19 October, 2000
FEGS launches CADfix 4
FEGS has launched Version 4.0 of CADfix, the leading 3D data interoperability solution. CADfix 4.0 will be on show for the first time at CIM 2000 (Birmingham NEC, 7 to 9 November) and breaks new ground in the key areas of ease of use, speed of operation and supported file formats.
CADfix is aimed at anyone who has to reuse solid modelling geometry. The problems associated with transferring such geometry - either between modellers or from a CAD system to a downstream application such as finite element analysis (FEA), computational fluid dynamics (CFD) or tooling - are many and varied. They stem from the inherent difficulty in defining complex geometry in 3D space. Different ways of storing surfaces and their boundaries - and particularly inconsistent tolerances - can all contribute to the success or otherwise of transfer from one system to another.
Typical results of incorrect geometry transfer include unhelpful error messages, the failure to suppress messy construction geometry and potentially disastrous unwanted gaps appearing between surfaces. CADfix - the fruit of over 20 years working with geometry definition at Cambridge based FEGS - has been specifically written to address this problem. It presents a series of automatic and manual diagnostic and repair tools to ensure as smooth a transition as possible from one system to another.
Enhancements in Version 4 are broadly focused in three areas.
Help and advice
For Version 4.0 FEGS has overhauled the system of Wizards which lead users through the geometry healing process. The basic Wizard format has been streamlined: many user options and preferences have been hidden away Microsoft Office style, and far more help and explanation is available at every stage of the healing process.
As with previous versions, if CADfix's automatic healing fails, the user has the option of working through the healing process manually. Interactive healing has been transformed in CADfix 4.0 with the Wizard now providing logical steps throughout the process. And if the user still gets stuck, there are now automatic links to the outside world in the shape of CADfix.com, the home of general interoperability advice as well as CADfix patches and upgrades, and dexcenter.com, the online data repair resource hosted by ITI, FEGS's parent company.
"The goal for CADfix is that users will be able to find a solution to every data exchange problem they face," says Andy Chinn, Applications Manager at FEGS. "With this new release, there should never be a point during the transfer process at which there is nowhere to go."
Performance enhancements
By overhauling CADfix's internal core geometry engine, FEGS has brought about some impressive performance improvements. In particular, the storage method for NURBS (Non Uniform Rational B-Splines) surfaces has been optimised, leading to a reduction in the amount of memory used for internal storage. This in turn increases the performance and reduces the time taken to read in all models, and in some cases there are two-fold performance improvements.
Graphics performance has also been improved still further. OpenGL is now the standard for graphics delivery across the full range of platforms and operating systems. Optimisation here has meant a twofold increase in model manipulation speed across all platforms. There are also new tools for toggling on and off classes of geometry (points, edges, surfaces) so that users have quick access to exactly what they need.
For those who regularly need to process multiple files, FEGS has made it far easier to configure CADfix for batch processing. There is even a new interface-less version of CADfix which can be run remotely, either on a dedicated server or behind a website.
Extended support
The third major area of enhancement in CADfix 4.0 is an extension of the number of file formats that can be imported and exported. The import procedure for CATIA files has been enhanced and CATIA files can now be exported from CADfix for the first time. Support is also introduced for VDAFS - a German standard similar to IGES - and the latest versions of Parasolid (11.1) and ACIS (5.3). The ACIS enhancement means that Spatial's new tolerant entities are supported.
A level of meshing has also been introduced into CADfix. "The ability to mesh is a useful check of model quality," says Chinn. "So we've taken a subset of the functionality from our dedicated CADfix CAE solution to allow users to see how their 'fixed' models are likely to stand up in a more demanding FEA environment."
Finally, a new option has been introduced when outputting STL files. More and more people, especially in the CFD field, are using the STL format not for rapid prototyping (as it was originally intended) but for file transfer. For some users, however, an STL representation that matches a CAD model with extreme accuracy is likely to be unsuitable, with whole areas made up of long thin triangles. In this situation it is often more desirable to format STL files so that the triangles are of an approximately uniform equilateral nature. CADfix 4.0 therefore includes the option to optimise for element quality rather than accuracy.
CADfix 4.0 will be shown for the first time at CIM 2000 and begins shipping immediately afterwards.
Note to editors:
FEGS Limited was founded in 1978 by Dr Geoff Butlin and is an established name in CAE software, particularly in the areas of CAD data exchange and pre- and post-processing for finite element analysis. CADfix is the fruit of FEGS’s ongoing R&D in data exchange over the past 18 years. FEGS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ohio-based International TechneGroup Incorporated (ITI).
ITI is the world's leading supplier of product data interoperability solutions, providing CAD/CAM/CAE and product data management (PDM) users and vendors with proven product data interoperability solutions. Headquartered in Milford, Ohio, ITI has representation throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
For further information, please contact:
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Ben Bush/Nick Lerner
The CroCodile Public Relations. Tel: 020 7749 4400 Fax: 020 7739 4042 |
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John Meaney
TranscenData Europe Limited. Tel: 01223 237 111 Fax: 01223 234 192 |
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