 Delcam will show SolidWorks users its latest software for the repair of CAD models, the Solid Doctor, at the SolidWorks World 2010 exhibition to be held in Anaheim, California, from 31st January to 3rd February. Solid Doctor will be available as part of the new releases of Delcam's PowerSHAPE CAD software and the CopyCAD Pro reverse engineering program.
The incorporation of the same kernel used in SolidWorks, together with Delcam's existing tools, allows the Solid Doctor to read in and repair models from all sources, including IGES and native CATIA files, and output a file that can be read directly into SolidWorks. To read more about the costs of data transfer and learn how Solid Doctor can help solve these problems, download the white paper from www.delcam.tv/PS2010/Downloads/PowerSHAPE2010.pdf. A video showing how the Solid Doctor works can be viewed at www.delcam.tv/soliddoctor.
With the Solid Doctor, SolidWorks users will be able to tackle all the common problems that can be found when translating low precision and incomplete data, including gaps and overlaps between surfaces, or duplicated and missing surfaces, and generate a valid, high-precision model.
The Solid Doctor uses a combination of automatic data repair tools and surface creation and editing options available within PowerSHAPE. This combination means that simple repairs can be carried out quickly and easily, while more complex problems can be overcome by deleting and replacing the existing surfaces within the model.
The first stage in using the Solid Doctor is to analyse the model, to determine the extent of any inconsistency issues in topology or geometry when the data is examined with high levels of precision. Solid Doctor divides these issues into separate categories and labels the model. For each category or class of inconsistency, Solid Doctor recommends the most appropriate course of action, including a possible automatic fix.
The user then applies the automated repair sequence. These automated tools are typically different for each class of inconsistency, as experience has shown that what is effective in one case does not necessarily work for another. Each corrected issue has its label changed from red to green as it is repaired. The repairs can be inspected individually to ensure that the results are as required or the whole model can be checked again to highlight any further inconsistencies.
The second repair stage involves using Delcam's unique trim region editing tools to correct larger issues that require manual repair by a skilled user, such as mismatches between the edges of the various surfaces within the model. These include direct editing options for the trim boundaries, which allow very quick and flexible adjustment of the surface edges to overcome errors in the model.
For the more serious problems that remain, it will usually be necessary to generate replacement surfaces in the affected area. This can be done easily using PowerSHAPE's Smart Surfacing technology. The user simply deletes the existing surfaces and sketches around the area to be repaired. PowerSHAPE will then analyse the boundary and suggest the most appropriate type of surface to fill the space. Tangency can be maintained with the surrounding surfaces if required. If the user is not happy with the initial selection made by the software, he can run through alternative solutions until he is satisfied with the result.
Once the user is happy with the quality of the repaired surfaces, they are incorporated automatically back into the model. This process continues until all the inconsistencies have been resolved. By giving the user total control over how the part is repaired, even very poor quality or badly damaged data can be repaired quickly and efficiently.
Despite the many improvements made in data translation in recent years, it still remains a multi-million dollar problem for manufacturers that need to pass CAD data up and down a supply chain. Delcam's Solid Doctor will provide a quick and easy solution to this problem and so allow faster and more efficient new product development.
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