Creo Parametric Tips

“You may wonder what kind of vehicle is next for Club Car, but the answer is that the future is here, the future is now.” Known for its brand of gold carts, Club Car is at the forefront of electric vehicle innovation, reinventing utility vehicles that work just about anywhere you can think of. They're all about designing vehicles that are fun, practical and of course eco-friendly, and you can spot their rides zooming around golf courses, resorts, farms and even college campuses. In this episode, we meet Dan Dykstra, who takes us on an immersive tour with the CRU, allowing us to experience first-hand the thrill of cruising around in this innovative vehicle. We delve into the versatility of the CRU, from leisurely backyard adventures to practical urban roaming. And we learn about Club Car’s dedication to electric vehicles for sustainability. We also hear from Brian Thompson, who heads up PTC’s CAD division - he explains the importance of Simulation Live and how important it is for Club Car.

Apr 15, 2024

“Farmbot will be the best farmer for any crop and any location at any time of year” Welcome to the world of Farmbot where technology meets agriculture. Have you ever imagined what it would be like gardening without getting your boots stuck in the mud? Introducing…Farmbot! This robotic tech can plant, water and nurture your crops until harvest - all through the use of a savvy app - with just one click. In this episode, we’re in California to meet Rory Aronson, founder of Farmbot - who shares how this innovative device is reshaping the farming landscape. We get a demo of Farmbot, learn how open source tech is empowering users to create their own tools and hear how Rory wants the Farmbot to be the next must have home appliance. We also hear from Jon Hirschtick, who heads up PTC’s Onshape division and he explains the importance of Onshape and how Farmbot have benefitted from this software.

Apr 24, 2024

“Her favourite show used to be Friends, and growing up she could hear it and she could read the captions, and it was so exciting for her that she could get that moment back.” In the modern world we have an abundance of technology that helps us with our communication, information gathering and entertainment needs. But most of this is inaccessible for DeafBlind individuals whose primary language is tactile sign. It can be difficult for them to access news headlines, or to even find out what the weather will be like later on in the day. Tatum Robotics is advancing accessibility by developing a robot hand that can communicate with DeafBlind people through tactile sign and allow them to access the internet. Designed to allow for as much movement as possible, the T1 Fingerspelling Hand features 18 degrees of freedom whilst still feeling as much as possible like holding a real human hand. DeafBlind people’s main source of communication is usually through human interpreters, who can’t be with them all of the time, so this technology will open up a world of interaction for them. Our producer Curt Nickish went to meet Samantha Johnson, the founder of Tatum Robotics, in their headquarters in Boston. She demonstrates how one of the robot hands works and emphasizes the importance of testing with members of the deafblind community to capture all of the complexities of tactile sign language.

Mar 27, 2024

“What the water rig is at its core is a mobile water treatment technology, and it dramatically changed the lives of the people living on that site.” Having clean, drinkable water is essential for everyone, no matter where they are. For some on-site workers on remote oil and gas drilling sites, this means transporting in large amounts of bottled water. The result is a large amount of plastic waste from the bottles and air pollution from the extra traffic. WaterFleet provides an alternative solution. Their water treatment technology means that a mobile rig can be hooked up to an existing well or water storage source on site and provide people with clean potable water on tap. As the rig processes the water, it automatically and continually monitors the quality to ensure it’s safe. WaterFleet also uses this technology to provide temporary water solutions to areas that have been affected by natural disasters. Our producer Eva Ruth went to the WaterFleet headquarters in San Antonio, Texas to meet the Director of Business Intelligence, David Meyers. He explains WaterFleet’s mission statement and takes us inside one of the water rigs.

Mar 27, 2024

“We try to test new things… our solar cells that we used 5 years ago are now the solar cells on your roof.” In 2004, a group of Belgian engineering students built a solar car to compete in the World Solar Challenge, a 3021km endurance race through the Australian Outback. Nineteen years later, the Innoptus Solar team is still going strong, with new students coming together to build new solar racing cars. They are sponsored by PTC Partner Innoptus (part of the 4ITEGO Group) and take part in races all over the world. For the team, success is all about collaboration and innovation, constantly refining the design of their car to make it faster and more efficient. They are currently double World Champions with their tenth solar car, the Infinite. Clever features like the fin at the back of the car improve aerodynamics and give them an extra bit of help from the wind, and a motor which has been optimised to 98% efficiency helps them to go faster. It is also a fantastic development opportunity for the students involved, with them being able to gain the equivalent of 5 years of development experience in 1 year, as well as have the opportunity to work on a World Champion racing car. Our producer Wederik De Backer went to the Innoptus Solar Team HQ in Leuven to meet two students who are part of the current team, Head of Engineering Jonas Vlamijnck and Mechanical Engineer Jasper Gutschoven. As well as explaining how they became involved and the level of dedication needed to win races, they give us a tour of their workspace and latest car.

