Maple 12 provides CAD connectivity, new analysis tools

-- Control Engineering, 6/12/2008

Waterloo, Canada— Upon introduction of Maple 12, the latest version of Maplesoft’s tool to solve complex mathematical problems and create technical documents, CEO Jim Cooper said he was providing “a bold new set of features to dramatically extend the analytical reach of engineers.” Many of the new features break new ground, he said, and they “set the stage for great levels of analytical productivity.” A new collection of dynamic systems modeling tools, important for control design and signal processing, has been added, as has direct connectivity between Maple 12 and computer-aided design (CAD) systems from SolidWorks and Autodesk Inventor.

CAD connectivity includes the ability to extend the range of analysis on CAD models with Maple mathematics. Maple 12 applications can directly access external datasets stored in SQL databases. In addition, Maple 12’s knowledge-documentation tools allow engineers to tag designs electronically with rich technical documentation and calculations. As a result, design calculations are integrated into the overall engineering workflow. Matlab code import and translation is also available, to enable the migration of legacy code to new Maple documents.

The new Dynamic Systems package provides analytic and graphing tools for linear time-invariant systems, which are essential in control systems development. Wavelet analysis, an important technique in areas such as image compression and image and signal analysis, is supported with a new suite of wavelet tools. New plotting capabilities simplify the creation of complex engineering plots and new plot types. The new version also includes major enhancements to the differential equation and differential-algebraic equation (DAE) solvers.

Maple’s smart document technology is also enhanced:

• Improvements to customizable interactive components: Users now have a greater choice in buttons, controls, and other interface tools. In addition, the new Exploration Assistant allows users to create interactive mini-applications to explore the parameters of their expressions instantly.
• Code editor: For advanced users who develop custom code, Maple 12 includes tools that make Maple scripts and procedures easier to write. The code editor makes the creation of any advanced application faster; the final result is easily distributed, attractive, and easy to use.
• “Clickable” enhancements: Maple’s “clickable” approach to math uses mouse clicks, menus, palettes, and more, instead of the conventional command-line approach. Maple 12 provides improvements that enhance the overall usability of the system.

Pilot users of Maple 12 have responded positively, the company noted. “Changes in Maple 12 have made it much easier for me to program big calculations. Once I understood the efficacy of this method, my code became not only faster, but much easier to read and understand,” said Dr. Marvin Weinstein, theoretical physicist at Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. 

www.maplesoft.com

— Edited by Renee Robbins, senior editor
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