CAD/CAM software for mold designers introduces a design-centric, intelligent, parametric mold library that includes all of the common mold tool component types and cooling channels.

VX Corporation, the pioneering developer of advanced, integrated CAD/CAM solutions for engineers, designers and CNC programmers, announces the release of VX CAD/CAM Version 12. Significant enhancements in VX Version 12 include new capabilities for mold and industrial designers, enhancements in light-source rendering, raster-to-vector conversion, surface analysis, assembly modeling, drawing layout and extended capabilities of VX' integrated 2-5 axis CAM. * Better tools for mold designers - VX Version 12 introduces a new design-centric, intelligent, parametric mold library that includes all of the common mold tool component types and cooling channels.

The library sports a very intuitive interface designed by mold designers for mold designers.

Also included is a new electrode design wizard that makes the 3D definition and 2D layout of electrodes fast and easy.

Other mold enhancements include better parting line gap checking with auto-zoom and wire frame-supported parting line entities.

Industrial Designers work Faster and Smarter For industrial designers, VX CAD/CAM just got better with the release of Version 12.

A new 'Visualize' toolbar is added with 'easy-to-use' texture mapping that allows designers to map external image files as textures on 2D or 3D surfaces.

This tool supports all popular image formats.

A new image-to-geometry (raster to vector) translator allows designers to import pictures and convert them to sketch geometry.

For engraving on solids and surfaces, a fast new 'Inlay' command applies a face inlay based on any wireframe geometry.

Reverse engineering with VX took a major step forward with many 'Point Cloud' enhancements.

360 deg surfaces are now supported.

A command to trim/divide point clouds to planes or surfaces has been added as well as the ability to slice/trim multiple point clouds simultaneously.

VX can also sub-divide large STL files to make the data easier to manipulate for reverse engineering or machining.

* CAM enhancements - Version 12 continues to extend the capabilities of its integrated 2-5 axis manufacturing solution referred to as VX CAM.

A new 5-axis isocut tool path tops the list as well as added side cut depth for the current 5-axis swarfcut operation.

3-axis CAM enhancements include new Link/LeadIn/LeadOut for Mill3, spiral and wave support for VX QuickMilling, dynamic shoulder and shank collision checking with automatic tool path correction, and more options for controlling 3-axis engraving.

Rest milling was added to the 2-axis suite of tool paths as well as direct 3D curve machining.

Other CAM enhancements include individual CAM output files, Fixture Offset Registers, Inter Path Move operations, Profile/Containment preview options, Solid Verify CL data or CNC code, and support for open surface boundaries and silhouettes in CAM profiles.

* Other enhancements - VX CAD/CAM Version 12 includes so many user enhancements that only a few can be mentioned here.

With new Assembly Light Sources, designers can create libraries of lighting fixtures that are inserted and positioned as assembly components.

A new method of creating assemblies using in-place modeling is also introduced.

VX can automatically extract each shape in a part as a component, turning the original multi-shape part into a multi-component assembly.

For many designers, this is an especially comfortable way to model assemblies.

'On-the-fly' gap detection and reporting builds confidence when designers need to clean up imported data.

Enhanced surface merging with better tangency control across boundary edges of merged faces promotes smoother and more ergonomic designs.

The many drawing layout enhancements include automated title block text using model attributes or variables, improved support for True Type Fonts, aligned cross-sections of trimmed parts and the ability to associate User-defined entities.

* About VX Corporation - VX Corporation is a pioneering developer of CAD/CAM solutions for industrial designers, engineers and CNC programmers.

VX enables speedy design with fully integrated, accurate manufacturing.

Using a blazing fast hybrid modeling engine, engineers can take advantage of the speed of solids with the flexibility of Class A surfaces.

Designers can create, modify, visualize, document and machine a vast array of parts and assemblies.

From the entry-level Modeler, to the complete End-to-End, VX delivers power, performance and productivity.