Working principe.

SteelAce was created for making tool (dies and moulds) designers work easier. It is written mostly in AutoLisp and so it can work only with AutoCAD. SteelAce can greatly reduce work rate, when you have a lot of cylinder-like details in tool project. On the other hand, if you need to use complicated surfaces then don't use SteelAce for making that project (and also AutoCAD). Probably the best software for making complicated dies and moulds is "Unigraphics". So the best solution will be of course when SteelAce works with "Unigraphics", but today that solution doesn't exist unfortunately.

When you create project with SteelAce, then you have no need at beginning to think how crosscuts and even top view components must look like. Designer can divide work to two parts. First create tool block with cylinders and other components in it so, that designer can imagine that his tool is really working and second let SteelAce create correct crosscuts of tool, bill of materials and after that detail drawings. It is similar to "Unigraphics" modeling and drafting applications. When you have correct assembly modeled, then it is easy to extract every kind of drawings. Of course it needs some additional knowledge to make such assembly in SteelAce, but designer can surely win that back afterward and even more. Tutorial describes how to create assembly and prototypes in SteelAce.

As before was said, AutoCad (and SteelAce) are not strong software for creating tools with complicated surfaces, but it is extremely good when designs are like prototypes. Take a closer look at prototype die designing sample.