A look in the Apple or Android App stores showcases a plethora of choices for engineers. Along with tools like Autodesk's SketchBook and Dassault Systèmes' Natural Sketch for early conceptual ideation, there are dozens of highly specific utilities, including CompCalc's multi-purpose calculator and tape-roll adding machine, Inforbix's engineering search data tool, and Krueger Systems' iCircuit app for simulating analog and digital circuits.
For PTC, which is currently readying a pair of mobile apps for release later this year, the strategy is all about providing task-focused tools that can help users be more productive when they are on the road, according to Steve Prideaux-Ghee, PTC's vice president of product definition. Not every tool makes sense for mobile, he says, and the trick is to avoid peppering the market with useless apps that are downloaded, used once, then never tapped again. "In terms of design apps, we are thinking of pretty task-focused apps for something engineers do every day. There's only a small number that will be useful."
With PTC's Creo View, planned for release as a mobile app later this year, everyone who needs to can view, markup, interact, and distribute all forms of digital product data, assisting in collaboration. (Source: PTC)
In that vein, PTC is planning to release a mobile app around Windchill, its core PLM platform, which will let users monitor projects, access product data, and coordinate tasks from their mobile devices. Creo View, an app for 3D visualization, will also be released later this year. Creo View presents highly compressed versions of Pro/Engineer 3D CAD data, which, while not geometrically accurate, allows users to interact with the model, view it to see its shape and form, and display parts in context for more effective and convenient collaboration.
The future of mobile There's plenty of room to move beyond basic viewing and markup. Tablets and smartphones offer capabilities like GPS tracking, accelerometers, video capabilities, and voice that are either not available on high-end workstations and laptops or just not as accessible. Leveraging those capabilities opens up a range of unique possibilities for mobile design tool apps that can facilitate monitoring quality on the production floor, for example, or help engineers and technicians digest complex assembly instructions in a more visual and, thus, more intuitive way.
Exploiting the unique capabilities of tablets and smartphones goes right to the heart of IMSI/Design's mobile strategy, which is a critical direction for the CAD maker going forward, says Doug Cochran, the company's chief technology officer. The company has already rolled out a free 2D and 3D wire frame viewer app called Turbo Viewer, in addition to a professional version, priced at $24 for Apple iOS and $9 for Android. It's packed with more features and better CAD interoperability in addition to an SDK, on which it hopes other companies will build vertical mobile design tool apps based on its viewing technology. From there, IMSI/Design plans to roll out a series of mobile apps designed to bring efficiencies to field work by leveraging many of the features specific to tablets, including accelerometers, GPS, and built-in high-end video.
In this particular case it's more of a company-owned cloud with a lot better security than some of the more public ones (or so I'm told). The advantage to the company is two-fold. One, when they want to upgrade the software they can just do it and not have to hope that the distributor network follows the procedures and actually does it. Two, in the case of someone leaving the company they can shut off access immediately without wondering what's going on with the laptop in the mean time.
Good question Jack. As long as there are no security breaches and up-time is always (and I mean always) there, I think it is a good option. However, in talking with a colleague who actually owns a company that provides cloud services, he is kept awake at night by the threat of security breaches. He tells me that once this happens and it goes public, the backlash from the marketplace that he services will be huge and costly.
So again, I think that the initial work apps you are using will be fine for now. I'm just cautious to keep sensitive data off the cloud and watch the news for any potential security breaches or downtime problems.
OK - I see where your coming from Greg. Just out of curiosity, what would you think about an eventual move to the cloud? I was previously opposed to that altogether, but after using some work apps, I'm starting to change my thoughts.
Not knowing @TJ's particular situation this might not apply, but my workplace has a "no cameras except with a camera pass" policy which is routinely ignored by everyone who has a cell phone of almost any sort. They don't check, of course, so it's something of a "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
But I wonder how many of these policies are relics from the day when designs were drawn out on E-size sheets of paper and photographing them with a spy camera to steal the design was a big deal? Now, with designs in my business (VLSI design) being gigabytes of data on a computer, it's much more of a risk for someone with a thumb drive to slurp up the design and walk out with it in their pocket. Even an iPod (which can be used as a mass storage device) would work, but we don't have a "no thumbdrive" or "no iPod" policy (the latter would cause a revolt among the rank and file!).
There are situations where photography should be banned, but for the most part I think it's silly and a waste of everyone's time ... and money.
Fast, high resolution, tablet computers like the iPad will, most certainly, become increasingly powerful, making the need for cumbersome, slow desktops and notebooks obsolete. Currently, my smart phone handles many tasks more quickly than my office-based and portable systems.
Warren, though I tend to agree with your arguement I am reminded back when I started in this field of the old-time draftsmen arguing the same points that new-fangled AutoCAD Release versions will never replace a good board drawing.
You'll see replicator docking stations for guests and sales people popping up in public and at most companies - as the power and the use grows - complete with mouse and big screen.
First off, traveling is not a good design environment, despite the long hours on airplanes and hotels.
There's the hotel soap, etc. with writing so small, and with such lousy contrast that you often wash your hair with mouth wash!
But worst of all, as we progress in our careers, we are also aging. Our eyesight is degrading. It ain't so easy lookin' at things no more!
Even on my laptop with glasses it is not an easy task to see your work. Even on a medium-sized schematic you can only see a partial view with a 17" screen. And, as you know, that 17 inches is not square but squished in the vertical. It is far from ideal, and largely a pain in the neck.
I applaud their efforts, but until the screen size improves, and airplane seats get bigger to accommodate them, I just don't see mobile devices helping anyone over 21.
The 3D printing revolution seems to have a knack for quickly moving technology ahead by way of collaborative effort and even a little friendly competition -- all of course in the name of scientific advancement.
Laura Sapiens' Ego! Smartmouse offers users a unique interactive experience by providing 2D and 3D connectivity, hardware identity authentication, data storage, and more.
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