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New SpaceClaim 2012+ 3D direct modeling soft- ware adds CAD model healing for FEA meshes.


Image courtesy SpaceClaim Corp.


CAD/CAM


In manufacturing, it all starts with CAD/CAM. In the creative designer’s hands, CAD software brings ideas to life, engineering products that make our lives easier, better, and more fruitful. For the past half century or so since CAD was invented, CAD design tools have steadily improved, yet designers often still encounter vexing problems related to 3D model geometry quality, or interoperability issues with differing file formats. With the rising use of 3D modelers, users are likely to have difficulties with 3D CAD models that frequently need “healing” or repairs to fix model imperfections. The CAD market is highly fragmented, dominated


by a few large players including Autodesk Inc. (San Rafael, CA), Dassault Systèmes (Velizy-Villacoublay, France), PTC (Needham, MA), and Siemens PLM Soft- ware (Plano, TX) that have a disproportionate share of the market, estimated at $7 billion in 2011, according to Jon Peddie Research (Tiburon, CA). The industry’s heavyweights dominate the market with AutoCAD from Autodesk, Dassault’s CATIA CAD/CAM, Siemens’ NX, and PTC’s Pro/Engineer and Creo design packages. Choosing between using parametric feature mod- eling or newer direct modelers is a topic of debate currently within the CAD industry. Direct modelers directly manipulate geometry and are touted as being faster than more traditional feature-based parametric


SS4


modelers. “The future of CAD is to have both methods available,” said CAD consultant Jon Hirschtick, founder of SolidWorks, regarding direct vs. parametric model- ing, noting that a hybrid approach may be best. Hirschtick, keynote speaker on the future of CAD at the 2012 CIMdata PLM conference last October, also noted key CAD trends such as the need to capture real design intent, smoother integration of 3D, and easier sharing of CAD models with better translators. Product data management (PDM) is becoming more important as well, he said, and with the trend of most engineer- ing software going to the cloud, CAD systems will also soon be available as distributed apps on the cloud. Inclusion of Part Manufacturing Information (PMI) in 3D models also is a must for today’s manufactur- ers. With machining directly off solid models becom- ing much more common, having good PMI is critical as machinists routinely can cut parts to tolerances of ±0.25” (6.35 mm), noted Blake Courter, founder and director, customer development, SpaceClaim Corp.


“Dirty geometry is a really big


problem out there. ... One error in geometry can cause you to crash a spindle and cost $


20,000.”


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