After a part is designed in a Parasolid-based CAD application, it can be transferred without translation to computer aided engineering (CAE) software for engineering analysis. The simplest use is to read in a Parasolid XT file as “read-only” data to create a finite element analysis (FEA) mesh. Although CAE is synonymous with FEA to many people, there is an array of analysis techniques based on CAD models (such as vibration, acoustic and electromagnetic analysis). Typically, the analysis specialist will make small non-structural changes to a part (such as deleting small details) so the engineering analysis is quicker. Increasingly, CAE users want to modify the part after each analysis to optimize its characteristics without referring to the origination CAD system. Part optimization after initial analysis could typically include adjusting the wall thickness of a thin wall plastic part or adjusting the size or thickness of strengthening ribs on an aircraft fuselage spar.

This type of modeling is very efficient and although it may seem intuitive to a CAE user, it is very demanding on a solid modeler in terms of robustness and performance. Parasolid’s ability to quickly tweak, or modify, complex models without frequent failures or user intervention is the result of meticulous software engineering and an excellent benchmark for the robustness and performance of a solid modeler.

After a CAE developer adds the ability to tweak a part it is a natural step to add more of Parasolid’s creation and editing functionality. For example, extra functionality might include adding new strengthening features or deleting features that add weight but little extra strength. Soon the CAM system can evolve to resemble a full function CAD system designed for a specific discipline.

Basing the modeling functionality of a CAE system on Parasolid immediately gives 100% translation free interoperability with over 350 applications from over 100 independent software vendors (ISVs) and approximately 45% of all 3D CAD models worldwide that are stored in Parasolid XT format. Most major CAD systems that use a different solid modeler also license Parasolid for interoperability to create XT read/write filters. For other systems, there are the Parasolid Translator toolkits for all common formats and Parasolid Bodyshop for cleaning XT files created outside Parasolid to ensure they are correct and won’t cause problems in later modeling operations.

Parasolid CAE Customers

Parasolid CAE customers include: