Hot off the press this month! The second book in the “Re-Use Your CAD” series, Re-Use Your CAD: The ModelCHECK Handbook by R. L. Astheimer, de-mystifies ModelCHECK so PTC Creo (and Pro/ENGINEER) users can verify the quality of their 3D CAD models to support their organization’s model-based initiatives.
Have you tried to implement ModelCHECK in the past but were overwhelmed by the number of files involved? Not sure where to start? Not a ModelCHECK super user? That’s the point! Re-Use Your CAD: The ModelCHECK Handbook goes “under the hood” to help you utilize the out-of-the-box installation all the way through selecting checks designed to align models with modeling rules and best practices, such as those described in Re-Use Your CAD: The Model-Based CAD Handbook, by J. B. Herron. Diagrams and checklists are used to help users navigate through ModelCHECK setup in an organized and easy-to-understand method. Be careful; you may just become the super user in your organization after implementing the checks laid out in this book!
Some examples of automated checks contained in the book:
- Ensure that file naming and numbering follow your company standard.
- Check that existing notes are those defined in a standard approved library (in other words, check that required parameter notes exist, and unacceptable parameter notes do not exist).
- Check for duplicate annotation elements in your model.
- Check for standard datum features such as axes, coordinate systems, curves, planes, and points in start parts and assemblies.
The book also describes how to interpret your resulting ModelCHECK reports and concludes with handy step-by-step implementation checklists. It’s chock-full of graphics to guide those visual learners among us (estimated to be 65% of the population, by the way). The book is geared toward CAD designers & engineers, QA/QC & product inspection engineers, database administrators, information technology personnel, and their managers.
“I struggled for years with the ModelCHECK documentation and Google to find the tips and tricks that are in this book.”
-Martin Wimmer, Head of CAD/CAM Development, Software Factory, GmbH
ModelCHECK is almost two decades old, so why now? MBD, that’s why. If you’ve read Re-Use Your CAD: The Model-Based CAD Handbook, then you’re probably well on your way to a model-based approach. Implementing the checks from Re-Use Your CAD: The ModelCHECK Handbook will take PTC Creo users to the next level on their MBD journey.
Re-Use Your CAD: The ModelCHECK Handbook is available for $49 from CreateSpace and Amazon, or $19 on Kindle. It’s a small price to pay for what’s sure to result in an almost immediate ROI.
Stay tuned later this year for an announcement about the third book in the “Re-Use Your CAD” series…
Author Rosemary Astheimer is a 3D CAD expert and Model-Based Definition instructor. Her in-depth experience with major CAD systems, including CATIA V5, NX, and Creo, filters into her instruction style at Purdue University, where she is a Continuing Lecturer training both undergraduate and industry professionals in CAD design, MBD, PDM, and PLM. She enjoys watching Formula 1 racing, sewing clothing, and is an active member and league coordinator of the Executive Women’s Golf Association chapter in Boston, where she makes her home with her husband and son.