An Integrated Design Environment
AutoCAD® 2004 Support and ACIS Solids Import/Export
Better Text Tools
Completely Customisable
DWG is Only the Beginning
Easier Object Editing
Easy Database and Spreadsheet Functions
Faster Data Entry
Faster, More Robust 3D Modelling
High-end Presentation
Integrated Analysis
New Calculators
New Mechanical Objects
New Trim & Extend Capabilities
Powerful 3D Modelling
Redline Suite
Smaller Files Sizes and Faster Hidden Line Rendering
Sophisticated 2D Drafting
Viewports
Word Processing Features
Mac System Requirements
Windows System Requirements

Features (Detail)

An Integrated Design Environment
VectorWorks MECHANICAL stores all of a project's information (2D plans, 3D models, data, and graphics) into a single file, making it easy to coordinate and manage any changes to your design. Don't waste time importing and exporting files to get the capabilities you need-VectorWorks MECHANICAL has it all.

AutoCAD® 2004 Support and ACIS Solids Import/Export
We've made dramatic improvements in DXF/DWG including support for AutoCAD 2004® and support for paper and model space, and support for AutoCAD solids. In addition, you'll find new Import/Export ACIS/SAT commandS, as well as support for Thomas Register' PartSpec® Library.

Better Text Tools
We have added our Notes Management suite to MECHANICAL. With MECHANICAL's new notes databases you can now easily create, store, and manage your notes right in the program.A new General Notes tool makes it easy to place perfectly formatted general notes from your General Notes database. And, a new Callout tool allows you to precisely place Callouts or Keynotes from your Callout Database.Plus, you can automatically reconcile the notes that are in the database with the notes in the drawing-assuring that the text you place on the drawing is correct. This is great when working in a multi-user environment where teams of designers are sharing the same notes database.

Completely Customisable
Easily customise your workspaces by configuring new tool palettes and menu commands, deleting unused ones, or rearranging their order and location. You can also assign, modify or delete keyboard shortcuts for any palettes, tools, and commands. Plus, a complete, self-contained development environment is built right in. It's simple enough to be used by a beginner, yet powerful enough for even the most experienced CAD programmer. You can create everything from simple scripts that automate routine drafting tasks, to full-blown commercial applications! It's all up to you.

DWG is Only the Beginning
Easily integrate VectorWorks MECHANICAL into your firm, even if you already have a CAD system. A stable of import/export options, including DWG, IGS, STL, EPS, TIF and JPG, makes it easy to share files between popular desktop publishing, presentation, analysis, and other CAD programs. Plus, because both the Mac and Windows version of VectorWorks MECHANICAL are created from the same core code, you can easily move VectorWorks MECHANICAL files between Mac and Windows machines.

Easier Object Editing
We've enhanced the capability of the Eyedropper tool to make editing objects even easier. Now, in addition to graphical attributes, the Eyedropper tool can easily transfer plug-in object parameters, textures, text settings, wall types, and record information from one object to another. In addition, the Eyedropper tool now works with objects already inserted into walls and it supports Class Attributes.

Easy Database and Spreadsheet Functions
VectorWorks MECHANICAL does much more than just design. With built-in database and spreadsheet capabilities, you don't need a separate program to track your project's costs and materials--VectorWorks MECHANICAL will do it for you. Easily attach information, such as manufacturer, size, part number, order and pricing information to objects in your drawing. This information can be accessed at any time during the design process and can be used to generate schedules, Bills of Material, and other reports. And, because the information and the drawings are linked, any changes to the design will automatically be updated in your paperwork.

Faster Data Entry
A subtle, yet powerful change to the Data Display bar makes it much faster and easier to draw with the keyboard. Now, instead of using the Tab key to move between data Display fields and the Enter key to lock in data, the Tab key does both. Simply tab into the Data Display bar to move between fields and input your information. In addition, by using the Shift and Tab keys, you can reverse through the Data Display bar, making it simple to go back and correct input errors.

Faster, More Robust 3D Modelling
An enhanced 3D modeling kernel results in faster and more reliable solids modelling operations. Plus, you'll find new NURBS modeling tools that give you more control over complex 3D surfaces. And, a Volumetric Properties command that automatically calculates the volume, surface area, and center of mass of any 3D solid.