Mar 11, 2024

“The technology challenges we are facing as an industry are not so much how do we grow the size of turbines, but how do we increase their efficiency at their current size.” Wind power is playing a huge role in the global renewable energy landscape. In the United States, electricity generation from wind power is on course to potentially surpass coal-fired electricity generation by 2026. Across Europe, this is already the case, with electricity generation from wind exceeding coal for the first time in the region in Q4 2023*. Vestas Wind Systems, based in Denmark, are world leaders in wind turbines, they’ve installed more than any other company in the world. They have more than 40 years of experience in wind energy and were the first company to reach the 100 GW landmarks for both the installation and service of wind turbines. With higher than ever demand for wind energy, wind turbines are getting larger. However, that creates its own challenges, not least ensuring the whole supply chain stays sustainable. In this episode, we find out how Vestas is taking on that challenge through initiatives such as ensuring crucial components like blades are recyclable, or that wind turbine towers can be made using low-emission steel. Our producer Peter Nørgaard Mathiasen went to the Vestas headquarters in Aarhus, Denmark, to meet Pedro Pastilha, the Head of Onshore Product Management. He tells us more about the wind industry and the future of wind production.

Mar 11, 2024

A special New Year listen back. Here on The Third Angle, we’ve highlighted stories from all over the globe about how companies have used PTC technology to design a greener future. From the architects using clever design to create low-energy use homes to the engineers revolutionizing electric transport in Africa, we’ve heard from some inspiring people. In this episode, we’re taking a listen back to some of those stories. If this has left you wanting to know more, you can listen back to all of our episodes on the PTC website or wherever you get your podcasts. Previous episodes of The Third Angle are available here. Listen to the full Warehome episode here, and find out more about the company here. Listen to the full Volvo episode here, and find out more about the company here. Listen to the full EVBox episode here, and find out more about the company here. Listen to the full Roam episode here, and find out more about the company here. Your host is Paul Haimes from industrial software company PTC. Episodes are released bi-weekly. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for updates. Third Angle is an 18Sixty production for PTC. Executive producer is Jacqui Cook. Sound design and editing by Clarissa Maycock. And music by Rowan Bishop.

Jan 23, 2024

“Spatialization or 3D rendering of sound means that you get the feeling that you are pulling your speakers out of your ears… hearing the sound or music coming from around you instead. It is actually proven through various studies that that is a more natural way of listening. ” Jabra’s owner company GN is an audio and video communications technology company which was founded over 100 years ago to undertake the epic task of placing the first telephone line between China and Scandinavia. Since then they have continued to innovate in the area of communications and today they design and manufacture communications devices such as wireless earbuds, headsets, intelligent hearing aids and video conferencing solutions. Their wireless earbuds are full of cutting edge technology such as advanced noise cancellation, wind cancellation and of course essential for the runners, sweat resistance. They even manufacture some of the toughest, most durable headphones on the market. One of the latest advances though is spatial, or 3D audio, meaning sound it’s just left or right, it can be a 360 experience for the user. Our producer Lærke Sivkjær went to visit Vice President of Consumer Devices, Morten Urup, at the Jabra offices in Copenhagen. Morton showed her the sound lab where testing for many of the products takes place, including two anechoic chambers which cancel out outside sound completely for a completely controlled audio environment. He also talks about the future of audio innovation and how AI may play a part in driving it forward.

