Vectorworks Machine Design
Vectorworks Machine Design is specifically engineered for smart-sized design firms, machine shops, and fabricators that need an easy-to-use, easy-to-learn, 2D/3D design application. Powered by our core engine, Parasolid®, Vectorworks Machine Design provides superior 2D capabilities and first class 3D modeling. Vectorworks Machine Design seamlessly collaborates with all standard file formats, so there are truly no limits to what you can do.
Benefits
A comprehensive, streamlined 2D/3D design solution, Vectorworks Machine Design is specifically engineered for design firms, machine shops, and metal fabricators. Unlike "lite" CAD programs, Machine Design goes far beyond 2D with sophisticated professional CAD capabilities to help you create, model, present, and manufacture your designs. Draw from thousands of free images in object libraries. Experience precision drafting and flexible tools for 3D modeling. Use a built-in database and worksheets to track costs and materials. Automate routine tasks with built-in scripting. Simplify file-sharing with a host of import/export formats. This program has all the tools you need to get the job done right.
Comprehensive to Cover Your Needs
Use one program for everything from drafting to modeling to reporting . From conception to completion, Vectorworks Machine Design features state-of-the-art technology that sets you above the competition.
Superior in Presentations
With Vectorworks Machine Design, you can create high-quality renderings and even present your designs as animated movies. Plug in RenderWorks to upgrade your presentations.
No Learning Curve Required
Out of the box and out of the gate. Vectorworks Machine Design was designed to think like you do, so you are up and running right away doing what you like to do best—design.
Plays Well with Others
Vectorworks Machine Design can work fluidly with your colleagues' or your other programs, so there's nothing lost in the translation.
Customer-Focused for Your Success
Your relationship with us doesn't end when you download the software. We provide many channels for you to get the information, training, tech support and networking you need.
Cost-Effective for Your Practice
You won't find another professional design program that packs so much into such a small price. In one package, you get state-of-the-art tools and technology and the ability to work from conception to completion.
Proven Worldwide
We listen to our customers and use their feedback to create a product that continually exceeds expectations, delivering superior design flexibility and world-class graphics. Join the more than 400,000 professional designers worldwide who use Vectorworks.
New In 2010
Machine Design Features
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New Sheet Metal Screws We've added 2D and 3D sheet metal for self-tapping screw objects |
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New Lag Screws & Carriage Bolt Objects We've also added 2D and 3D lag screw objects, and we wouldn't be complete without adding 2D and 3D carriage bolts, or round head, round head square neck bolts View Illustration |
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New Simple Beam Properties You can now access the properties of standard structural shapes when performing a simple beam analysis, including the new 2D and 3D z-section object.View Illustration |
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Improved Simple Beam Calculator We've replaced the abbreviated field titles of the Simple Beam Calculator with more descriptive terms. And you'll see an option that lets you populate the beam properties fields with standard structural shape information. |
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Improved Shaft Tool We've added pipe threads to the Shaft tool. |
3D Environment
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New Unified 2D/3D Environment Building upon the Parasolid modeling foundation we laid in 2009, Vectorworks 2010 has a new unified view that makes it an ideal 3D modeling environment. When you're working in unified view, it allows you to select and modify objects on any layer. View Movie |
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Improved 3D Snapping Now more than ever, Vectorworks users are investigating the potential of 3D. As a result, you'll notice improvements in the overall usability and reliability of 3D snapping. With the 3D cursor and new working plane graphics, you can reliably acquire your snaps, so it's easier to select, modify, and align your objects in 3D. View Movie |
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New Planar Graphics 2D objects can occupy the screen plane as they do now, or they can become planar objects, which exist in 3D space and maintain their relationship to the 3D model. View Illustration |
Associativity
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New Dimensional Constraint Manager (DCM) Make life easier with more reliable parametric constraints. The new and robust Dimensional Constraint Manager provides bi-directional associativity, so you can interactively make edits to either objects or their constraints and have the changes automatically reflected. View Movie |
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Interactive Dimension Editing Great new feature alert: now you can directly edit object geometry by changing its dimension value! Just edit the dimension value and when you press Enter, both the dimension and the associated object automatically update. View Movie |
Drafting Improvements
