Email message about legacy product?

[DavidJ]

Yes - if you get error messages that you are convinced are incorrect when attempting activation, do check that system clock is showing close to correct time. If the clock is significantly adrift from current time, this will be interpreted as a possible 'wind back' attempt to defeat licence or trial expiry date.

This can happen particularly to dual boot computers running Windows and some other OS - by default Windows sets BIOS RTC to local time, whereas other OS set it to UTC - when booting Windows after running other OS it can be some considerable period before system clock gets synced to a time server, until this happens it is quite possible that Alibre Design won't launch.

 

[Bazzer]

Toaster -- Whereas about 35%-40% of my design work lives in the "+.002/-.000" or "+.000/-.002" (inch) universe, it is less expensive, faster, and better for me to have parts machined out of real materials than it is for me to play with 3D printing. Back in 2014-15 I tested more than 200 3D printing materials against their published physical properties (for the USAF). The test values were typically about 40% of the published values and, in rare instances, as high as 60% of their published values. This is a technology I find hard to get excited about.

I agree with Lew on this, there are many good machine shops who can turn out the prototype part for fit and function checks.

3D printing has its place, I have seen some items that would be impossible to make without a 3D printer, however often it is a case of choosing appropriate technology and techniques.
Barrie

 

[GIOV]

Guys,
Please go to the 3D Printing forum.
Thanks

 

[ToasterTan]

First - ONE reason I chose Alibre is because I was told it could interface well with a 3-D printer and export in file types the machinist can use. I understand it generates a drawing as well. I think the topic is appropriate for this forum as long as it doesn't turn into a debate over if or what printer. That's a moot issue to engage.

The biggest reason was to CUT OUT having to use a machinist to create one-off parts for proof of design. Not only is it hard to find a shop or person to make one-off parts, it's very costly and time consuming. Every small change required another part or modification to be created and the process flow totally dependent on the shop making them. Few want to do it unless they get the production work too. The whole purpose of buying Alibre was to control the process myself and drastically reduce the time from design to machinist. I expect the flow to drop from months to days as I can work to MY schedule. Also - I want to create on Alibre and print stuff which may never be produced. Try things out to see how they look. How they function. Get other opinions and discard if it's not feasible or marketable. That gets REAL expensive - Real fast!

I will say this again - the fit-check parts do NOT have to be at a precision level beyond a printer capability. I can fine tune a printed part as needed or produce several versions to see how they work. It only costs my time and some media.

 

[dwc]

Hi Tan,
If you know and realise the limits of 3D printing it can be very useful. You can, just as you describe, get things done much quicker, but must realise you will probably never sell anything coming from the 3D printer, it is just a physical visualisation that can limit your need for a machinist when doing first (maybe non-functional) prototypes.
Have fun, you are on the right road.
Don

 

[Jarek]

Hi.
Has anyone analyzed carefully the Alibre license terms and can say on what basis the right to use the software should expire. English is not my native language, but for me the records just indicate the right of use ..?
Regards

 

[ajayre]

Hi Tan,
If you know and realise the limits of 3D printing it can be very useful. You can, just as you describe, get things done much quicker, but must realise you will probably never sell anything coming from the 3D printer, it is just a physical visualisation that can limit your need for a machinist when doing first (maybe non-functional) prototypes.
Have fun, you are on the right road.
Don

If the strength and functionality of a 3D printed part is acceptable for the end product, and the quantities required are low, then yes you can sell parts from a 3D printer. Many people do exactly that. Not every application requires metal parts machined to high tolerances, or the mass production of injection molding.

Andy

 

[bigseb]

Veering off-course, guys. Lets get back to the original topic and start a new discussion for the 3D printing.

 

[Bowber]

I got the email yesterday and while I have Alibre PE 14 and 3 licences all my computers are quite old, I've just had my HP laptop mess up (looks like the graphics card) so my son has given me his old one and my PC's are both over 3 years old.
The software is just for hobby use so I can't justify the cost of maintenance so that's out!
I know there is free software out there but that doesn't help with current files, plus I'm used to Alibre and find it a pain learning new software.
Can't the developers create a patch that allows the software to install offline and say locks it to a username or something like that?

