Data verification eases digital design

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team May 28, 2008

As computer-aided design (CAD), engineering (CAE) and manufacturing tools (CAM) have become more complex, the need to seamlessly share data between them has grown stronger.

Elysium has released the CADdoctor EX3.0 data verification tool.

The latest release includes expanded capabilities for data translation throughout product development, from scanned geometry for modelling to surface preparation for moulding and manufacturing parts.

The new software tools will promote process automation, reduce design and manufacturing times and greatly improve product data quality.

"For years there has been a digital hand-off of data between the different disciplines of product development", says Ken Tashiro, Vice President and COO of Elysium.

"But all too often behind the scenes the hand-off has been 'hands-on,' involving hours of manual, error-prone resurfacing and repairing of models".

"This is especially true of reverse engineering applications".

"Our new CADdoctor release eliminates that work and provides high-quality, automated information in suitable form for any design, analysis, or manufacturing task".

"The new software removes one of the strongest impediments to an all-digital design and manufacturing process and helps companies realise more of the projected gains from integrated digital product development".

As computer-aided design (CAD), engineering (CAE) and manufacturing tools (CAM) have become more complex, the need to seamlessly share data between them has grown stronger.

There are, however, serious challenges to sharing because these tools have differing data input requirements.

Some, like CAD, need extraordinary detail.

Others, like CAE analysis tools, need very specific levels of simplicity.

And CAM systems have exacting surfacing and manufacturability constraints.

CADdoctor assists in the translation of data into its most usable form for each application.

For instance, a reverse engineering option in the software can read the polygonal data in a stereolithography (STL) file and translate it into a CAD model with valid surfaces and boundaries and precise geometry, as opposed to an approximation.

The resulting data are usable without further repair or re-modelling in CAD, CAE, or even CAM applications for cutting, mouldmaking and other manufacturing processes.

Other new options in CADdoctor EX 3.0 include a polygon option that can check and repair holes, "noise" and other defects that impede easy export of polygonal data from STL files.

An advanced envelope function can "shrink-wrap" a 3D model to turn an assembly into a 3D solid, simplifying the surface accurately to share limited data with suppliers, provide the right level of detail for analysis software, or define surfaces for other tools.

A quality check for mould manufacturing option that checks models for draft angle, undercut, wall thickness and other manufacturability issues.

Early attention to manufacturing requirements in the design data can eliminate man-hours spent modifying moulds.

A universal transformation option deforms a model to capture analysis results or springback from stamping.