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New Dash Style Capabilities With easy access to the Dash Styles dialog box from the Attributes palette, you can use up to 128 dash styles, reorder your dash styles, and custom name dash styles. |
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New Purge Capabilities We've upgraded the Purge command in Vectorworks 2010 to do the following:
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Improved 2D Reshape Tool Here's a new trick: when you use the 2D Reshape tool to make a marquee selection and hold the Shift key down, you can select object vertices even when they are over another object.View Movie |
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New Rectangle, Arc, and Circle Modes Drawing precise rectangles just got easier with new rectangle by Center/Corner and Side/Opposite Corner modes. Drawing circles just got easier too. With new Circle by Point and Center and Circle by Tangent and Center modes, you'll create the most precise circles. Also, check out the new Arc by Circumference mode of the Arc tool. View Illustration |
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Connect/Combine Tool Support for Multiple Objects We introduced a new mode that lets you extend multiple objects to a single boundary object in just one click. Voilà !View Movie |
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Chamfer by Length Option Now you can precisely define the length of the chamfer line.View Movie |
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Shortcut Support for Modification Tools Now the Rotate, Mirror, Offset, and Move by Points tools don't require you to pre-select the object you wish to modify. |
Drawing Efficiency
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Easy Mapping of Associative Hatches Now you'll have greater control over modifying an object's associative hatch fill—you can more easily identify the origin, and precisely set the hatch origin, rotation, and scale.View Movie |
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New Select Similar Tool Super time-saver alert! The new Select Similar tool enables you to select the objects you need with just one click, regardless of class or layer. You can select all similar objects based on any combination of 27 criteria, define saved settings, and save, load, or delete your selection settings—easier done than said.View Movie |
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New Global World Coordinates You can choose to display global world coordinates, in addition to screen coordinates, when in rotated plan view, making it simple to accurately align your designs with the global coordinate system. The global and screen coordinates also display in different colours throughout the application for quick identification. View Illustration |
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Improved Move by Points Tool When moving objects by a specified offset distance from the reference point, you can now choose whether you'd prefer to click on the object you want to move first and then the reference point, or vice versa. It's up to you. View Illustration |
Import and Export Improvements
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Import improvements include:
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Export improvements include:
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New Dimension Options
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Simultaneous Dimension Editing You can simultaneously edit single and chain dimensions; the Object Info palette now displays all of the additional parameters available for chain dimensions. You are a model of efficiency. View Illustration |
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New Segment Position Control for Linear Dimensions We've added a widget to the Object Info palette and Properties dialog box for linear dimensions so you can specify which segment of the dimension (either endpoint or the center point) remains fixed when the dimension is resized. View Illustration |
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New Dimension Standard Options You can now quickly select the default dimension standard for your document or specify a new custom dimension standard from a new drop-down menu on the Tool bar. You can also access the Custom Dimension dialog box from the Object Info palette. View Illustration |
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Dimension Text Drag Support Previously, you could only drag dimension text parallel to the dimension line. Now, the text for angular dimensions can be moved along the dimension curve and text for all other dimensions can be dragged in any direction, without affecting the dimension line location. So go ahead and drag dimension text in linear, as well as chain dimensions, wherever you desire. |
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Chain Dimension Text Collision Control With text collision control, you can prevent chain dimension text from overlapping and becoming unreadable—ah, that's better. View Illustration |
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New Arc Length Dimension Tool Now you can dimension any portion of an arc along its circumference. |
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Fractional Dimension Display Check out the new control in the Units dialog box. It gives you the option of displaying fractional dimension values in one of three smaller, classical fraction styles for all dimension types. View Illustration |
New Help System
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Adobe AIR for Online Help Our totally redesigned help system now uses Adobe AIR; this eliminates browser issues and includes nifty Web 2.0 features. You'll enjoy superior search capability, adding web and RSS feed links, and including custom notes to the help topics that will benefit every Vectorworks user in your office. View Movie |
