Jump to content

Hardware requirements


Jukka Karhula

Recommended Posts

Can you please give us some kind of IronCAD Workstation Recommendations. Like in the techletter Q1 2004. There were 4 different configuration (minimum, entry, mid range & high end).

 

I'm looking for a "High End" workstation, but not sure what to buy? One thing is sure, it must be with XP !!

 

Thanks in advance!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Vista is now supported but so is XP so you have the choice now.

 

We have only maintained the minimum system requirements since hardware is changing so fast. What I recommend customers use as a baseline is the Dell Precision workstation web site. They have a range of systems that you can use as a specification guide.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm looking for a "High End" workstation, but not sure what to buy? One thing is sure, it must be with XP !!

23854[/snapback]

 

I would recommend a few things for a "High-End" machine:

 

#1) 64-Bit OS (XP is available)

#2) Multiple CPU cores and/or chips (2 is nice... 4 is nicer smile.gif )

#3) Fill every available Memory slot with the biggest and fastest memory you can afford (you should be in the 8Gb range)

#4) Nvidia Quadro based video Card (512Mb Vid RAM MIN...1GB is nicer)

#5) Large 10K RPM (with a low seek time) hard drive(s).... if you are really looking for a hot-rod, you should consider several identical FAST drives in a RAID array (RAID 5 is generally the performance & tolerant array of choice) that will give you both speed and redundency. For a little RAID info, you can read this: Wikipedia Entry

#6) Spacemouse <-- You know what I mean if you have one.

 

...and just as a measuring stick, a "High-End" machine should be costing you $3K+ to build your own... and probably closer to $5K if you order or lease one from Dell.

Edited by Mike Twining
Link to comment
Share on other sites

NOTE:  The Sapceball and Spacemouse (maybe others) will crash IronCAD on Vista 64 after pressing the same button multiple times, we are looking into this.

23869[/snapback]

 

...also the "Spacebar Key" command through the SpaceMouse will crash IC 11.1.0.Vista.64 on the first click (at least it does for me)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the subject of the spaceball.....It has always been a problem when zooming close into something, that it does not move in a fine enough increment, or speed, to be very useful. It gets real jerky when zoomed into something small. I have been using the spaceball for many many years, and it has always done this. I have asked for this to be looked at, but never got any response to the request. It still is the best thing in the world to use, but I am hoping that this problem gets looked at and a solution is found, as I know this is not a problem with other CAD systems. By the way, I use both a spacepilot, and the spacetraveler. Anyone else have this issue???I assume everyone that uses one has this issue, but you never know.

 

Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the subject of the spaceball.....It has always been a problem when zooming close into something, that it does not move in a fine enough increment, or speed, to be very useful. It gets real jerky when zoomed into something small. I have been using the spaceball for many many years, and it has always done this. I have asked for this to be looked at, but never got any response to the request. It still is the best thing in the world to use, but I am hoping that this problem gets looked at and a solution is found, as I know this is not a problem with other CAD systems. By the way, I use both a spacepilot, and the spacetraveler. Anyone else have this issue???I assume everyone that uses one has this issue, but you never know.

 

Mike

23899[/snapback]

 

 

On the back of my SpaceMouse, it has a little decoder key that indicates various key-combinations. A few of those are "Gain" (or sensitivity) for Translation and Rotation. I use this a bunch when switching between HUGE (physical size) models, like a Dry Dock, and TINY models (like a bolt...). I've noticed that I use the rotation adjustment WAY more than I use the translation. I don't know if you have such functions on those variations of the Space(thingy), but if not, you may want to sacrifice a button or two in the control panel to adjusting the sensitivity.

 

...so, YES. I also have had this problem.

 

And Kev-

Open a dimentionally giant model, and a dimentionally tiny model (at the same time) in IronCAD. When you switch between the two (and when in the Giant model, try to do something on a small scale), you will notice the sensitivity problem.

Edited by Mike Twining
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest EricFoy

Hmmmm... just pondering here...

 

Could it be that this problem really has nothing to do with the Space(thingy), but is simply a manifestation of IronCAD's inherent zoom range limitation? I've always noticed that when you wanna really get in close, you must not only zoom, but also dolly up in there.



Now, if you're working on a watch spring, and you want to get in there and put on a .012 radius, that doesn't require much zoom, since you're probably already looking at it from a distance of a few inches. But if you're working on an oil derrick, and you want to grind a half-inch chamfer on the edge of a fish-plate, then chances are you'll be zooming in from a distance of a couple hundred feet, so you need to use dolly in conjunction with zoom - otherwise the display gets all jiggy on you.



This is what I have observed, whether I'm using a space(doodad) or not.


UPDATE:

Okay... I just opened up a semi-large file, and tried a few things. I was wrong. What happens is that when I unsupress a cylinder of 500 ft (6000 inches), my Space(whatzit) suddenly cranks its gain way up for translations only. Rotations seem to stay nice and smooth. Suppress the cylinder, and it goes back to "nice and smooth." Unsupress... instant "rip and jagg." Suppress... smooooth as silk, baby. Unsupress... "Ouch!" Supress... "Ahhhhh."



Yep. It's repeatable: Large-extents entities alter the the behavior of Space(stuff).

Edited by EricFoy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Guest EricFoy

Okay... Thought I'd use this thread, since it is appropriately titled.

 

I've become totally lost in this world of cpu's. I just can't keep up anymore. Plus, my brain is full, and I can't remember what I once knew. Anyway, can somebody please tell me if there is any reason my system shouldn't be running a 64-bit OS? The Microsoft website is of absolutely no help on this one.

post-176-1238614978_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Join the conversation

You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...