Package provides universal CAD interoperability

CADfix 5.0 is the latest version of the leading CAD data interoperability tool from TranscenData.

CADfix 5.0 is the latest version of the leading CAD data interoperability tool from TranscenData.

Version 5.0 delivers improvements in all aspects of the product with new and improved import and export interfaces, greatly enhanced processing times, support for a wider range of ancillary CAD data and assemblies and user configurable automatic model processing.

Andy Chinn, Applications Manager at TranscenData Europe comments: "Constant communication with our users has ensured that we know exactly where to improve CADfix.

The success of the product so far has shown us that there is a huge demand for a universal interoperability solution.

Version 5.0 expands on the way CADfix can be used, keeping up to date with the evolving core modelling technologies that must be supported and looking at ways that we can open up the technology to more users".

CADfix tackles fundamental inconsistencies and inaccuracies which make the efficient transfer of solid modelling geometry between different CAD systems and downstream applications such as finite element analysis (FEA) all but impossible.

It offers a series of diagnostic and repair tools in the form of user friendly 'wizards' which allow users to identify problem areas, put them right (without compromising design intent) and, if necessary, tailor the repaired model for use in the target system.

Version 5.0 introduces a number of new features and enhancements including up to 50 per cent improvement in general processing times.

The compatibility of CADfix with one of the world's leading high-end CAD systems is strengthened still further with updated CATIA import and export functionality.

This is essential to anyone who needs to meet customer demands for supplying quality native model data, but does not have access to or work with CATIA.

CADfix now provides full support for STEP assemblies, which can be imported from CAD models and either processed as an assembly, or the components can be exploded and replicated as defined by the assembly structure.

The new CADfix Assembly Manager tool allows the user to interrogate and manage their definitions, selecting individual components for display and processing, and editing the assembly definition as required.

A major requirement of many downstream analysis users of CAD data is the ability to defeature and simplify a model into a form more suited to their application.

Typically this means the removal of unwanted holes, small features and fillets.

CADfix already offers an array of tools to facilitate this, and ongoing developments in this area have led to the release of some powerful new features.

The CADfix user now has the ability to automatically detect and remove both through holes and blind holes, and to automatically detect and join edges and faces based upon criteria such as tangency of adjacent faces.

These functions will help users realise further savings in downstream meshing applications where the CAD-analysis link often breaks down with overwhelming model rework requirements.

Furthermore there is also a new 'binary' option for the current STL export.

Tests demonstrate a major impact on downstream applications with vast improvements in file sizes.

Greater control of the STL faceting provides smoother and more refined triangulation to suit some of the many different applications of the faceted representation.

Support for VDA-FS, the dominant neutral data exchange format in the German automotive industry, has improved with dramatic cuts in export times and file sizes.

Interfaces to and from STEP, ACIS and Parasolid have all been enhanced, including links to Parasolid 12.1 and to ACIS 6.3.

A new native geometry export to the FEMGV Finite Element meshing system is also available.

CADfix now supports a wider range of CAD model attribute data such as labels, layers and colours for import and export, and a graphical attribute manager is available to add, remove and reassign these as required.

The automatic model-processing wizard is the focus of all CADfix translation operations.

Besides the existing comprehensive processes and flavouring options available, powerful new functionality in the Wizard allows the user to define, implement and save custom model flavouring processes.

This allows the user to flavour models as necessary to meet their own specific downstream applications and data requirements every time.

Further user friendliness and accessibility is demonstrated with the new dynamic 'mouse over screen' picking capability.

CADfix will now automatically highlight model entities as the mouse scans the screen, making it easier and faster to interrogate and process a model in the interactive repair mode.

John Meaney, Director of Sales and Marketing at TranscenData Europe comments: "CADfix continues to offer an unrivalled level of interoperability support and the ideal solution for today's marketplace.

It's a simple and easy to use automatic tool, backed up by an extensive array of interactive fixing tools and services to give the user somewhere to go to complete the task when an automatic approach fails".

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