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Enhanced Viewport and Referencing Capabilities
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New Viewport Visibility Options Now you'll enjoy even greater control over the look and feel of the viewports in your design. This preference allows you to apply your non-referenced design layer viewport visibilities to your sheet layer viewports. View Illustration |
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Improved File Referencing Capabilities A more intuitive solution: when the program can't find referenced resources during an update, it will prompt you to break the reference, replace the resource with another available one, or delete the resource entirely. View Illustration |
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In-Place Reference Editing Here's a big time-saver: now you can modify referenced resources in place and in context with the right-click edit option, and even save the changes directly to the referenced file. Use this option for referenced gradients, hatch definitions, record definitions, render backgrounds, symbol definitions, textures, and, for Design Series users, sketch styles and wall styles. This feature will also allow you to modify referenced symbols in context. View Movie |
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Improved Viewport Crop Editing When creating or editing viewport crops, the cropped area that was previously invisible is now visible in either wireframe or light grey. This allows you to snap to objects outside the crop while reshaping or moving the crop object. View Movie |
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Improved Elevation Benchmark We've added another parameter to the US-style elevation benchmark so you can extend the crosshair marks a custom distance beyond the marker circle. |
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New Find Resource Capability Try the handy new "Find Resource" menu item in the Resource Browser to quickly locate resources within the current document. |
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Resource Browser View Enhancement It's a cinch to distinguish between similar resource names, since the Resource Browser now supports up to five lines of text for thumbnail views.View Illustration |
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Multi-Processor Support All of the Parasolid-based functionality in Vectorworks 2010 now takes advantage of multiprocessing on the Macintosh. |
Features
Create dynamic 2D and 3D designs, glide through your projects with a tightly streamlined interface, and access extensive features and resource libraries. Vectorworks Machine Design offers the features you want in a comprehensive, intuitive software that will multi-task just like you do.
A vast suite of 2D precision drafting tools provide you intelligent ways to design.
- Parametric Constraints
- Free Hand Tool
- Smart Cursor
- Mirror
- Rectangle
- Tangents
- Flyover
- Split
- Rounded Rectangle
- Lines
- Spiral
- Attribute Mapping
- Rotated Rectangle
- Double Line
- Eye Dropper
- Trim
- Circle
- Arc
- Attribute Mapping
- Fillet
- Circle by Points
- Polyline
- 2D Reshape
- Chamfer
- Oval
- Polygon
- Rotate
- Offset
- Clip
- Move by Point
- Chamfer tool
- Double Polygon
- Connect/Combine
- Create Similar Object
- Plan Rotate
- Select Similar
Machine Components Tool Set
- Bevel Gears- 2D and 3D
- Key- 2D and 3D
- Pulley- 2D and 3D
- Roller Chain- Circular, Linear
- Hub- 3D
- Offset Link- 2D and 3D
- Shaft- 2D and 3D
- Sprocket- 2D and 3D
- Spur Gear- 2D and 3D
- Spur Gear Rack- 2D and 3d
- Woodruff Key- 2D and 3D
- Worm Gear- 2D and 3D
Bearings Tool Set
- Ball Bearing- 2D and 3D
- Bearing Lock Nut- 2D and 3D
- Flanged Bearing- 2D and 3D
- Needle Bearing- 2D and 3D
- Pillow Block- 2D and 3D
- Roller Bearing- 2D and 3D
- Tapered Roller Bearing
- Thrust Bearing- 2D and 3D
Hardware ISO/DIN Tool Set
- Clevis Pin- 2D and 3D
- Fastener Tool- 2D and 3D
- Screw- 2D and 3D
- Hex Cap Nut- 2D and 3D
- Knurled Thumb Nut- 2D, 3D
- Parallel Pin- 2D and 3D
- Retaining Ring- 2D and 3D
- Retaining Washer-2D and 3D
- Rivet- 2D and 3D
- Taper Pin- 2D and 3D
- Tubular Rivet- 2D and 3D
- Wing Nut (DIN)- 2D and 3D
Hardware Inch/Metric Tool Set
- Acorn Nut- 2D and 3D
- Clevis Pin- 2D and 3D
- Cotter Pin- 2D and 3D
- Dowel Pin- 2D and 3D
- Eye Bolt- 2D and 3D
- Fastener Tool- 2D and 3D
- J-Bolt- 2D and 3D
- Knurled Thumb Nut- 2D, 3D
- Retaining Ring- 2D and 3D
- Rivet-- Small, Large 2D and 3D
- Swing Bolt- 2D and 3D
- Swing Eye Bolt- 2D and 3D
- T-bolt- 2D and 3D
- Thumb Screw- 2D and 3D
- U-Bolt- 2D and 3D
- Wing Nut- Type A, B, C, D
Springs Tool Set
- Belleville Spring- 2D and 3D
- Compression Spring 1, 2
- Conical Compression Spring
- Die Spring
- Extension Spring- Front, End
- Extension Spring- 3D
- Torsion Spring- Front, End
- Torsion Spring 3D
Welding Symbols Tool Set
- Leader Line
- Surface Texture Symbol
- Welding Sym- Fillet, Flange
- Groove, Misc, Slot-Plug (AWS, ISO)
- Gradients
- Image fills
- Hatches
- Hand Sketch Styling
Annotate and detail your drawings using the detailing suite in Vectorworks Machine Design. Options include:
- Constrained Dimensions
- Angular Dimensions
- Radial Dimensions
- Chain Dimensions
- General Notes
- Scale Bar
- Sheet Metal and Lag Screws
- Section Markers
- ID labels
- Slope Dimensions
- Grid Bubble Tool
- Carriage Bolts
- Dimensional Constraints Manager
- Z-Sections
- Tolerancing Note
- Drawing Borders and Title Blocks
Sharing your drawings is very simple with a broad array of export options.
