D-Cubed: Latest release of the 3D DCM, version 38.0
Released March 2008
Siemens PLM Software announces the latest release of the D-Cubed 3D Dimensional Constraint Manager (3D DCM), a software component that positions parts in assemblies, simulates their kinematic motion, and parametrically controls the configuration of 3D sketches and the shape of parts. New enhancements specific to version 38.0 are listed below. A full product description can be found here.
Functional enhancement: new constraints
Previously certain dimensions and constraints to certain geometry types required the use of construction geometry. For example, constraining to the axis of a cylinder, cone or torus required the application to create a line, constrain the line to the axis of these geometries and then constrain to the line. Similar constructions were required for constraints to the centre of a sphere or the circular spine of a torus. The latest version enables applications to add dimensions and constraints to these entities directly, without requiring the creation of such construction geometry. By supporting this directly, the 3D DCM integration process is quicker, solving will often be faster and more reliable, and users will be able to build and define their models with greater flexibility.
Performance enhancement: spline length dimensions
The ability to constrain and modify the length of a spline curve using a dimension is one of the newer and more sophisticated capabilities in the 3D DCM. It is a valuable capability in 3D sketches, particularly where the sketch is representing a wire or cable. Specifying the length of a spline is not particularly significant in its own right, but embedding the capability into a 3D parametric design environment that requires the simultaneous solution of other dimensions and constraints is very demanding. This release sees substantial improvements in a range of cases to the solving performance and behaviour of the advanced algorithms that support spline length dimensions
Functional enhancement: tangent alignment control
A new capability to control the alignment of tangent constraints has been introduced. This supports the growing number of application developers that are using the 3D DCM to enable parametric 3D sketching in mechanical, architectural and industrial design products. Parametric 3D sketching enhances productivity when defining the route of piping, electrical and HVAC systems, and the construction curves and sweep paths for parametric surfaces.
There are two solutions for tangency between two curves, illustrated by this example:
An example of the difference between an aligned and anti-aligned tangency constraint
In previous releases, the 3D DCM would return the solution that was closest to the initial position of the geometries, not necessarily the required result. In version 38, the 3D DCM enables applications to specify which of the two solutions is required, regardless of the initial positions of the geometries. Applications can also switch between the two solutions at will. The result is a more productive 3D sketching environment for the user.
Functional enhancement: internal chord length parameterisation for splines
The 3D DCM supports a wide range of dimensions and constraints to spline curves, including NURBS, enabling their full integration into 3D constraint based design environments. Parameterisation, the process of associating parameter values with the points through which the spline curve interpolates, is an integral part of defining splines. Different parameterisation methods can produce different spline shapes given the same set of interpolation points.
The 3D DCM has previously required the application to calculate the parameterisation of splines itself. In version 38 it can now internally calculate a chord length parameterisation for splines defined by interpolation points. In this commonly used parameterisation algorithm, the parameter values for the interpolation points are a function of the linear distance between them. This new capability will simplify integration and support of some such splines, and improve their performance and reliability.
Integration enhancement: new application development environments
The D-Cubed Components are integrated into a wide range of applications using a variety of development environments running on numerous computer platforms. It is important to component customers that their preferred environments are supported as their requirements evolve. This release sees the extension of the supported application development environments and platforms to include Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 and Apple Mac OS X Leopard.
About the D-Cubed 3D DCM
First released in 1995, the 3D DCM is used in most major CAD applications and is widely acknowledged as the leading 3D geometric constraint solving technology. It provides a genuinely three-dimensional, variational (non-sequential) approach to solving a broad range of dimension and constraint schemes. It is the foundation of the latest interactive approaches to assembly part positioning and kinematic simulation, 3D sketching and direct (non-history based) part shape modification.
About Siemens PLM Components; Parasolid and D-Cubed
PLM Components are software tools that can help increase the profitability of software applications in the CAD, CAM, CAE and PLM marketplace by raising their value and lowering their costs. This is achieved by supporting innovation and interoperability with standard tools that ensure quality and reduce time to market. Siemens PLM Software develops these components, uses them throughout its own applications and licenses them to independent software vendors and end-user organizations. Flexible licensing arrangements and a simple, proven integration process enable any organisation, large or small, to bring innovative capabilities to their applications quickly and economically. Part of the PLM Components family of products, the Parasolid and D-Cubed components provide 3D part and assembly modeling, editing and interoperability, 2D/3D parametric sketching, motion simulation, collision detection, clearance measurement and visualization. Applications include mechanical CAD, CAM, CAE, mold design, sheet metal, AEC, GIS, structural, plant and ship design, CMM, reverse engineering and sales configuration. For more information, please visit www.ugs.com/en_us/products/open/
Contact
Jim Thorpe
Siemens PLM Software (D-Cubed)
Tel: +44-1223-722655