with immediate preview and highlighting of selected parts.
- Enhanced Workflow: Perform efficient trimming operations on various steel structures, regardless of type, size, or position.
This feature enhances productivity and ensures consistent results across different trimming operations.
IronCAD Drawing Environment
Custom Hatch Mapping in Section Views
We are excited to introduce a powerful new feature in IronCAD 2025 PU1 that allows you to control the hatching style in section views based on part properties. This enhancement enables you to create rules that map specific part properties, such as Material, Part Number, and Part Name, to custom hatch styles stored in the ICD Templates.
Key Highlights:
- Custom Hatch Mapping Tab: Easily create and manage property-to-hatch style rules within the Default Styles and Layers dialog.
- Template Support: Save and distribute your custom hatch mappings as drawing templates for consistent application across projects.
- Flexible Property Matching: Supports both standard and custom properties, with priority given to custom properties when conflicts arise.
- Enhanced Section Views: Automatically applying the custom hatch styles during the creation of Section View, Revolved Section View, and Broken-Out Section Views.
This feature streamlines the creation of drawings and the visualization of parts for generated section views as part of standard view creation or using Bulk View Creation. This capability ensures consistent hatch materials and clarity in your design documentation.
Consistent View Label Positioning
IronCAD 2025 PU1 has added an improvement in the IronCAD Drawing Environment (ICD)that ensures the consistent positioning of view labels. This update addresses the issue of labels moving relative to the view’s anchor, ensuring they remain centered at the bottom of the view frame.
Key Highlights:
- Consistent Label Positioning: Labels for Name, Scale, and Notes are now consistently positioned at the bottom center of the view frame, regardless of view size changes.
- Manual Adjustment: Users can manually reposition labels, with the option to reset them to the default position via the “Reset Label Location” command.
- Multi-Selection Support: The reset command supports multi-selection, enabling efficient adjustments across multiple views.
- Compatibility: This feature works with various view types, including Detail, Section, Auxiliary, and Broken Views.
This enhancement improves the consistency of technical drawings creation and editing, making it easier to maintain a professional and organized drawing.
Alphabetical Item Bubbles/BOM
We are excited to introduce a new enhancement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 that allows users to use letters instead of numbers for BOM identification columns, primarily displayed by Item Bubbles. This feature automatically converts numeric values to letters, similar to Excel’s numbering system (e.g., 1 – A, 26 – Z, 27 – AA).
Key Highlights:
- Alphabetical Item Numbers: Item numbers in BOMs can now be displayed as letters, supporting both single-level and structured BOM lists.
- Customizable Display: Users can choose between numerical and alphabetical display options in the Bill of Material default properties.
- Automatic Updates: Item Bubbles will automatically update to reflect changes in the BOM’s item number display setting.
- Enhanced Workflow: Improves the clarity and organization of BOMs, making it easier to identify and manage items.
This feature enhances the flexibility and readability of BOMs, providing users with more options for displaying item numbers in their technical documentation.
Add Selection to Existing Drawing or Sheet
We are excited to introduce a new enhancement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 that allows users to add selected parts/assemblies to an existing drawing as a new sheet or new view set. This feature enhances the flexibility and efficiency of the drawing creation process.
Key Highlights:
- Enhanced Context Menu: The “Create Drawing from ” context menu item has been renamed to “Create Drawing/Sheet from “.
- Flexible Options: Users can choose to create a new drawing, add a new sheet to an existing drawing, or add a view to an existing sheet.
- User-Friendly Dialog: A dialog allows users to select the desired operation and specify the target drawing and sheet, streamlining the workflow.
This feature improves the usability and efficiency of the drawing creation process, making it easier to manage and create technical drawings.
Functional Improvement with Leader Lines for Linear Dimensions
Improvements have been included in IronCAD 2025 PU1 that makes leader lines functional for linear dimensions. This update ensures that leader lines can be enabled and adjusted for linear dimensions, improving the clarity and flexibility of dimensioning in your technical drawings.
Key Highlights:
- Leader Line Functionality: Enable leader lines for linear dimensions, allowing text to pop out to a default position with a set knee length.
- Adjustable Positions: Users can reposition the text, knee, and base dimension by dragging the respective handles, ensuring precise placement.
- Compatibility: This functionality also extends to angular dimensions, providing consistent behavior across different dimension types.
This feature enhances the usability and precision of dimensioning in technical drawings, making it easier to create clear and accurate annotations.
Section View Hatch Fill Styles
A new enhancement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 allows users to apply solid colors or image textures to section views. This feature expands the existing capabilities of section view hatching, providing more options for visual customization.
Key Highlights:
- Fill Styles Context Menu: A new context menu item “Fill Styles” allows users to access the fill style options for section views.
- Solid Color and Image Texture: Users can choose to fill section views with solid colors or image textures, enhancing the visual appeal of technical drawings.
- Easy Application: The Fill Style Properties dialog provides a user-friendly interface for selecting and applying fill styles to section views.
This feature enhances the flexibility and customization of section views, making it easier to create visually distinct and informative technical drawings.
Dynamic Sheet Size Linked Text
A new enhancement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 allows users to link sheet size and sheet size designator to page text elements. This feature enables dynamic text in title blocks that automatically updates based on the sheet size.
Key Highlights:
- Linked Sheet Size Properties: Two new standard properties, Current Sheet Size and Current Sheet Size Code, can be used to dynamically display sheet size information.
