"
>There are 3 Versions:
- Standard
- Pro
- Expert

Yes I have an old standard, but now seem to be discontinued and replaced by the Personal WITHOUT 3DM import(99 euro).
At least here in Italy. So:
- PERSONAL
- Pro
- Expert
If I would like to upgrade mine (for using with my brand new OS) I need to buy the PRO (599 euro). Simply too expensive for my need."


Let me repeat: Surfacing Import *is not taken out* of anything. In fact, we don't even have a way to take it out even if we wanted to - it isn't controlled by a license bit. There is NO product that exists from us that does not have 3DM import.

To use 3DM import, open a PART workspace. Go to the *Insert* menu and select Surfaces. It is *not* under File > Import.

Max
Alibre, Inc.

Max and Michael G.

My problem was not with the Alibre software, it was the fact that I was one of the pre-100K users to sign up and I was given Alibre Design Xpress with STEP, IGES etc. capabilities (even paid ~$60 USD at the time to be able to use it offline), and a year-or-so ago that was taken away. It sent a bad message to me toward how Alibre would operate the business down the road. I had recommended it to a co-worker who did purchase it, and I was poised to try to budget a few seats for the engineering department at my full time employment. I even earned an honorable mention award in the first Design Xpress contest.

I thought the software was great, user friendly and easy to pick up. The upgrading cost was not an issue for me, it was the way I was treated and the way it made me feel.

I have, since that experience, been using MoI with TurboCAD Pro, IronCAD's Inovate and most recently with ViaCAD 2D/3D and have had very good results for all my freelance work.

I wished things would have worked out differently between myself and the Alibre team, but that's how it goes some of the time. Live and learn.

It is not my intention to turn this into an Alibre bashing. On the contary, I wish MoI and Alibre the best of business growth in the future.

Michael T.

Sorry I probably misunderstood, but I receive an email in my language (italian) that say that.

ASSORTIMENTO DAL 1/6/2010 (nuove specifiche ivi indicate)

1) Alibre 12.1 Personal = 99 Euro
(attenzione: simile allo Standard ma consente una sola installazione anzichè tre - come resta viceversa possibile con i seguenti Professional ed Expert - e privato di import STEP, IGES, SAT, Rhino, nonchè delle funzionalità avanzate di messa in tavola - sezioni, dettagli, ecc. - e distinta pezzi/materiali)

(attention: similar to Standard but only for a single installation instead of three - .... - and without STEP, IGES, SAT, Rhino import,....

So probably I'm stupid but that was what I read from that email. Anyway good to know.

> "So probably I'm stupid but that was what I read from that email. Anyway good to know."

I can see why you would have thought 3dm import was gone. Clearly our Italian reseller had a...creative...take on reality. But his email is incorrect. Sorry that happened.

Max

Hi Don,

Have you tried exporting .SAT from MoI and importing it into Alibre and TurboCAD Pro? If I remember correctly that seemed to be a good exchange. I know I did this in TurboCAD Pro v12 and was able to generate a 2D drawing of a spider that I had modeled in MoI. (See attachment) I would think it might work with Alibre also. You might give that a try.

Michael T.

Well congrats Michael for an extra channel of users for your program!

I got scared for a second thinking I was witnessing another buyout! :-P

Glad to see my favorite NURBS modeler is safe and still at home!

-Will

Hi Don,

I just picked up a copy of Moi through Alibre also!

I used it years ago when it was still in beta, to design my Giant Teardrop. I've since built that and it turned out good btw.

This time I hope to use Moi to learn surfacing. I was considering Rhino because it is well known for surfacing. But when Moi came along at half price, how could I refuse, especially with the same top notch programmer writing the code!

So are you going to write tutorials for Moi also? :-)

Mike...

Thanks for the PDF link, Michael. Your spider is a great example. We are discussing MoI on the TurboCAD forum as well (about file format translations) because a lot of users there are interested in finding something that can be imported without all the mesh lines that we have traditionally seen from other program imports. With the kind of file translation seen so far I think MoI might just be a winner. I shared the link to your PDF with the members there so they could see your results. So far, I think they are pleased with what they see.

Hi Mike,

I seem to run into you in all sorts of places. It is nice to see a familiar face.

MoI tutorials? I will need to do a whole lot more learning, but I wouldn't be opposed to writing some if MoI turns out to be the answer I hope that it seems to be. Time will tell.

Gosh, I haven't visited your web site for far too long. I best go have a look real soon.

Don,

Are you talking about my T&TTT website? I didn't realize I told you about that...