High-end Presentation
Not only does VectorWorks MECHANICAL have all the tools you need to complete your project, it can even help you sell the job! Create high-quality renderings with dramatic lighting effects, and even animated movies of your designs! Plus, by adding VectorWorks' advanced rendering plug-in, RenderWorks, you can map textures, add shadows, background and prop images, and weather effects to give your presentations a photorealistic look.

Integrated Analysis
VectorWorks MECHANICAL includes a number of tools and utilities that assist you during the drafting and design process, including a Spring Calculator, Shaft Analysis, Conversion Factors, Solutions of Triangles, and Centroid utilities. You'll also find tools to perform simple beam analyses, and design and study the kinematics of Cams and Geneva Mechanisms.

New Calculators
New calculators make it easy to quickly analyze different mechanical components such as beams, springs, keyways, belts and chains.

New Mechanical Objects
A new 2D and 3D woodruff key has been added to go along with the existing key object. And, a new ball bearing lock nut object has been added. The ball bearing lock nut displays in 2D as well as 3D.

New Trim & Extend Capabilities
A new mode in the Split tool makes trimming objects fast and easy. The new Trim Line mode allows you to split objects with a line, and gesture to select which side of the split you want to keep. Plus, the Connect/Combine tool can now extend multiple lines with a single click. A great time saver!

Powerful 3D Modelling
VectorWorks MECHANICAL's built-in 3D Power Pack makes it easy to explore, conceptualize and visualize complex forms in 3D. With breakthrough non-manifold modeling technology and an independent modeling kernel, you'll get advanced 3D functionality that previously could only be found in modeling programs costing much more. Plus, you can easily share 3D models with clients and colleagues, with our IGS translator. Or, export models as STL files for quick prototyping. You can also calculate the volume and surface area of standard 3D objects, making modeling that much easier.

Redline Suite
Revision management has just been made easier. VectorWorks MECHANICAL's redline suite allows a variety of shapes for redlines and the attachment of a sketch to a redline.

Smaller Files Sizes and Faster Hidden Line Rendering
New image compression technology significantly decreases the file size of VectorWorks drawings that contain bitmap images. Now, files that contain bitmaps will open more quickly, save faster, take up less hard drive space, and are generally easier to work with. Plus, Rendering in VectorWorks MECHANICAL's Hidden Line modes can be up to 40% faster.

Sophisticated 2D Drafting
VectorWorks MECHANICAL makes drafting on the computer just as easy as drafting with pencil and paper. With its intuitive interface and exclusive SmartCursor', you can easily create clean, precise 2D drawings that suit your unique style and graphic standards.

Viewports
Advanced page layout features make it easy to arrange multiple views of your design on a single drawing sheet. Each view of the design, or "viewport", can have its own scale, orientation, projection, and rendering option, as well as layer and class visibility settings-making it easy to create drawing sheets that are comprised of multiple views of your design. For added flexibility, viewports can be cropped by any shape and have the ability to be annotated separately, which makes creating detailed or enlarged plan views a very simple and straight-forward process.

Word Processing Features
Powerful word processing features make it simple to create single lines or blocks of text. You can change the font, color, size, style, alignment, spacing, and capitalization of text blocks. Support for tabs makes it easy to create tables and paste in formatted text copied from word processing and spreadsheet applications. And, to help ensure accurate spelling and easy editing, VectorWorks MECHANICAL includes a spelling checker and Find and Replace features. Plus, you can convert TrueType fonts into Polylines, which can then be extruded to create text in 3D. You can also assign text attributes through Text menu commands instead of through object parameters for most symbols.

Mac System Requirements
Mac OS 9.2.2 or later and CarbonLib 1.5 or later,
Mac OS X 10.2.8 or later,
PowerPC 604e or newer
CD-ROM drive
Screen resolution: 1024 x 768 (XGA)
512MB RAM
110MB free hard drive space

Windows System Requirements
Windows 98 or later, Windows NT 4 or later,
Pentium or newer
CD-ROM drive
Screen resolution: 1024 x 768 (XGA)
512MB RAM
110MB free hard drive space