- Dynamic Title Blocks: Include sheet size in title block templates as dynamic text that updates with the sheet size.
- Flexible Integration: Supports standard sheet sizes from the Sheet Setup dialog, ensuring accurate and consistent display.
This feature enhances the flexibility and automation of technical drawings, making it easier to maintain accurate and up-to-date title blocks when reusing them on different templates/frames.
CAXA DRAFT Detail Drawing Improvements
Projection Lines Use Body Color First
We are excited to introduce a new enhancement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 that allows projection lines in CAXA DRAFT to use body colors first. This feature ensures that the projection lines reflect the colors of the bodies within parts, providing a more accurate and visually consistent representation.
Key Highlights:
- Body Color Priority: If a body within a part has a color, the projection line will use the body color. If the body has no color, the part color will be used.
- Option Control: Users can enable this feature by checking the “Use Part Colors” option in the 3D interface options panel.
- Consistent Updates: Modifying the color of the solid model (part or body) will generate the correct projection result upon updating the drawing.
This feature enhances the visual accuracy and consistency of projection lines, making it easier to create detailed and color-accurate technical drawings.
Circular Array Centerline on View Projection
A new enhancement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 that automatically generates the centerline for circular arrays in the CAXA DRAFT drawing environment. This feature simplifies the creation of centerlines for holes created by circular arrays, improving the clarity and accuracy of technical drawings.
Key Highlights:
- Automatic Centerline Generation: When projecting, the circular array centerline is automatically generated for holes created by circular arrays, provided the number of holes is greater than or equal to three.
- No Additional Settings: This feature does not require additional settings; it is enabled by default when the center mark is selected in the standard view creation dialog.
- Support for Various Views: The circular array centerline supports dimensioning and view updating, ensuring consistent and accurate representation across different view types.
This feature enhances the usability and precision of circular arrays in technical drawings, making it easier to create detailed and accurate representations.
Hole Table Function for Concentric Circles Support Single Note
An improvement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 improves the hole table function to correctly handle concentric circles. This update ensures that countersunk holes represented by two concentric circles are accurately counted in the hole table.
Key Highlights:
- Accurate Counting: Concentric circles are counted in the hole table according to the inner diameter of the hole, ensuring they are only counted once.
- Automatic Hole Table: Users can generate the hole table by selecting the x-axis and y-axis and right-clicking to create the table.
- Consistent Updates: Modifying the hole diameter in the solid model will update the hole table statistics correctly.
This feature enhances the accuracy and reliability of hole tables, making it easier to create detailed and precise technical drawings.
Remove Overlapping Center Lines of Concentric Circles
Another new enhancement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 improves the generation of center lines for concentric circles. This feature ensures that center lines are generated accurately and without overlap, providing less correction work and more precise technical drawings.
Key Highlights:
- Accurate Center Lines: For holes represented by two concentric circles, the center line is generated according to the outer diameter of the hole and is only generated once.
- Consistent Generation: When drilling a circular hole in the center of a cylinder, the center line is generated according to the diameter of the cylinder and is only generated once.
- No Overlapping: Ensures that concentric circle center lines are not completely contained by other center lines, maintaining clarity and accuracy.
This feature enhances the creation of technical drawings, making it easier to create detailed and accurate representations.
Enhanced View Positioning in CAXA Draft
IronCAD 2025 PU1 introduces a new feature in CAXA Draft that maintains the view position when updating 3D part or assembly projections in 2D especially when objects are deleted/suppressed. This enhancement ensures that the view layout remains in a consistent location, allowing users to set drawing frames and view layouts without disruption or unintended movement.
Key Features:
- Maintain View Position: An option to keep the view insertion point unchanged during updates, preserving the visual consistency of the drawing.
- System Options Integration: Easily accessible through the Tools menu under 3D interface options.
- Improved Workflow: Seamlessly switch between 3D and 2D views, modify positions, and update projections without altering the view layout position.
This feature enhances the overall user experience and productivity in the drawing creation and updating process.
Import/Export Improvements
3DXML Import and Export Support for Native Translator
We are excited to introduce a new enhancement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 Native Translator Add-on that supports the import and export of 3DXML format files commonly used in Dassault Systèmes application when sharing 3D Data. This feature expands the compatibility of IronCAD with 3DXML files, providing greater flexibility in file management and data exchange.
Key Highlights:
- 3DXML Import: Users can import 3DXML files, with support for versions 4.0-4.3. Ensure to check the “Import graphical display data” option during import.
- 3DXML Export: Users can export parts as 3DXML files by right-clicking and selecting the export option, then saving the file.
This feature enhances the interoperability of IronCAD, making it easier to work with 3DXML files and integrate data from various sources.
Animation Export to MP4
A new improvement in IronCAD 2025 PU1 that supports exporting animations in MP4 format using H264 video encoding. This feature provides a convenient and widely compatible format for sharing and viewing animations.
Key Highlights:
- MP4 Export: Users can now export animations as MP4 files, ensuring high-quality video output.
- H264 Encoding: Utilizes H264 video encoding for efficient compression and playback.
- User-Friendly Interface: The export process is straightforward, with options to select MP4 as the file type during the save process.
This feature enhances the flexibility and usability of animation exports, making it easier to share and view animations across different platforms.