New design software version

Trace Software International announced the release of a new elecworks version at the SolidWorks World 2011 Conference, held in late January in San Antonio (TX US). The 13th annual SolidWorks World Conference brought together designers, engineers, managers, and partners to discuss ideas, trends, and the technology shaping the future of product design. Show attendees saw how elecworks™ and SolidWorks® software allow customers to design automation and electrical installation projects from 2D schematics up to 3D design.

As a SolidWorks Gold Partner Product, elecworks™ has been specifically designed for engineers who want to integrate electrical schematics in their existing SolidWorks platform as an easy to use powerful add-on. An additional Routing and Cabling module enables panel and machine wiring in 3D automatically. The latest version provides new flexibility for PLC handling and also includes also a PDM link module to manage electrical project data within SolidWorks Enterprise PDM system.

“With its seamless integration to SolidWorks, elecworks™ aids designers in associating  electrical requirements with their mechanical projects, using real-time change capabilities. This time-saving electrical CAD application significantly improves designers’ workflow and collaboration. For our third year participating at SolidWorks World, elecworks™ strengthens its focus on meeting designers’ expectations,” said Dr Pedro Puig Deu, General Manager, Trace Software International.

“Customers are demanding even more creativity and efficiency from manufacturers, making product design and development even more challenging and putting more pressure on engineers,” said DS SolidWorks Manager of Alliances Nick Iwaskow. “Working directly within the SolidWorks environment to access electrical design via elecworks™  not only increases engineering productivity, but also fuels innovation that helps engineers design better products.”

Certified gold

Trace Software International, a leading software maker in the industrial automation and power distribution market, announced today that elecworks™, its flagship product, has achieved Certified Gold Partner status with DS SolidWorks Corporation. With this certification, elecworks™ becomes the first Certified Gold Partner application for electrical design, integrated to SolidWorks.

This certification awarded in January 2o10, a few days before elecworks™ new release presented successfully at SolidWorks World 2010, places electrical design as a development axis for SolidWorks® 3D CAD and induces Trace Software International to keep on strengthening mechanical and electrical collaborative work through a seamless integrated tool.

Elecworks™ enables users to design automation and electrical installation projects from 2D schematics up to 3D design. It has been specifically designed for engineers who want to integrate electrical schematic in their existing SolidWorks platform as an easy to use add-on. It uses a user-friendly ribbon interface and operates on Windows. An additional Routing and Cabling module enables cabinet and machine 3D automatic wiring.

As requested through the Gold application process, customers have tested both the performance and the integration level of elecworks™. Customers have commented about the benefits of combining electrical schematics with 3D mechanical views as well as real-time change updates between elecworks™ - SolidWorks and/or different project participants. They were also impressed by its user friendliness and seamless interface.

This certification ensures that appropriate levels of support are available and that Trace Software International intends to regularly update the product. Elecworks™ is available in English, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese and in the near future, German and Japanese.

For customers, elecworks™ new Certified Gold product status means compliance with SolidWorks Certified Gold product criteria including compatibility with each new SolidWorks release.

Elecworks with it’s Gold status means real-time updates between elecworks™ and SolidWorks whether viewing SolidWorks 3D interface or elecworks™ 2D schematics. It also boosts productivity with projects stored in a unique database and no data import / export hassle, which would be the case using other electrical CAD software. Adding electrical design on their existing platform saves data exchange and training time and increases productivity.

“Integration between key product design applications can save precious time off the development process and increase productivity,” said Nick Iwaskow, SolidWorks Manager, Alliances. “Integrating elecworks™ directly within the SolidWorks environment helps designers and engineers improve designs and deliver the products their customers are looking for”.

Dr Pedro Puig Deu, Managing Director of Trace Software International, declares: “We are very proud to be the first electrical application to achieve SolidWorks Certified Gold Product status. It is an important milestone for Trace Software International and for SolidWorks. Demand is strong since it is a cost-effective way to develop electrical design on existing tools. We feel that the Certified Gold status will give our customers an added confidence in elecworks™. We remain committed to helping our customers design better electrical projects faster and we will continue to work upstream with SolidWorks on future releases to bring the electrical world even closer to 3D mechanical world”.