Month: January 2019

Software Licensing and what it means for you

Posted on by mickdpi

Managing your licenses appropriately is becoming increasingly important for many businesses and here at Quadra we are regularly encountering customer enquiries about software licensing. So here’s a quick guide for what to look out for.

 

Ensuring your software is fit for purpose

Is your software operating within the confines of its license agreement?

Is the software…

  • Modified or hacked;
  • Keys or accounts copied or sold;
  • Conforming to the licensing terms of use;
  • Copied or used on more computers than authorised by its license.

Only genuine, legally licensed software is warranted. In almost all cases we encounter, the infringements are unintentional or without knowledge of breaches of the license agreement. The cause of the issue can be as simple as not removing trial versions of software or using the wrong serial number during the installation.

 

 

What actions should I take?

In the past, customers have received a formal communication explaining that they were suspected of licence misuse. Licence verification is carried out by performing a sweep of your network, producing a report on any products installed. If there are any areas of concern, the customer is required to put remedial measures in place which can include purchasing additional product subscriptions.

Due to the way in which software has been authorised or the status of either their maintenance and subscription contracts, software providers can now track when there are infringements. They will contact you directly by email, listing the infringements and the actions that need to be taken.

If you have received one of these emails, contact Quadra firstly to verify the legitimacy of the email and secondly to consider what options are available to you.

Need to check your licensing status?

If you have any concerns about your licensing status, then again contact Quadra asap.  We can help discuss options to ensure your software and hardware is all present and correct.

For more information about software licensing click here

More about Quadra Solutions

Quadra Solutions provide Autodesk Design software solutions for the Construction and Manufacturing industries. Inventor, Revit, AutoCAD Collections and Vault software helps our customers design, visualise, innovate and implement Building Information Modelling (BIM) solutions.

A new process for your CADSTAR License Authorisations

Posted on by mickdpi
A new process for your License Authorisations  

CADSTAR customers with a valid maintenance contract can now request  License Authorisations by completing and submitting the form within the Zuken Global Support website.  


Our quick guide to license authorisation  

1. Log into Zuken Global Support and click the “Products” tab on the top navigation bar. If you need details of your log in credentials, please contact cadstar_support@quadrasol.co.uk.    

2. In the Navigation on the left, click Authorisation Request Form and then select CADSTAR.  

3. Fill in the form. This will be received by Zuken and you will then receive your license information with 72 hours.  

 

This form is only available on the Zuken Global Support website.

For more information on your CADSTAR Licenses contact us 

Three reasons why IPC Certification should be on your training wishlist

Posted on by mickdpi

It’s that time of year again. Yearly performance appraisals, staff planning and looking to the year ahead. But are you and your team ready for the new year? Do you have the in-house skills available? Are your team ready to take on the challenges that lie ahead? Is IPC Certification on your training wishlist this year?

Or is it time to look at investing in the right training?

 

The IPC regularly researches companies in the electronics industry and within one of these research surveys was found the reasons why people are using IPC courses and certification to enhance their knowledge and job prospects.

The research, which includes many Fortune 500 electronics companies, found that there were three main reasons people prised these courses above any other.

 

Reason 1. Outdated or Insufficient Knowledge

ipc cid+
Click Here to look at our Upcoming Course Dates

From 87 leading electronics organisations 57% of the respondents indicated that a lack of knowledge or outdated knowledge is the reason for staff to participate in a course or certification.

“This is no surprise to us. We often find that the people that attend our IPC courses are highly experienced PCB designers, with many years of service. However, over time their knowledge has become outdated or they have picked up bad habits. Many say that its a great way to refresh the knowledge they already had, but many say they plan to revisit old designs and adapt and amend their design processes.”

Reason 2. Buyer Expectation

The second reason for participation, given by 46% of the respondents, is that having an IPC certification is a requirement made by buyers of the products. IPC Certification ultimately means that the product the buyer is getting is more likely to experience fewer issues during manufacture.