Jan 23, 2024

“The rescue services need to know that the vehicle is safe to approach… with this app, we have a 3D view of each truck and this augmented reality view.” With many governments making commitments toward zero-emission targets, more and more of the trucks on our roads are becoming electric. Whilst good news for the environment, it can present challenges for emergency responders, who may not be familiar with how these types of trucks are built. In the event of an accident, emergency services need to be able to access vehicles safely, and potentially, rescue people trapped inside. This means knowing things like where the battery is, where high-voltage cables are or which parts of the truck can be safely cut through. Volvo Trucks is the market leader in the manufacture of electric trucks in Europe, and as has been the case for decades, they’re improving safety through clever innovation. They’ve developed an app for use at the scene of an emergency which guides those on the scene around the important components of the truck using 3D images as well as augmented reality. This means that first responders simply need to type the licence plate of the truck into the app and look at it through their device, and they can see information about the important components and potential hazards overlaid on the image. Our producer Lasse Edfast travelled to Volvo Group’s HQ in Gothenburg, Sweden to meet Anna Wrige Berling, Traffic & Product Safety Director, and Vincent Barnoux, AR Expert & Business Solution Engineer at Volvo. They demonstrate the app for us on one of their trucks and talk about the benefits of using this kind of technology to safely guide users around electric vehicles.

Jan 23, 2024

“Identify and eliminate waste and pollution at source, circulate products and materials at their highest value for as long as possible and regenerate natural systems. So, put back at least as much or more than you take out from the natural ecosystems on which we depend. And do all that by design.” This podcast is no stranger to innovation that drives positive change. We’ve met people who are making electric transport easily accessible in Africa and those using VR to enable medics to reach patients in disaster zones. But what if we could redesign the whole economy to make it waste-free and sustainable for the future? The Ellen MacArthur Foundation was founded in 2010 by the sailor Ellen MacArthur, with the aim of driving forward a circular economy. Traditionally, we think of the economy as linear: we start with extracting raw materials, which we then make products, use those products for their lifespan, and then they are disposed of as waste. The circular economy takes a different approach, with all of the materials extracted and used designed to be recycled, re-used or fed back into the economy at different stages. This involves a different way of thinking at design stage In this special episode of The Third Angle, Paul sits down in the studio to speak to Joe Iles, Circular Design Programme Lead at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. He tells us about the work he is doing to promote the circular economy, and talks about the main things designers should keep in mind when designing something truly sustainable. Explore the rest of the episodes in the series, where we go on location to meet some of the companies helping to shape a better world.

Jan 16, 2024

“What Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man sees, symbols overlaid on the real world, giving him all sorts of information in colour while he’s flying around at speed, that’s the kind of thing that Striker II does” When a fighter pilot is flying a high-speed jet, every second counts. In futuristic TV and movies we’ve got used to seeing pilots reading displays right in front of their eyes, think Iron Man and Top Gun. Well real life is catching up with the revolutionary Striker II Digital Helmet-Mounted Display made by BAE Systems. BAE Systems is one the world’s leading aerospace innovators but their history goes back a long way at their site in Rochester, England. Once a plant that built aircraft during WW2, it’s now the birthplace of augmented reality in aviation, shaping the future of both military and commercial aviation. Nigel Kidd, has worked on the groundbreaking technology that powers Striker II since its inception, Alongside him Paul Harrison, manages the flight simulation facility at Rochester, where they simulate various flight scenarios, from fast jets to commercial aircraft. They explain how Striker II integrates advanced technologies to reduce pilot stress and enhance safety, including a digital night vision that replaces bulky goggles and a potential 3D Audio system for spatial sound recognition.

Dec 6, 2023

"Manufacturing is critical to our national security, our health and our ability to explore new worlds and advance the human condition… VulcanForms exists to move manufacturing forward and be a small piece, hopefully a very important piece, of that future.” VulcanForms is an MIT-born company that builds and operates advanced digital manufacturing infrastructure, founded in 2015. It’s named after Vulcan, the roman god of fire and metalworking. Why? Because the company has developed an innovative new way of manufacturing intricate metal parts on an industrial scale. They use metal additive manufacturing, a form of 3D printing to print engineered metal components that require precise designs and complex structures. This means they can have a production line that can at one time be making components for medical devices, then switch to making consumer electronics, and another week be making products for aviation, space exploration or the defence industry. What’s more this production line is quieter, cleaner and greener than ever more! Manufacturing components this way instead of the traditional method of forging them cuts down on costs and removes the need for a supply chain. In this episode, Co-Founder John Hart takes us around VulcanOne, VulcanForm’s Digital Design Lab in Massachusetts, to find out more We also hear from Brian Thompson at PTC, who tells us about how the 3D CAD software Creo helps the team at VulcanForms collaborate on their designs to perfect this alternative manufacturing process.

