The Hindu : 3-D design software offered free

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 20, 2002

National

National

3-D design software offered free

By Anand Parthasarathy

NEW DELHI APRIL 19. For the first time ever, a globally-used 3-D design-and-drafting software is being offered for free download from the Internet.

On Saturday, delegates to the 4th Indian Pro/User Conference, organised here by the Indian subsidiary of Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC), a U.S.-based engineering software solutions company, will be provided a feel of `Pro Desktop XPress'.

This is a scaled-down, "lite" version of the industry-standard `Pro/Engineer', a 3-D Computer-Aided Design (CAD) package.

The package would have about 70 per cent of the features in the high-end graphic product, and designs created in the "free" version would be fully compatible with the parent version, Bupesh Lall, Marketing Director, PTC India, told The Hindu.

Pro/Engineer is being used by many Indian manufacturers, including Bajaj Electricals, Hero Cycles, L&T, Lucas TVS, Titan Watches and TVS Motor, to design their products. Typical installations of the design solution can cost between Rs. 4 lakhs and Rs. 10 lakhs.

Now for the first time, students and smaller entrepreneurs can get a feel of the design process, allowing them to migrate seamlessly to the full version.

The software can be downloaded from Parametric's website www.ptc.com, but the Delhi-based Mr. Lall said that the company would provide ProDesktop XPress on a free CD on request from those who find it difficult to download the bulky file (email:blall@ptc.com).

In the small and medium enterprise (SME) arena, the most widely-used 2-D/3-D software is AutoDesk's `AutoCad'. PTC's "freebie" seems like a move to position a product in this space.

Over 650 engineers are assembled here for what is touted as the largest Indian user meet of computer design and manufacturing professionals.

The conference, which opened today, will see hard-core discussions of 3-D design problems as it moves smoothly into the new era of Net-based collaborative computing and manufacturing.

`Pro/User 2002' was inaugurated by Surinder Kapur, Chairman and Managing Director of the Sona Group of companies. Darlie O. Koshy, Executive Director of the National Institute of Design, delivered the keynote address.

Over 400 entries are vying for top prizes in six design categories of the 4th Annual Pro/Award, which will be announced before the conference concludes tomorrow.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National