 

Reason 3. High Quality, Fault-free Board Design

The final reason for participation, given by 40% of the respondents, is that IPC certification makes the difference between a faulty and a well-designed, fit for purpose printed circuit board.

 

More about IPC CID Certification

IPC Interconnect Designer Certification (CID) is the definitive training course for PCB designers and electronic design professionals.

IPC Designer Certification or CID (Certified Interconnect Designer) and CID+ are the industry’s only premier professional development programme targeted toward those working in the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design industry. The CID professional development programme ensures delegates are familiar with the foundations of design decision-making and ensures that IPC standards are embedded into their work from the start to avoid complications later in the process.

We have a full calendar of IPC CID and CID+ dates available now. For more information go to www.quadrasol.co.uk/ipc.

Have you read our PCB Design ebook?

10 Rules for Efficient & Effective PCB design | Download the Guide

Download our PCB Design Guide – 10 Rules for Efficient and Effective PCB Design

 

A CADSTAR Top Tip – A Shortcut to Success

Posted on by mickdpi

Most CADSTAR users rely on the predefined menu system to access program features, but never realise they can set up a few shortcuts that save you time and frustration!

  1. Use the program shortcuts..

There are a range of shortcut commands that allow you to set grids, angles, rotation parameters, views and other features. To obtain a list of the shortcut commands just type HELP or ? (and don’t forget to press Return)when running Cadstar.

The most useful examples?

  • G_n to set the working grid (e.g. ‘G 10’)
  • SG_n to set the screen grid (e.g. ‘SG 100’)
  • A_n to set the rotation angle (e.g. ‘A 45’, ‘A 90’ or ‘A 0’)
  1. Press the Accelerator..

Rather than use the mouse to navigate to a menu use the keyboard Accelerator keys:-

  • Press the ALT key
  • Type the letter of the menu shortcut
  • Type the letter of the required feature

The most useful examples?

  • ALT + F + T (File Options menu for setting many program variables)
  • ALT + T + U + n (the n’th item on the Tools / User tools list)
  1. Create your own menu shortcut

Open the menu and hover over any menu option, then right-click

  • Select ‘Add to Quick Access Toolbar’ to add a shortcut icon to the QAT menu

The most useful examples?

  • Colour menu and Colour Files pop-down
  • Snap All on/off
  • View All
  1. Create your own menu bar

If you frequently repeat the same set of commands or keystrokes, record them as a Macro and then allocate them to a macro bar.

  • Select Record from the Tools menu and record the keystrokes and commands
  • On the File / Customise menu enable a Macro toolbar then allocate the macros to the toolbar

The most useful examples?

  • Set cross-probing On or Off
  • Set the Screen grid equal to the working grid
  • Create a Selections menu to simplify selecting different object types in a Schematic or Layout
  1. Then put it all together …

Within a short time you will create a custom GUI that helps you be more productive and efficient. Give it a try!!

For more information about CADSTAR contact us

Advanced Inventor Training Courses

Posted on by mickdpi

Advanced Inventor Training Courses

Maximise your business productivity today with an Advanced Autodesk Inventor training course. Gain the maximum benefit from all the software enhancements available within Inventor with the help of our Advanced Inventor Training courses.  Efficient methods of working will not only build the skills of your design team but can also help your business to innovate.

Our training courses are designed to enable businesses to extend the capabilities of Inventor software and get the full benefit from the power of 3D modelling and digital prototyping software.

Our Inventor training courses range from entry-level training to extensive and specialists areas of the software.  For those looking to enhance their CV further, we can also deliver Autodesk Inventor Certification.

Autodesk Inventor Sheet MetalAutodesk Inventor Sheet Metal Design   |  Click here for more information

Delegates learn how to create and manage sheet metal designs. The course focuses on basic sheet metal concepts and techniques and builds on them to include complex modelling practices for forming sheet metal parts, assemblies and drawings.