Steve

 

[Max]

Can't the developers create a patch that allows the software to install offline and say locks it to a username or something like that?

Unfortunately no. We don't even have the source code from some of the older version anymore. It's not something 3D Systems kept.

 

[MikeHenry]

Unfortunately no. We don't even have the source code from some of the older version anymore. It's not something 3D Systems kept.

Is that as surprising and inept as it sounds to a non-programmer?

 

[JST]

It is pretty normal for any company that does NOT have a handle on version control.

Or ones that have changed systems, and opted not to convert the "legacy data" into the new system.

And, of course, companies that have no intention of really maintaining the product..... Which sounds JUST like 3D Systems

 

[NateLiquidGravity]

I would suggest a simple free viewer/exporter be made without any licensing required. Make it only open Alibre Design / Geomagic Design files so it only is good for past users.

 

[MikeHenry]

And, of course, companies that have no intention of really maintaining the product..... Which sounds JUST like 3D Systems

And that's another reason that I will never buy a 3D Systems product, given a choice.

 

[JST]

I would suggest a simple free viewer/exporter be made without any licensing required. Make it only open Alibre Design / Geomagic Design files so it only is good for past users.

There used to be a viewer, anyway. It was large, and cumbersome, and sometimes it actually worked. I do not recall what it actually did besides allowing you to view the part or assembly, and probably print views. I do not know if it would export anything, even a JPG.

I have not seen any reference to it recently. I once installed it where I was working, and it did what we wanted, which was to see the models.

If you make an "exporter" then you get in trouble with program versions that may not have the capability, so it becomes a free way to get around that. Maybe if it identified the originating program, and allowed only what that program allows, it might be OK on that score. Certainly a universal export format is the almost worthless STEP file, and that could be the minimum. That and a JPEG of whatever view exists on screen when the export is done, just as the program now does.

The basic ability to use the measuring tool would be useful as well.

 

[bigseb]

Alibre used to have a viewer but really was cumbersome, as JST says. Firstly, it was Alibre but with everything grayed-out. This didn't look good to my eyes and, like it or not, slick looks count for a lot in a professional setting. Secondly, the licensing system just far to involved for a viewer.

I know why Alibre did it the way they did. It was the cheapest/most efficient/quickest way to give us a viewer that we (including myself) had been clamouring for. Unfortunately the finished product just wasn't on par with Alibre.

 

[HaroldL]

Rather than just disabling the design functions they should have been removed. I'm not sure but that may have prevented the grayed out icons/options and presented a cleaner interface.

 

[Jarek]

I asked Alibre two times what is the legal basis of the acts, so far I have not received any answer. Does anyone have such information?
Why do you talk about the viewer, rather you have to defend your rights ...
Has anyone talked to a lawyer?

 

[JST]

Alibre LLC presumably has no relation to either 3D Systems, nor the original Alibre company. Alibre bought the rights to the program, but may not have had the responsibility for old versions transferred. That is pretty likely, since the license system remained under the control of 3D Systems.

The details of what they are obligated to do are dependent on what they purchased from 3D Systems, and, in turn, what 3D Systems bought from the original Alibre company. I think 3DSys bought the whole original Alibre company, and so would have inherited their liabilities.

However, Alibre LLC may not have bought everything, since they did not get control of the licensing. We have been told that 3DS did not HAVE the source code for older versions, or at least did not provide it to Alibre LLC.

Alibre LLC may have no legal responsibility to maintain the old versions, and evidently have no ABILITY to do so due to 3DS not providing the means necessary to do it, and not turning over control of the licensing system.

Your best protection is to make a disk image of your existing hard drive with the program and operating system on it. then you can re-create exactly what you have at any time in the future with no need to re-install anything.

 

[dammerel]

Hi all
I have always saved file ad neutral format STEP yes i know step is a dumb format but every cad system can import it even freecad. You need to protect your data like backing up. Andrew