Siemens PLM Software provides core technologies to help developers of AEC software improve and build software products for architecture, civil engineering and plant design

The market for AEC, plant and structural applications demands continuous improvements in functionality, robustness and value. Many of the world’s leading developers use one or more of the Parasolid® and D-Cubed™ components to help satisfy these requirements, including:

Modeling

Modern applications for the built environment market, including Building Information Modeling (BIM), require a powerful and reliable geometric modeling kernel capable of handling large quantities of data. Parasolid, the world’s leading production-proven 3D geometric modeling kernel, satisfies this requirement.

Parasolid’s native XT file format is supported by many CAD applications, such as NX and Solid Edge (from Siemens PLM Software), MicroStation (from Bentley Systems), Vectorworks (from Nemetschek Vectorworks), SolidWorks (from SolidWorks) and many others. This means that Parasolid-based products have access to up to an estimated 40% of the world’s 3D data. Available at three price/functionality points, supporting interoperability through to full modeling, Parasolid is a highly affordable and flexible system.

Managing model relationships

An important part of most applications, including BIM, is capturing and maintaining the design requirements as the model is constructed and modified. The 2D DCM and 3D DCM (Dimensional Constraint Manager) components are CAD industry standards for enabling such functionality. The 2D DCM powers the sketchers in the majority of CAD systems. The 3D DCM is commonly used for 3D sketching, parametric 3D modeling, and assembly modeling. Applications include parametric floor plans, windows, doors and furniture, site layouts, roads, sketching 3D pipe and HVAC routes, and 3D building shape control.

Model validation

Another key function in AEC and related applications is ensuring model integrity. The Parasolid and D-Cubed Collision Detection Manager (CDM) components provide a range of collision (interference) and clearance computation capabilities. The CDM in particular is optimized for rapid computations on the large models that are typical of the AEC, plant and structural markets.

Drawing visualization

Drawings are an important output from many AEC and related applications, the production of which requires rapid and accurate hidden line computations. Both the Parasolid and D-Cubed Hidden Line Manager (HLM) components provide hidden line computations and are proven across a wide range of CAD applications.

Interoperability

AEC and related applications need to reliably exchange models with other applications. Parasolid enables the direct read/write of the Parasolid native XT format, reducing import/export errors. A wide range of translators together with advanced modeling capabilities, such as tolerance to models with a variety of errors, makes Parasolid the ideal foundation for working with data in formats other than XT.

Further information and software evaluation

A white paper is available that describes the benefits that Parasolid and D Cubed components bring to AEC applications. It also provides real-world examples to illustrate how AEC software vendors are currently benefiting from Parasolid and D-Cubed components in their products.
Get the whitepaper.

To discuss the contribution that the Parasolid and D-Cubed components can make to your business, or to evaluate the components, please contact us.