Dec 6, 2023

“They wanted to prototype technologies for telexistence… so it’s essentially where you have a remote operator… controlling a robotic autonomous system.” If you are injured in a disaster zone, it is critical that you receive medical care as urgently as possible. But what if the environment is not safe for medics to enter? Either because it is a war zone or because there are hazardous materials around. That’s where AMRC’s VR technology can help. The Advanced Medical Robotics Centre at the University of Sheffield, UK has created pioneering robotics technology to get medics into difficult-to-access areas to triage patients. Using medical telexistence (MediTel) technology, medics can operate a remote controlled robot to reach the patients, and wear a virtual reality headset which places them in that environment. The robots are equipped with medical devices which allow the medics to carry out checks including taking the patient's pulse, administering pain relief and palpitating their abdomen. Meanwhile the headset is so realistic that it feels like the user is there on the ground, with the view from the robot moving in real time as they move their heads. AMRC is hoping to use this technology in the next 1-2 years to save lives in dangerous environments. In this episode we head to Sheffield to visit AMRC’s Digital Design Lab to meet David King, who demonstrates how realistic their MediTel VR technology is.

Dec 6, 2023

“We’re giving the opportunity for people to do a lot of technical work, that generally doesn't happen too often in Kenya” If you’ve been to East Africa you may be familiar with “boda bodas.” If not, they’re small taxi bikes, commonly used by couriers or to transport people. There are 1.2 million of them in Kenya alone, that’s a lot of combustion engines on the roads, and removing them is the problem that Roam Electric are helping to solve Roam was founded in 2017. They started out making electric safari vehicles (no surprise being located right on the edge of the national park) but they now aim to create an electric future for Africa by producing easy-to-use, affordable electric vehicles. As well as developing innovative electric buses as the country’s newest and greenest mass transit solution, they also build an electric motorcycle called the Roam Air, primarily targeted at boda boda riders. In this episode we head to Nairobi to visit Roam’s HQ to meet Masa Kituyi and Dennis Wakaba who show us round the shop floor, take a spin on a Roam Air and hear how the technology and design behind these motorcycles is the future of mobility in Africa. The other fascinating aspect of this story is the positive impact that the company is having locally. The workforce is 39% female and they’re a success story in talent development in Kenya. We also hear from Jon Hirschtick at PTC, who tells us about how the Onshape software helps the whole team at Roam collaborate seamlessly in the design process and management of the whole manufacturing journey.

Dec 6, 2023

“How can we make this so it physically works, but also how can we make it so that it looks amazing as well?” From James Bond to Mission Impossible to The Great Escape, chances are you have probably seen a Triumph motorcycle on the silver screen. Triumph’s most famous bikes are probably their iconic 1960s Bonneville range, but they make a wide range of classic, urban and adventure bikes, and also supply engines for racing bikes, with some models having even broken land- speed records. The company was founded in 1902 and they currently sell around 100,000 bikes each year all around the world. The sleek design which made the 1960s models so famous is very important to the brand, but they also need to include all of the modern hardware that today’s consumers expect, from cruise control to infotainment. Our producer Helen visited Triumph’s headquarters in Hinckley to meet Chief Design Office Geoff Hurst. He showed her around their offices and the on-site Visitor Centre, and explained how clever design is required for their contemporary bikes to maintain all the style of their 1960s models, but include all of the technological advances of the 2020s. We also hear from Mark Lobo at PTC, who tells us about how the Windchill software is ideal for automotive and motorcycle manufacturing companies like Triumph who value quality and attention to detail.

Dec 6, 2023

“We believe that Africa shouldn’t be trailing behind the developing world in green initiatives, but that actually Africa is primed to lead the drive to green initiatives.” Around the world, over 3 billion people don’t have access to motorised transport. This means that farmers in emerging economies can struggle to get their produce to market. They might have to carry heavy loads long distances, or pay to rent a bike which isn’t suited to dangerous roads, all because they can’t afford to buy a truck. OxDelivers is working to change all this by allowing farmers to rent space in their electric OxTrucks. As the farmers are only paying for the space they need, the system remains affordable and allows them to take more goods to market and make more profit. The OxDelivers system is currently operating in Rwanda, but they aim to expand to other emerging markets. The OxTrucks have been designed to be durable enough to negotiate the hilly Rwandan roads, and fully electric to keep costs down and to be less polluting. Our producer Helen visited their HQ in Leamington Spa in the UK to find out more about how OxDelivers are constantly innovating and improving their trucks to give the best possible service to their customers. We also hear from Jon Hirschtick at PTC, who tells us about how OnShape’s cloud-based system can suit a small start-up like OxDelivers and help their engineers to work collaboratively with their office in Rwanda.

Dec 6, 2023

“There’s nothing really else out there that compares to this…. It’s the closest to real life you can get without actually going out on track in a car.“ Imagine being able to race round all the world’s top Formula One circuits and feel every bump and bit of understeer without actually having to travel anywhere. Or to be able to test drive a road car that hasn’t been built yet on the motorway. Dynisma creates driving simulators that make this possible. Founded by ex-F1 engineer Ash Warne, Dynisma develops incredibly realistic driving simulators for both motorsport teams and the car industry. What sets their simulators apart though is how quickly they respond, in milliseconds, so drivers feel like they’re driving a real car. Our host (and motor racing fan) Paul Haimes joined Ash in Dynisma’s office in Somerset to learn more about how they build state of the art simulators - and to have a test drive in their flagship DMG-1 model simulator. Paul drives the DMG-1 around the famous Spa Francorchamps F1 circuit, guided around by junior Aston Martin driver Tom Canning, to feel the responsiveness and realism of the simulator. Ash also takes us around their manufacturing site to see the simulators in construction, and tells us about how incredibly accurate simulators can help motorsport teams and manufacturers cut down on travel and plan for a greener future. We also hear from Jon Hirschtick at PTC, who tells us about how OnShape’s cloud-based system can help Dynisma engineers to be more collaborative and get to the cutting edge of simulation.

Dec 6, 2023

“It is different, it is unique, and people are not used to seeing a piano in this harmonious mustard colour.” Since the launch of the Casiotone keyboard in 1980, the electronic keyboard has become a popular addition to our homes. A more affordable and portable option to the classic piano, it opened up an exciting new era of musical expression to a generation of consumers. Although they started out making calculators and watches, they have since sold over 100 million musical instruments. Their latest model, the PX-S7000 in “harmonious mustard” from the Casio Privia range, is not only going down a storm with musicians but it’s also a thing of beauty winning design awards for its unusual look. Neil Evans is the Electronic Music Division of Casio in the UK and Ireland. He tells us about the cultural impact and evolution of the casio keyboard… and also plays us some tunes. Find out from Neil how the sound samples have evolved over the years, how their dedication to detail makes playing the keyboard a truly sensory experience, and why that sleek and lightweight design is so important. We also hear from Brian Thompson, who heads up PTC’s CAD division. He explains how Casio uses Creo to further develop its Privia range in terms of ECAD-MCAD collaboration, and how the software helps the company to balance the electronic and mechanical aspects of the design. This is especially important with customers placing more and more emphasis on aesthetics.

Dec 5, 2023

“The project has definitely made me more curious about all the kinds of subjects I had to delve into for the project… also resilience, I think, is a big part of it.“ Education is vital for inspiring the engineers of tomorrow. In this special episode of the podcast we ask: are we encouraging enough young people to go into engineering to meet the demand for innovation? We speak to Jordan Cox from PTC’s Education segment about the importance of inspiring the next generation to study STEM subjects, and how the company is supporting academia in creating the engineers of the future. We also head to Germany to meet Steve Sandhoop, a high school student at the Gymnasium in den Filder Benden, who is living proof that giving students access to technology to get involved in engineering can yield great results. Steve created a robot arm designed to carry out knee surgery as part of his final project at school. Not content with just building the robot, he also created an accurate life-size model of a human knee for it to operate on. He 3D printed all parts of his robot arm and the model knee in the school “fab lab” (short for fabrication lab) and consulted with a surgeon to make the model anatomically correct. Steve designed the robotic arm in PTC’s Onshape CAD software. We hear about how the project has ignited an interest in engineering and software for Steve and how vital it was for him to have the tools and support provided for him by his school.

