For Release 9 a.m. CST
March 16, 2006
CSI Announces Concepts Unlimited Version 3
3D Design Made Easier
Fort Worth, TX –March 16, 2006–CSI today announced the newest release of Concepts Unlimited, the third version of our flagship product for conceptual computer aided design. Concepts Unlimited targets Macintosh® and Windows® design communities who need fast, flexible, and intuitive tools for turning ideas into precise 2D and 3D designs.
Innovative User Interface
Version 3 introduces major innovations regarding the user interface that makes creating 3D designs not only easier but more enjoyable. Core to the new release is the introduction of the Tool Bar which organizes and displays helpful prompts, hints, and tips in an intuitive manner. The Tool Bar also provides rapid access to intelligent data entry windows for creating and modifying shapes without screen cluttering dialog boxes. Plus the new interface includes all new stunning alpha blended tool icons and cursors. Version 3 additionally introduces innovative changes to the snap inference technology by providing users with custom controls over transparency, background, and textual color thus improving the visual feedback associated with dynamic point snapping.
Enhanced Modeling Tools
Version 3 introduces a powerful new surface type with the Cover Surface with Guide Curves tool. This new tool is unique in the industry since the guide curves (or points) can intersect and do not need to touch the outside boundaries. This surface nicely augments the existing 17 NURB history based surface tools by creating shapes previously not attainable except through laborious methods.
Another new tool introduced in this release is the ability to pattern features. The new Pattern Features tool creates linear, cylindrical, radial, polar, along path, and spherical patterns from a collection of faces. This tool also allows you to pattern faces from foreign parts including data imported from our updated AutoCAD, Pro/E, and CATIA v4 direct translators.
Eye-Catching Rendering For Everyone
Typically creating photo realistic renderings requires a certain level of expertise regarding the lighting, reflection, and refraction associated with a scene. Version 3 eliminates this necessity for beginner users with the introduction of Rapid Render Environments. Now all users can quickly create impressive renderings with a press of a button by choosing either a metal, plastic, glass, or mirror render environment. These new rendering tools do all the work for the user with respect to adding lights, materials, drop shadows, and environment maps; turning everyday users into rendering wizards.
For those users wanting more control over a scene, Version 3 adds the ability to drag and drop environment maps into scenes. An environment map is a 2D image that is reflected back onto 3D objects. Environment maps are a great feature for adding visual realism to a scene without having to generate and position additional 3D objects.
The photo rendering tools can be combined with the newly introduced animation tools which can be used to explode assemblies or to simply animate objects and cameras along paths.
New Part Library
Version 3 introduces a new Symbol Palette providing drag and drop access to over 12,000 2D and 3D symbols including electrical, mechanical, bathroom, kitchen, construction, LAN, CMOS, doors, windows, counters, fasteners, HVAC components, and more. Symbols contain handles to dynamically position into designs adding to greater variety and detail.
Other Notable Features
The latest release of Concepts Unlimited incorporates a variety of new tools that continue to improve designer productivity and ease of use. Key enhancements include:
- Support for AutoCAD 2006 DXF and DWG file formats
- Native support for TurboCAD® for Mac files
- Updated ACIS modeling kernel and interoperability solutions
- Double line tool for quickly creating walls
- Dual Processor support for photo rendering on Macintosh
- Support for 3DConnexion¨ motion control devices
- Support for MicroScribe¨ 3D digitizing devices
- Unicode support for language localization for our Japanese users
- Over 400 changes and enhancements
Pricing and Availability
Concepts Unlimited is available directly from CSI and an international reseller distribution channel. Localized versions are available for Japanese, French, Dutch, and German. Concepts Unlimited is available for Macintosh¨ OS X and Windows¨ XP platforms. For a list of distributors, pricing, availability, and other information please visit www.csi-concepts.com.
About CSI
Founded in 1994, CADDSoft Solutions Inc. is a leading software technology developer whose mission is to bring precise 2D and 3D design exploration tools into the reach of every day users. That mission is realized through our innovative Concepts Unlimited software product. Concepts Unlimited brings innovative modeling, photo realistic rendering, drawing composition, and precise translators into the demanding conceptual computer aided design (CCAD) community. Concepts Unlimited is sold through distributors worldwide. Further information on CSI is available at www.csi-concepts.com.
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The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
For more information:
Tim Olson, 262-369-7750, tolson@csi-concepts.com
For more information on Concepts Unlimited:
http://www.csi-concepts.com
