Parasolid

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Parasolid is a modeling kernel for 3D CAD systems that was originally developed by UGS and taken over in 2007 by Siemens PLM Software .

Areas of application

In addition to its use in CAD systems, Parasolid is also used in CAM , FEM and NC systems as well as in programs for format conversion and visualization .

Functions

The task of the Parasolid is to make functions available to the subsequent program with which solids and / or 3D surface models can be mathematically described, changed and displayed on the screen. There is currently no way to create pure 2D elements such as B. to map lines and arcs. The available components are called Open Software Tools by UGS .

Importance of the modeling core

In general , inaccuracies occur when converting the mathematical description of 3D bodies into neutral formats (e.g. IGES , VDA-FS , STEP ) that can be read by various CAD programs. In order to avoid these inaccuracies, it is necessary to dispense with conversions and instead to use an original file format for the volume data of a product as consistently as possible - from the start of construction to multi-year series support. Such a file format is linked to a specific CAD program and thus also to a specific modeling kernel.

I.a. in the automotive industry i. d. The manufacturer usually specifies the CAD program to be used and thus the modeling kernel contained with the exact version, z. B. at Opel the Parasolid-based NX (Siemens) .

File extensions

Parasolid files for parts usually have the file extension * .x_t ( text files , readable in plain text with an editor) or - less often - * .x_b ( binary files ).

Licensing of Parasolid-based CAD programs

Parasolid is distributed both in UGS 'own CAD products and licensed to program providers in the CAD environment . This means that UGS is sometimes competing with its licensees or licensing its direct competitors.

According to the company, the number of end licenses increased from 870,000 in 2007 to 3,500,000 in 2011. This makes Parasolid the most popular 3D core after end licenses. Comparable competitors are the core contained in CATIA called CGM Core Modeler , with approx. 1,000,000 end licenses. and the ACIS core with approximately 2,000,000 end licenses, both from Dassault Systèmes . Dassault Systèmes is a Parasolid licensee for its CAD system SolidWorks , and the ACIS converter can also process Parasolid files.

Parasolid-based programs have the advantage that they are sold in different capacities and price classes and still deliver largely identical results due to the common modeling kernel, without the need for conversion, which can result in inaccuracies.

Below are some of the 350 Parasolid-based programs:

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Healing the wounds of data conversion (English) Archived from the original on October 18, 2006. In: CAD User (Ed.): AEC Magazine . 13, No. 03, March 2000.
  2. ↑ PDM use at Opel, CAD / CAM-Report 1/2003, therein p. 14 ( Memento of October 6, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF)
  3. ↑ Parasolid XT Format Reference (English, PDF). (PDF) UGS, October 2006, accessed on March 13, 2008 .
  4. ↑ Article by Rene Zillmann (UGS GmbH) on www.kem.de, accessed April 12, 2007 ( Memento from August 25, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
  5. ↑ UGS on the sale of Parasolid licenses, accessed April 13, 2007 ( Memento of October 14, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
  6. ^ Siemens press release dated February 28, 2011, accessed October 10, 2012
  7. ↑ Product information about the CGM Core Modeler, accessed June 17, 2016
  8. ↑ uniplm announcement, accessed October 10, 2012
  9. ^ ACIS description, accessed October 10, 2012
  10. ^ Parasolid Customers