- DXF/DWG
- Database
- VectorScript
- EPSF
- Worksheet
- Image File
- Meta File
- PDF Batch
- 3DS
- IGES
- KML
- SAT
- Parasolid X_T
- Simple VectorScript
- STL
- Vectorworks 10 File
- Vectorworks 11 File
- Vectorworks 12 File
- Vectorworks 2008 File
Sharing your drawings is very simple with a broad array of import options.
- DXF/DWG
- Part Spec
- EPSF
- Image File
- Meta File
- Meta File as picture
- Worksheet
- VectorScript
- 3DS
- IGES
- SAT
- Parasolid X_T
- SketchUp
Visualizing designs in is a breeze using a series of commands and rendering options available with the add on, Renderworks.
- Atmospheric effects
- Thousands of textures
- QuickTime VR models
- Solar Animations
- Volumetric lighting
- Artistic Rendering Styles
- Render physical light with .ies light distribution files
- Create accurate renderings with Radiosity or Final Gather Rendering
- High Dynamic Range Images (HDRI)
Australian Features
OzCAD produces a special version of Machine Design that contains Australian libraries, additional tools and commands, along with high quality 2D and 3D entourage libraries for people, vehicles, trees, furniture, hatches, colour palettes, image fills and gradients. For more information, read the detailed descriptions below.
Australian Colour Libraries
This command provides access to libraries of professional Colour Systems commonly used by Specifiers in Australia. Standard libraries include Dulux®, Taubmans, Porters, Murabond, Colorbond®, Laminex®, Concrete Colour Systems and Cabots®.
Custom Dashed Line Tool
Useful for boundary lines, piping runs or electrical wiring, this tool is designed to draw straight sided polygons with edges comprising of dashed lines with a cross line or piece of text in the dash space. Once drawn, the polygon can be reshaped with the 2D Reshape tool.
Equal Dimension Tool
Replaces the numeric dimension value on a picked dimension with the text ‘EQ’.
3D Tape Measure Tool
Quickly determine distances between points or objects in a 3D model using this new tool. Like its 2D counterpart, it provides a running total length as well as the length of the last segment drawn.
Title Block Tool & Issue Command
The VAA Title Block tool and VAA Revise Issue Print commands provide a complete and flexible system for adding title blocks to drawings, entering issue or revision notes, batch printing and creating or updating a comprehensive transmittal. These tools are designed to speed-up drawing management whilst maintaining more accurate and detailed revision and issue history for the full duration of a project.
In Vectorworks 2008, there are new options which include north points, drawing stamps and custom names for title block symbols.
Entourage and Resource Libraries
- Additional hatch libraries
- Additional paving brick, vegetation, stonework and other materials image fills and textures
- Additional colour palette libraries
- Additional gradient fills
- Extensive and new 2D and 3D libraries for people, trees, cars, furniture, etc.
- New 3D tree and people image prop objects for rendering
AnimationWorks
AnimationWorks allows you to create complex camera or object animations entirely within Vectorworks, then save them as QuickTime movies which can be viewed by anyone who has QuickTime installed. Read more and see sample movies.