Earlier this month Autodesk announced its new ForceEffect app for iPad. The free mobile software for engineers, engineering students and technical DIYers (do-it-yourself-ers) runs on the Apple iPad and will allow you to quickly and easily simulate design options during the conceptual phase.
ForceEffect provides an intuitive drawing environment for drawing, constraining and simulating concepts using free body diagrams by simply tapping objects to select, move, rotate and scale. Real time solving capabilities provide immediate feedback on the performance of a design, enabling users to bring engineering to the point of the problem–whether they’re in the field, at the office or in the class room.
01 - Autodesk ForceEffect for iPad is a statics solver, useful for engineering students, architects and DIYers.
A Static Problem Solver
ForceEffect for iPad solves static systems analysis using free-body diagrams. Users simply create diagrams by leveraging existing design images or by creating new systems from scratch. You scale images, create joints, support loads, and compute reaction forces.
The program is free and can be obtained through the Apple iTunes Store.
What We Think
Autodesk is seriously on a roll with Apple iOS based applications, and it is delightful to see. Sure, some of the i-apps they have created are more fluff and fun than serious work apps but the simple fact is they are making apps for the iPad and iPhone and that experience programming for iOS works for them–not against–in all future mobile endeavors.
Although we have not reviewed it yet, ForceEffect seems useful. This app compliments a range of other professional or practical iOS apps such as: Buzzsaw, Constructware Field, Design Review Mobile, SketchBook Express and SketchBook Pro for iPad, and AutoCAD WS. And that is not the c0mplete list. You can check out all iOS apps through the iTunes store by searching for Autodesk.