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Spatial Unveils CGM, a New Component Modeler for Modern Applications and the ...

BROOMFIELD, Colo.--( EON: Enhanced Online News )--Spatial Corp., a leading provider of 3D development components for design, manufacturing and engineering applications, today announces general availability for Convergence Geometric Modeler (CGM) and 3D InterOp CGM R2012. CGM is the industry’s first new commercial 3D geometry kernel in over 10 years, opening a new set of possibilities for application providers to deliver cutting-edge industry solutions. The 3D modeling kernel is the same robust and innovative technology used in Dassault Systèmes’ V5 and V6. The modeler addresses the needs of today’s engineering software developers with a consistent interface for easy integration; foundation-based tolerant modeling to maintain geometrical and topological precision; large model capacity and performance; extensive surfacing capabilities to address stringent modeling requirements; and geometric data compatibility with V5 and V6 for well-integrated PLM workflows. 3D InterOp CGM is a high-performance translator toolkit that delivers CAD translation with the highest-quality data exchange. The products represent Spatial’s commitment to deliver the industry’s best technology and broadest portfolio of 3D software components to application providers.

“We are very excited about the introduction of CGM and 3D InterOp CGM. These products provide not only an excellent opportunity for independent software vendors developing next-generation applications to take advantage of the latest technology, to address evolving market needs, but they also allow native geometrical data compatibility with V5 and V6. Together this opens a new set of opportunities to the ISV community,” commented Jean-Marc Guillard, Spatial Chief Operating Officer.

In addition to the breadth of functionality available in R2012, CGM supports the future delivery of advanced technology in the areas of multi-processing for high-performance applications, polygonal modeling for applications such as reverse-engineering and medical data modeling, and advanced deformation and warping to address complex design and manufacturing workflows.

MSR Developing CGM-based Application

One example of a customer adopting CGM is Mitsui Zosen Systems Research Inc. (MSR). The company is building an advanced 3D software solution for industrial machines. MSR needed a 3D modeling kernel, CAD translation components and graphic solution that supported their vision of an easy-to-use, high-performance application. Since MSR customers are spread across the automotive, aerospace and machine manufacturing industries they had a requirement for multi-CAD interoperability.

How To Open CATIA V4 and V5 Files in SolidWorks | Deelip.com

In an earlier post titled “ A Sick Dassault Systemes Joke ” I explained in great detail why I believe Dassault Systemes was doing everything it could to prevent SolidWorks from adding support for CATIA V4 and V5 to their software. Instead of stopping at bitching about the problem, I decided to go ahead and do something about it. So I made contact with Spatial and began negotiations with them to license 3D InterOp (their data exchange component) along with the CATIA V5 libraries from Dassault Systemes. As it turns out, things went quite smoothly. If you have been keeping track of this blog or the press releases coming out from SYCODE, you will have noticed that off late we have been releasing quite a few products that use 3D InterOp.

Today we released two add-ins for SolidWorks: CATIA V4 Import for SolidWorks and CATIA V5 Import for SolidWorks . The CATIA V4 add-in uses libraries developed by Spatial and can read .model, .exp and .session files from CATIA version 4.1.9 to 4.2.4. However, the V5 add-in uses authentic CATIA V5 libraries developed by Dassault Systemes and can read .CATPart, .CATProduct and .cgr files from CATIA V5 R2 to V5 R19.

The use of authentic CATIA V5 libraries in our V5 import add-in ensures that the quality of data translation from CATIA V5 to SolidWorks is almost perfect. I use the word “almost” because SolidWorks uses Parasolid, a modeling kernel different from that used by CATIA. The conversion of geometry from CATIA to SolidWorks is largely dependent on how good a job the programmers at Spatial have done mapping geometry from one kernel to another. From the results of our testing, they appear to have done a pretty good job. Either way, in my opinion, this is definitely one of the best solutions that is available, if not the best.

One of the most common questions from SolidWorks users that we receive at SYCODE is “ How can I open CATIA files in SolidWorks? ” Previously, we could not help these users. Now we can. Giving SolidWorks the ability to read CATIA V4 and V5 parts and assemblies is only solving half the problem. We are now investigating how we could give SolidWorks the ability to save its parts and assemblies to CATIA V4 and V5 files.