SIG: formZ 7.0 officially released

AutoDesSys Inc., has officially unveiled formZ 7 today coinciding with SIGGRAPH 2012 in Los Angeles. The software firm is not attending SIGGRAPH however.

“We’ve redeveloped formZ based on our knowledge of 25 plus years in the 3D industry, but most importantly, on the feedback our users gave us, and with the tasks they wish to accomplish in their work-flow on our mind,” said Dr. Chris Yessios, President and  co-founder of AutoDesSys, Inc,.

01 - AutoDesSys announces formZ 7 official release during SIGGRAPH 2012. (image courtesy of AutoDesSys, Inc.)

The result of that major overhaul of formZ in version 7 is a new and leaner program with greatly improved ease of use plus more powerful features than ever. FormZ 7 combines sketching, sculpting and NURBS-based advanced modeling. It is both a surface, solids and NURBS modeler.

formZ 7 Features

Here are some key new capabilities in formZ 7:

• formZ 7 has a new intelligent smart user-interface (UI) that senses what you intend to do and protects you for unwanted actions. This includes automatic picking and automatic guides that assist you in drawing accurately.
• formZ 7 also is fully parametric and includes a “dynamic generator” for 3D forms that can be fully manipulated later at any time after their initial generation.
• formZ 7 also features a Reshape Tool that allows for real-time Boolean operations…offering more sculpting actions that produce robust solid models that can easily be fabricated
• NURBS Overhaul — The NURBS engine has been completely overhauled and now offers unprecedented power and ease of use. The new NURBS Analysis features aide in the evaluation and refinement of your design
• Components – The new components are enhanced symbols that include the ability to edit the component directly where it is placed. Components are also embedded in a project making them less dependent on an external library file
• Updated UI still is fully customizable and has a new Favorites Palette where you can drop in all your favorite functions
• New Workspaces allow the user to create related groupings of tools and palette configurations based on task types and work flows
• New unified environment for former drafting and modeling environments, allows for long-wanted dimensions, hatching and line editing within 3D
• There is a new Layout feature where sheets can be used to compose different views of a model and/sections with the ability to combine notes and dimensions
• There is a new Shaded Working modeling environment, added to traditional wire-frame, hidden line, shaded full and doodle rendering modes
• New Dynamic clipping planes allow for non-destructive cutting of models. This real-time dynamic interface allows for complete inspection of designs
• A new Sun Palette allows for sun studies at any time of the day with quick animation output. One can produce day long or year long sun studies in movie animations
• QuickTime VR is now easily produced allowing for Web-ready panoramic and 360 object movies
• There is a new Rhino import feature, enhancing interoperability
• Animation – models can be animated within formZ to produce movies for presentation purposes. Or they can be fabricated via support for 3D printing, CNC and milling machines

formZ 7 is priced at 995.USD new and there are competitive upgrade paths from previous versions or from Bonzai 3D starting at 295.USD. To learn more or download a 30-day trial of the software visit here.