On Tuesday, Dr. Software LLC introduced a new addition to its line of real-time structural modeling software: Dr. Frame 3D, which was designed to simulate frame and truss structures made of steel, concrete, and wood. Like the company’s other applications, Dr. Frame 3D is aimed at architectural and engineering students and professionals.
“We see modeling and analysis as part of a larger communication process, in which results and observations need to be discussed, explained and understood, as well as produced,” said Dr. Michael Rucki, a founder and manager at Dr. Software. “Our goal is to make the modeling process more convenient and intelligible, to make the model behavior as transparent to the user as possible. We believe this will lead to better understanding which leads to better designs.”
Dr. Frame 3D helps architects and engineers build better structures by hiding complex number-crunching functions and putting the focus on model behavior, which consists of model definition and analysis as well as results generation. Designers can use the application to test “What if?” scenarios by entering numerical values or simply by grabbing 3D objects and moving them.
The application’s native file format is XML, which makes it easy to examine files with Web browsers. Designers can also import files in DXF format from AutoCAD applications.
Dr. Frame 3D runs on Mac OS 8.6 and up, including Mac OS X. Commercial licenses are US$899 each, while educational licenses are $99.