Showing posts with label material. Show all posts
Showing posts with label material. Show all posts

Review: New DIALux EVO 2

Monday, April 29, 2013 at 9:33 PM


More than a year elapsed since we wrote the first review about the DIALux EVO. DIAL launched the new, updated version of the DIALux: the EVO 2. So we gonna have a second (and quick) look of it to see what happened in Lüdenscheid.


The official change log of the new EVO version:
  • dwg export
  • false colors
  • advanced navigation
  • settings for standard - improvement of the dialog several bugfixes performance optimization



Let start with the FC rendering. The false colour rendering got a really professional look. Congratulation for the developers. However one time saving option is still missing: interpolate. It would be nice to have a linear and logarithmical interpolation option too.
The new false colour overlay is available with the F9 shortcut what is really handy.

The look of the FC is not yet consequent:



















When you want to move an object in the space you can select axis (X,Y,Z) to move the object only in the selected axis. 3DS MAX users are familiar with this. This is a very helpful option.

Navigation in the space also got easier. There are modifications in the UI improving the usability of the software.

Display options are nicely organised:



















High number of options does work only in special circumstances (eg: isolines, light distribution curves in 3D view, etc.) what is a bit annoying.

The DWG import is still seriously buggy. Many files displayed incorrectly and the previews are not available (this last one is an acceptable loss).

This is the original drawing in AutoCAD:



















This is what you get:

Ooops! One step further and Dialux got a black hole. It sucked my lines in:
We have the option to embed the external drawing into the project file. This can be helpful when we have to share the file with other companies:





It`s been never so easy as now to move the base point of the DWG layers:



The manufacturer module has been changed slightly but we are still unable to download the plugin from the software itself. Dialux will only open the internet browser at the download location.





The material library is nicely presented:




There is no change in the furniture library. A refresh would be timely.


Many bugs been patched but still we run into error messages, crashes so often that is not just annoying but makes us think that this is still in beta stage.


Performance-wise we don`t feel any significant improvements. We did run the same test calculations as we did last year. :( The list of  +Pros is longer but there are no changes on the -Con list since we reviewed the beta version.
The EVO branch is still far from overtaking the Dx4 branch.


We haven’t find a comprehensive, list of the Dialux EVO shortcut keys, so here it is.
If something missing, please comment below.

F1   help
F2   Show/hide coordinate system
F3   Show/hide reference lines
F4   Show/hide working planes
F5   Wireframe view
F6   Show/hide iso lines
F7   Show/hide DWG drawings
F8   Show/hide light distribution curves
F9   Show/hide false colour overlay
F12  Save project

Ctrl + C   Copy
Ctrl + X   Cut
Ctrl +V   Paste
Ctrl + S   Save
Ctrl + O   Open
Ctrl + N   New project
Ctrl + P   Print
Ctrl + F2 Print preview
Ctrl + T   New tab
Ctrl + Z   Undo
Ctrl + Y   Redo
Ctrl + 1…9 Save the view
Alt + 1…9 Recall the saved views
Del   Delete

P + left mouse button   Move
Z + Right mouse button   Zoom
The function of the Shift key haven’t changed.

One thing I still don`t understand. Why Dialux doesn’t have shortcut key for the calculate command.


Please feel free to comment (no log in needed):

Posted In , , , , , , , , , , , , | 0 comments |

Location: London, UK

CORIAN super-surfaces

Monday, July 4, 2011 at 5:57 PM


It is composed of acrylic polymer and alumina trihydrate. Corian can be thermoformed by heating it to 300°F (150°C), allowing unique shapes to be created. Its primary use is in kitchen countertops, bathroom vanity tops, and wall cladding in showers.
Due to its non-porous quality, Corian is approved for use in specialized environments, such as laboratories and hospitals. Corian's versatility allows it to be joined, shaped, and finished into a wide variety of products. It comes in more than 100 colors and patterns.



Recently Corian has been used by longboard skateboarders around the world to create makeshift slide gloves. The material is ideal because it has a low coefficient of friction and therefore slides well on asphalt.
Corian is manufactured in two thicknesses: 6 mm and 12 mm. Cross-section cuts show consistent color and particulate patterning evenly distributed throughout the material. Nicks and scratches can be buffed out with a Scotch-Brite pad or orbital sander. In the fabrication process, joints can be made invisible by joining the relevant pieces with Corian's own color-matched two-part acrylic epoxy. The pieces are clamped tightly together in order to express any excess adhesive. After the adhesive dries, the area is sanded and polished to create a seamless joint.



