 |
 |
||||||
[July 2002]
Delcam Claims 'Total Modelling CAD' First
Delcam PLC (Birmingham, England) has announced that it is about to launch what it describes as the world's first Total Modelling CAD solution. This development, for which Delcam has submitted a patent application, will bring together elements of its Power Solution software range in a unique, fully integrated combination of solid modelling, surface modelling, triangle modelling, reverse engineering and decoration techniques. Total Modelling will, adds Delcam, give designers the ability to create innovative products more easily and more quickly, without the restrictions of conventional CAD software.Among many applications, Total Modelling will allow complex relief decorations to be placed on ceramics.
Total Modelling extends hybrid modelling - which combines solid and surface modelling - to include other design techniques such as the reverse engineering and triangle modelling capabilities of CopyCAD and the relief modelling and decoration options within ArtCAM, well known in the ceramic industry.
For the first time, design elements created within either CopyCAD or ArtCAM will be able to be included in the history tree of operations inside PowerSHAPE. As a result, designers will be able to move between the different types of modelling more easily and see more quickly the effects on the overall design of any changes in a single element.
Delcam says that Total Modelling will also help to reduce many product development cycles involving the use of rapid prototypes. In many cases, these prototypes are modified by hand to improve either their appearance or performance. Duplicating these modifications in the CAD model can be extremely difficult.
Many companies have reverse engineering equipment to capture the changes but then must use difficult and time consuming techniques to convert the digitised data into CAD surfaces, stitch the new surfaces back into the model and then produce a new STL file for the next round of prototype manufacture, testing and modification.
With Total Modelling, the digitised data representing the changes to the model can be converted into a triangle file with a single command within CopyCAD. The file can then be combined with the surface or solid model of the complete part in PowerSHAPE, without any need to change the triangles into surfaces. A new STL file of the modified model can then be produced from the combined data.
ENDS