NeTpower Announces FASTsolids 3D Graphics Accelerator for Workstations

Strategic Insights -

NeTpower Inc., a leading provider of high-performance workstations and servers, has announced the release of the FASTsolids 3D Graphics Accelerator for its FASTseries workstation. This new product delivers true 24-bit Z buffered 3D rendering in hardware, outperforming 2D graphics accelerators and 3D graphics performed in software. The FASTsolids 3D Graphics Accelerator is designed to cater to the needs of sophisticated mechanical CAD software users, allowing them to design and manipulate shaded 3D objects at maximum resolution. The ability to perform 3D operations dynamically in a fraction of the time can significantly reduce the design cycle, improve product quality, and expedite time to market.

Key Takeaways:

  • The FASTsolids 3D Graphics Accelerator delivers true 24-bit Z buffered 3D rendering in hardware, outperforming 2D graphics accelerators and 3D graphics performed in software.
  • The accelerator provides three-dimensional (3D) graphics and imaging capabilities, allowing users to design and manipulate shaded 3D objects at maximum resolution.
  • Bill Doron, Product Engineer of Hadco Inc., a leading manufacturer of outdoor lighting fixtures, reported a 1.5-2 times performance improvement using the FASTsolids 3D Graphics Accelerator with Pro/ENGINEER(R) software.
  • NeTpower claims that the FASTsolids 3D Graphics Accelerator, combined with the FASTseries MP personal workstation, performs at the same level as high-end workstations like the SGI Indigo2 with XZ graphics, but at half the price.
  • The FASTsolids 3D Graphics Accelerator is designed for the industry-standard PCI bus and is based on NeTpower's internally developed high-performance FASTswitch architecture.
  • The FASTswitch architecture provides multiple simultaneous paths between the processor, memory, and the PCI bus, resulting in sustained throughput of over 100 MB/sec. across the PCI bus.

Statistics:

  • List price of the FASTsolids 3D Graphics Accelerator: $2,295.
  • Throughput across the PCI bus: over 100 MB/sec.
  • Performance improvement reported by Bill Doron: 1.5-2 times using the FASTsolids 3D Graphics Accelerator with Pro/ENGINEER(R) software.

Sources:

  • NeTpower Inc., News Release, April 3, 1995.
  • NeTpower, "FASTsolids 3D Graphics Accelerator Datasheet," no date mentioned.