 

Autodesk Inventor Part ModellingAutodesk Inventor Advanced Part Modelling  |  Click here for more information

In this training delegates will consider various approaches to part design. Specific advanced part modelling techniques covered will include multi-body design, advanced lofts, advanced sweeps, coils and surface modelling.

 

Autodesk Inventor Tube and Pipe  
Autodesk Inventor Tube and Pipe Design   |  Click here for more information

Through a hands-on, practice-intensive curriculum, you will acquire the knowledge needed to design routed elements, including tubing, piping, and flexible hose.

 

Autodesk Training

We have been an Accredited Autodesk Training Centre (ATC) since 2001 providing training on Autodesk and eCADSTAR software. Our most popular courses, Inventor, Revit and AutoCAD courses are scheduled throughout the year and can be delivered in a variety of ways.

Click here to request a Training Quote   |    Click here for Online Training

For more information about these training courses or to contact our training team click here

More About Quadra 

Our extensive list of Authorised Autodesk Training and eCADSTAR Training Courses are designed around your training needs. We deliver Autodesk Inventor, AutoCAD, Revit and IPC CID Training. Our software support is some of the best in the industry, delivered by an incredibly knowledgeable and skilled team of Application Support Staff. 

Autodesk Design software solutions for the Construction and Manufacturing industries. Inventor, Revit, AutoCAD Collections and Vault software helps our customers design, visualise, innovate and implement Building Information Modelling (BIM) solutions.

Download our Free “Get Spec’d In” BIM Guide

Posted on by mickdpi

How building product manufacturers can create BIM objects to win more business.

 

Manufacturers that design products and equipment that go into buildings have long used digital models to develop new offerings on shorter schedules. Now, their customers on the building and construction side –including architects, contractors and building owner/operators – are adopting sophisticated digital approaches en masse. And while both groups understand the benefits of digital workflow, they each have very different needs.

 

Fill in the form below to get access to the ebook

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This guide will explore how BIM is used and show how building product manufacturers can (and should) create BIM objects of their products with the appropriate level of detail, making it easier for architects and contractors to spec their products into new projects and help manufacturers win more business.

 

 

Your Hardware Problem. Solved.

Posted on by mickdpi

Need CAD-ready workstations in a flash? Malfunctioning, unpredictable or failed workstations? Try Hardware in a Hurry We can provide a rapid turnaround on CAD-ready hardware, fully loaded with your existing software. 

Talk to us about our current Hardware bundle offer 

Our service is perfect for when: 
– You have a malfunctioning, unpredictable or failed workstation 
– You have a project deadline and time is of the essence 
– You need a replacement machine and lead-times from existing suppliers could set you back days or even weeks 

Our turnkey solution allows you to get a machine when you need it. All our machines are CAD-capable and come with full warranties and all the necessary guarantees you would expect when buying a new machine.  

And we do all this at a very competitive price. 

Your Hardware Problem. Solved  


Recent Customer Comments:

“Our new machines enable our engineers to stay connected wherever their project takes them, enabling us to deliver competitive, timely, cost-effective solutions to our customers.”
Simon Lee, IT Manager, Bibby Offshore
 
“Quadra’s responsive speedy hardware solution enabled us to get back to work quickly when a machine failed, without giving concerns about the impact of downtime and project disruption. The price was also very competitive.” 
Craig Pace, Principal CAD Engineer, Union Industries 

Click here for more information

5 Top Manufacturing Trends to Expect in 2019

Posted on by mickdpi

Originally posted by Redshift

Innovations such as drones, 3D printing, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT) have been steadily maturing along their own trajectories. Insiders, pundits, and surveyed companies say that in 2019, these trends will continue their recent convergence into a tapestry of industrial tools that’s greater than the sum of its parts. The manufacturing sector’s digital transformation should continue to accelerate with this combined unlocked potential.

Meanwhile, blockchain technology is growing out of its infancy of cryptocurrency speculation, with widespread ramifications for manufacturing operations.

From autonomous drones to human-robot collaboration, here are the top manufacturing trends to look for in the new year.