Dec 5, 2023

“You see a photograph and you’d be hard pressed to say that’s a model… I can still get tricked.” Many of us will have nostalgic memories of building Airfix model kits of planes as a child. In the UK, the name 'Airfix' has become practically synonymous with plastic models of the iconic British WW2 fighter plane, the Spitfire. However, Airfix (and their parent company Hornby Hobbies) make model kits of a wide range of vehicles and aircraft, from sports cars to classic and modern jets, trains, tanks and even warships. Their models range in complexity all the way from starter kits to very complex designs. Senior Designer Chris Joy tells us about the development of new kits and the detailed research that is required to make Airfix models the most detailed and accurate representations of planes and vehicles as possible. He explains the artistry involved in putting together the smallest details on model planes, including making the outside look weathered and beaten, and discusses how computer-aided design has helped models to evolve over the years. We then speak to Head of Strategic Delivery Jamie Buchanan who tells us why he thinks people are still so drawn to practical model kits in a world of technology. We also hear from Brian Thompson, who heads up PTC’s CAD division. He explains why PTC’s CAD software CREO is such a crucial part of allowing designers to capture the small details of aircraft which make the Airfix models so accurate.

Dec 5, 2023

“The genesis of Xenith was basically: there’s gotta be a better way.” Athletes who play American Football regularly face high-impact tackles, the force of which can feel like being hit by a baby whale. As more research is being done into the potential effects of repeated head trauma on an athlete’s health, there is a renewed focus on safety measures in the sport being driven from the top down by the NFL. Xenith was founded in 2006 by Vin Ferrara, who had played college football as a quarterback and was interested in creating a new game-changing type of helmet. Xenith’s unique approach is to use adaptive technology which allows the helmet to move independently to the athlete’s head on impact, protecting them from the majority of the force. Now, Xenith’s helmets are used across the globe and the company makes various different types of protective equipment including helmets, shoulder pads and core guards from their headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. In this episode Chief Engineer Ron Jadischke takes us around their HQ to demonstrate some of the impact testing performed on their new helmets and explain the technology “under the hood” of certain models. We also hear from Brian Thompson, who head’s up PTC’s CAD division, to talk about how PTC’s CREO technology can help Xenith find new ways to improve athlete safety.

Dec 5, 2023

Creo Parametric Tips

Episode 36 - Club Car: Shaping tomorrow’s mobility - where will it take us?

Episode 37 - Farmbot: A journey into digital gardening

Episode 35 - Tatum Robotics: Hands-On Innovation for the DeafBlind Community

Episode 34 - WaterFleet: Creating drinking water where there is no drinking water!

Episode 33 - Innoptus Solar Team: How fast can you go in a race car powered by the sun?

Episode 32 - Vestas: How large can wind turbines get, and is bigger always better?

Episode 30 - Looking Back: The technology that’s tackling the climate crisis

Episode 29 - Jabra: Listening to the Future of Audio in 360 Degrees

Episode 31 - Volvo Trucks: The augmented reality keeping first responders safe

Episode 28 - Designing a Zero Waste Economy with Joe Iles from The Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Episode 27 - BAE Systems: Vision of the Future for Fighter Pilots

Episode 26 - VulcanForms: Laser Focused on the Production Line of the Future

Episode 25 - AMRC: The Robots Saving Lives in Danger Zones

Episode 24 - Roam: Electrifying Africa’s Mobility

Episode 23 - Triumph: Iconic Motorcycles Which Were the Choice of Steve McQueen and James Bond

Episode 22 - OX Delivers: The World’s First Clean-transport Ecosystem Transforming Lives in Rwanda

Episode 21 - Dynisma: The Ultra-realistic Driving Simulators Training F1’s Biggest Stars

Episode 20 - Casio: The Secrets Behind Making Keyboards Sound, and Feel Like the Real Thing!

Episode 19 - Education in Engineering: The Student Who Built a Surgical Robot Arm

Episode 18 - Airfix: Modelling the Iconic British Spitfire with Incredible Accuracy

Episode 17 - Xenith: Football helmet technology that is changing the game for athletes

Creo Tips and Techniques Webcast Series (West)

Creo Tips & Techniques Webcast Series (East)