Company: Siemens PLM Software;
www.plm.automation.siemens.com
Product/technology: Synchronous Technology, found in NX 6
and SolidEdge with Synchronous Technology
Key differentiator: New hybrid offering combines the
flexibility of direct modeling with the control and automation of traditional
history-tree products. The standout technology is live rules and synchronous
solver technology, which scans and localizes the impact of edits to a model,
thus avoiding the lengthy regeneration times and inflexibility associated with
history-based modelers.
Company: Autodesk; www.inventorfusion.com
Product/technology: Inventor Fusion Technology
Key differentiator: Another take on the hybrid approach,
Autodesk is claiming to unite direct and parametric workflows, allowing
engineers to switch between modes and have the software automatically track the
changes in a single digital model. Technology is still a work-in-progress,
however, and Autodesk has not made a time commitment for when it will appear in
a production-ready version of Inventor.
Company: PTC; www.ptc.com/products/cocreate
Product/technology: CoCreate Modeling
Key differentiator: One of the oldest and more successful
direct modeling products, which PTC purchased last year. Ease-of-use and the
ability to work with multi-source CAD models play to CoCreate's strengths and
the product has been buttressed with some parametric-like features over the
years, including the ability to fully constrain models within the system, as
well as address assembly relationships at a geometry level. PTC's strategy is
to keep direct modeling and parametric technology separate so companies or
engineering groups either have to choose between the products or commit to have
both.
Company: Kubotek; www.kubotek.com
Product/technology: KeyCreator
Key differentiator: Another mainstay in the direct modeling
niche, KeyCreator touts CAD interoperability as its primary asset. The software
features the company's proprietary FaceLogic technology, said to speed the
selection and editing of design features in non-native solid models. Its Direct
Dimension-driven editing function lets users perform parametric-like editing
capabilities on any solid, regardless of how or where it was constructed.
Company: SolidWorks; www.solidworks.com
Product/technology: SolidWorks
Key differentiator: While not formally announcing any direct
modeling offering, SolidWorks has been regularly adding direct modeling
capabilities to its core history-based CAD tool. One of the more notable is
Instant3D, which surfaced in SolidWorks 2008, which lets uses create and modify
3-D geometry by clicking and dragging on features and sections.
Company: SpaceClaim; www.spaceclaim.com
Product/technology: SpaceClaim Engineer
Key differentiator: Built from the ground up to be a new
breed of direct modeler, SpaceClaim is said to excel at conceptual design
activities or when working in a multi-CAD environment. The software uses a
tool-based paradigm to allow for unrestricted editing, including remixing and
feature removal, and simultaneous dimensioning schemes with minimal training
requirements to get started. Because the software has no traditional
feature-based capabilities, companies that require the controls and constraints
offered by parametric products will have to maintain and support complementary
products.
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