1. The Industry 4.0 Reference Factory Is the Future

The growing trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies goes by the name of Industry 4.0. This presentation at Autodesk University 2018 in Las Vegas showed that this movement challenges companies to incorporate smart robots, human-robot collaboration, additive manufacturing, augmented reality, production simulation, immersive training, integration of the value chain, and decentralization and production steering to enable exponential growth and scalability in manufacturing.

manufacturing trends 2019 drone
Drones—both autonomous and human-controlled—will play a bigger role in manufacturing for purposes such as inventory and equipment inspection.

2. Worldwide Robot and Drone Spending Is on the Rise

Analyst firm IDC expects spending on robotics systems and drones to total $115.7 billion next year, a 17.6 percent increase from 2018. Fully autonomous navigation capabilities and 3D mapping, as well as rapid improvements in battery performance and air-traffic management systems, are being used to discover sources of raw material and inspect equipment for safety.

3. A Larger, Faster IoT Expands the Intermachine Conversation

Improved sensors and the rollout of 5G connectivity to begin in 2019 will feed the ongoing expansion of IoT. The combination of AI and machine learning in IoT allows the managing of voluminous data, generation of insights, and solutions that will increase manufacturers’ responsiveness and improve efficiency, Manufacturing.net reports. For example, a machine could respond to problems as they arise, providing instant, timely solutions so that bad products wouldn’t be produced in the first place.See Also: Circle Back to Redshift’s Top 10 Most Popular Innovation Articles of 2018

4. Blockchain Marries Cryptocurrency and Manufacturing

In 2019, blockchain technology will directly impact the speed, security, and cost-effectiveness of financial operations and transactions in manufacturing, according to Manufacturing Global magazine. In one distributed ledger system, this technology can influence different areas of management, tracking, and transaction reporting in supply chains. With a more transparent view of activity logs, manufacturers will be able to see every part in the supply chain in real time and identify problems before they become widespread.

5. 3D Printing Continues Its Push Into Manufacturing 

With its presence in rapid prototyping fully established, 3D printing will realize even more of its potential to make manufacturing cheaper, better, stronger, and faster. Dartmouth professor Richard D’Aveni discusses this continued transformation in his new book, The Pan-Industrial Revolution: How New Manufacturing Titans Will Transform the World, and podcast.

 

For more information about Manufacturing Trends for Design – contact us

Curved Trunking: New SI Routing Feature for CADSTAR

Posted on by mickdpi

PCB designers working with advanced and complex designs are constantly pushing the boundaries to satisfy the signal integrity of routed differential pairs and busses. Those who work with flexible and flex-rigid PCB designs are perhaps the most demanding of all. Curved Trunking can help with this.

A while ago, the introduction of the curved corner style for routing trunks in CADSTAR made a big difference to this group of users.

But with CADSTAR 2018.0.0.3, we can offer something even more powerful.

Curved Trunking offers the ability to generate trunk routing with true tangential arc corners.

Trunks are routed first in either 90 degree, 45 degree or free angle routing. The Curved Trunking functionality is then applied to the routed trunks. This function offers the ability to curve corners or segments of both newly routed or existing trunking – resulting in true tangential arc corners.

The tool can be used on individual or multiples of individual trunk corners or segments. If the whole trunk or multiple whole trunks are selected, only the corners in the selection set are curved. Box selecting the whole design will only curve trunk corners – and non-trunk items will remain unaffected.

Multiple trunk item selection in CADSTAR

It is possible to modify the curved trunk corners by dragging them with the mouse. This way, the user can increase or decrease the radius size.

Trunk corner modify function in CADSTAR

The user can also replace any selected trunk curves with a straight segment using an ‘uncurve’ tool.

Trunk corner uncurve function in CADSTAR

 

This functionality is available both inside P.R.Editor XR2000 and above, as well as in the Design Editor Embedded Routing mode in CADSTAR 2018.0.0.3.

 

For more information about CADSTAR and eCADSTAR contact us

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