Just for fun, and I think Michael would like this too... here's the Giant Teardrop that I designed in MOI a few years ago...



and here is the build... I started on page 8 cause that's where you can start to see how the body profile matches the moi design.

http://www.mikenchell.com/Generic_ET_Photo_Album/index8.html

Mike...

P.S. Sorry about hijacking the thread... I probably should have started a new one. Michael, feel free to move it. And congrats on the new channel for your MOI distribution!!!

Hi Mike, thanks for sharing your model screenshot and your construction picture link, it's always cool to see the results of a design!

And boy whey you say "Giant" Teardrop, you aren't kidding around - full size construction!!

- Michael

Cool vehicle!

Hi Mike,

Yep, a long time ago you had invited some of us TC people to come for a visit. I really enjoyed seeing the drawings and photos you and your crew posted so had checked in once in a while. I appreciate the detail and effort you put into your projects and the photographs of the entire process is just great.

Do you remember that I drew a egg shaped teardrop trailer after my first visit? This was way back when TC was at version 11. I was still fairly new and could make a better render today, but it is where I was at at the time. Have a look if you like.

http://www.textualcreations.ca/L%27il%20Egg001.jpg

Don,

Yes I remember that lil egg. That's sweet.

Just for fun, check out this trailer that one of the guys built... does that remind you of your lil egg?






Michael,

Yes, MOI worked some magic for me a few years ago, where no other cad program could. I'm hoping it can work some magic for me again as I design my Optimized Winter Warrior. (Keep your fingers crossed!)

Mike...

Very cool!

Hi Michael,

Did you need to make any changes in MoI to be able to work with Alibre? Exporting to Step and opening in Alibre seems very good from I have seen so far. Although acceptable when the same file is opened in TurboCAD it I think that Alibre's option to stitch to solid is allowing for a better result. All surfaces come in as separate components in TC but do come in as ACIS Solids. I know other formats will come into TC as stitched, but they are mesh-like in appearance and so are not so good for hidden line renders. I prefer the Stp export format because one can get a good hidden line render when opened in TC.

I am mostly curious if you made any changes to MoI to specifically work well with Alibre, or if they were compatible right from the start.

Also, are you bound solely to Alibre with your working arrangement, or are you able to partner with other CAD companies as well, in the same manner? I have zero influence with the TurboCAD people, but one can always hope that something could be arranged.

Hi Don,

> I am mostly curious if you made any changes to MoI
> to specifically work well with Alibre, or if they were
> compatible right from the start.

Nope, there were no changes needed in MoI to make the STEP transfer work, Alibre was already fully compatible with the existing MoI 2.0 version.


> All surfaces come in as separate components in TC

Does this happen when your object was originally a joined solid in MoI as well?

If your object is made up of individual surfaces in MoI, try using the Edit > Join command to glue them together into a joined solid in MoI first before exporting to STEP format.


> I know other formats will come into TC as stitched, but
> they are mesh-like in appearance and so are not so good
> for hidden line renders.

There are basically 2 different categories of formats - the CAD formats that maintain the NURBS surface information in them, and polygon formats that have faceted information in them.

The CAD formats are: 3DM, STEP, IGES, and SAT. The transfer of any of these formats should give you a similar result as STEP format.

The mesh formats are: OBJ, LWO, STL, and 3DS - if you use these formats you will get faceted data instead of the original surface data.


> Also, are you bound solely to Alibre with your working
> arrangement, or are you able to partner with other CAD
> companies as well, in the same manner?

The deal with Alibre is non-exclusive, so it is possible for me to partner with other CAD companies as well if they are interested.

- Michael

Thanks for all the info, Michael.

You asked: Does this happen when your object was originally a joined solid in MoI as well?

Yes, always separate pieces, even if they were all joined in MoI.

One long way around which seems to produce good results is importing the Stp file into Alibre and then exporting that same file from Alibre in SAT format to open in TurboCAD.

At any rate, there is still a lot of learning and experimenting to do, so maybe I will eventually work it out.

Hi Don, hmm well that's kind of unusual - normally a joined object saved to STEP should be imported into the other application as a joined up solid as well instead of as individual surfaces.

What happens if you save a joined object in MoI out to SAT format directly from MoI and then import the SAT into TurboCAD, does that stay joined up?

- Michael

Hi Michael,

The SAT format worked good this time with the squeeze bottle I had made. I was trying with a different model that seems to have had some errors caused by this new user.

The STP is always in pieces. I have attached the stp (zipped) and the original MoI file (zipped) if you want to have a look at them.