The Corian® Illumination Series can be fabricated in the same manner as Corian®. When there is no backlighting few changes in fabrication are required. When a light source is placed behind the sheet there are some additional considerations. This document provides guidance on fabrication techniques for the best appearance.
The increased translucency and use of backlighting allows the use of this material in new and unique applications requiring advanced fabrication and lighting techniques beyond the scope of this bulletin. It is important to work with customers, test samples to help demonstrate the design, and ensure customers are satisfied with the final product. The new Translucent White (TW) DuPont™ Joint Adhesive has been specially formulated to work with the Corian® Illumination Series. This adhesive is more translucent and will better match the appearance of the sheet when backlit. However, results will vary depending on fabrication/installation conditions.
It is important for backlit applications that all inspection and quality checks are done both with room lighting and with backlighting. Some fabrication defects will not be visible until the sample is backlit.




Seaming

Seam quality is critical for appearance. Seams may be more visible when backlit than with typical room lighting. A higher quality mirror-cut tight seam will minimize the visibility of the seam. Make sure no interior voids are present in the adhesive as they will be visible when the seam is backlit. Place the seams where they are less likely to be noticed. This could include corners or locations where the light source or supports create a shadow.When removing the adhesive on the back side, the finish should be blended in with the surrounding finish as extreme differences in finish may be perceived as lighter or darker areas. After seaming, it is important to examine the seam with the type of backlighting to be used in the final installation. Lighting type, intensity, angle, etc. all may affect seam visibility. Examine the quality of the seam and ensure that adhesive removal did not create a visible change in appearance. Edge Buildups for Colors with Particulates To maximize the visual impact of the particulates while maintaining translucency the particulates are not uniformly distributed through the thickness. This will be most apparent with edge profiles fabricated by stacking. Alternative methods such as v-grooved or drop edges are recommended.






Thermoforming

The Corian® Illumination Series can be formed using similar conditions and methods used for other Corian® colors except lower temperatures and heating times are recommended. While forming is the same, defects are more readily seen with backlighting and will appear differently when backlit. Slight color shifts may occur during the thermoforming heating process. Due to the increased translucency in these colors the color change may be more noticeable. The change is a function of both the time and temperature of heating. To minimize color shift use the minimum time and temperature necessary to achieve the desired shape. The maximum time and temperature recommended is 12 minutes at 160°C when using platen heaters. If the formed sheet needs to be seamed with unformed sheet and color match is an issue, the flat sheet should be heated under the same conditions. Any transfer of mold texture from the thermoforming mold to the sheet is more visible when backlit, particularly when the show side of the part is the side in contact with the mold. This can be eliminated by making the mold with a higher quality finish or by sanding the part after molding. As with other colors containing particulates, Illumination Series colors containing particulates may have a texture after forming. This may be slightly more prominent than in other colors. Sanding will be required to restore the desired finish and blend the finish in with the flat sections. It is important for backlit applications that all inspection and quality checks are done both with room lighting and with backlighting representative of the lighting used in the final installation. Some fabrication defects will not be visible until the sample is backlit.





Finishing

The front surface finishing requirements do not change. If the application will have backlighting the back side may require some finishing. The appearance when backlit is relatively insensitive to backside sanding quality, scratches, etc., but the sanding level should be uniform. Damage to the back surface may show through as a shadow. Take care not to create extremely different finishes when finishing seams as the different finishes may show up as light or dark spots when viewed with backlighting. Always check with backlighting to ensure the area around the seam matches the rest of the sheet.




Supports

In backlit applications, if the application requires seam-reinforcing strips, the strips will be visible as shadows. Any perimeter or span supports will also be seen as shadows. Placing seams in conjunction with shadows caused by the supports will help hide the seam and reinforcing strips.
¼” Vertical Applications over Substrate
Applications of ¼” Illumination Series sheet over substrate may appear to have shadows if there are any color variations in the underlying wall. For the best appearance the underlying surface should be uniform in color and a clear adhesive should be used. Always check for shadows before beginning the installation by placing a sheet on the wall. Check for shadows from the adhesive as well.

Backlighting

Backlighting can be a key part of designs using the Corian® Illumination Series. Lighting technology, particularly LED lighting, is changing rapidly and each technology has its own design considerations. The preferred type of lighting will depend on the desired effect.










Posted In | 0 comments |

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)