Designing Next-Gen Robots Gets Easier
By CXOtoday Staff
Mumbai, Nov 20, 2008 1220 hrs IST

A software developed by Microsoft and Dassault Systems SolidWorks (DS SolidWorks) helps companies program robots quickly and effectively, a key advantage for robot manufacturers seeking improved efficiency.

Users of Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio 2008 (Microsoft RDS) will be able directly incorporate 3D CAD models designed in SolidWorks software into Microsoft's Visual Simulation Environment (Microsoft VSE) and simulate their operation more accurately. As a result, robotics developers can correct any robotic application issues early and maximize the robot's performance.

The solution takes advantage of the fact that both applications support a common XML format, COLLADA, for rendering 3D objects and motion. The integration preserves dimensions, constraints, mass properties, motors, springs, colors, textures, and more from the SolidWorks model.

A demo of the solution is available now at SolidWorks Labs, and the solution itself will be available for download from SolidWorks Labs the first week of December.

"The worlds of machine design, mechatronics, and robotics are converging, and this partnership is just one way we are supporting the convergence," said Fielder Hiss, director of product management at DS SolidWorks.


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