CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive

November 2009

Product News

D-Cubed: Latest Release of the 3D DCM, Version 41.0

Siemens PLM Software announced the latest release of the D-Cubed 3D Dimensional Constraint Manager (3D DCM), a software component that positions parts in assemblies, simulates their kinematic motion, and parametrically controls the configuration of 3D sketches and the shape of parts. New enhancements specific to version 41.0 are listed below. A full product description can be found here.

Functional enhancement: quick abort on over-defined models

In general, larger models take longer to solve than smaller ones. However, the size of the model is just one of several factors affecting the performance of the 3D DCM. A model that is over-defined will generally be slower to evaluate because the 3D DCM will use additional methods to seek out a solution and to generate detailed diagnostic data to help the user to understand why and where the model is over-defined. However, in some situations it may be advantageous for an application to be able to terminate the 3D DCM evaluation early, if a model is found to be over-defined.

In version 41, applications now have two ways to ask the 3D DCM to abort the solve early. Firstly, the 3D DCM can abort when the first over-defined constraint is found. If the abort is possible this option will be the fastest. Secondly the 3D DCM can abort when it has completed the analysis of any over-defined regions. For more information on over-defined regions see the announcement for 3D DCM v40.0.

Functional enhancement: improved support for cones and tori

In many applications the relative position of parts is defined using dimensions and constraints applied to faces. Geometrically these faces are commonly planes, cylinders and spheres. However, they can also be more advanced types such as cones, tori and parametric surfaces.

For applications that use the 3D DCM for direct (non-history based) part modelling the 3D DCM also allows the internal freedoms of geometry to be defined parametrically, for example, the radius of a cylinder. In version 41, the 3D DCM now supports the dragging of the minor radius of a torus and of the half angle of a cone. This allows applications to offer a wider range of interactive parametric operations in constraint based direct modelling.

Performance and reliability enhancements: curve length on planar splines

For applications that need to implement a 3D sketcher, or model cables and wire harnesses, the 3D DCM can constrain the length of 3D parametric curves, including splines. These curve length constraints can be solved simultaneously with other dimensions and constraints to control the position, direction and curvature of the curve itself and relative to other geometries in the model.

In certain situations, 3D applications need to be able to model curves that are planar, even in the wider context of a 3D model. In version 41, the algorithms to solve planar curves in the 3D DCM have been enhanced to improve the speed and reliability of the solution.

About the D-Cubed 3D DCM

First released in 1995, the 3D DCM is used in most major CAD applications and is widely acknowledged as a leading 3D geometric constraint solving technology. It provides a genuinely three-dimensional, variational (non-sequential) approach to solving a broad range of dimension and constraint schemes. It is the foundation of the latest interactive approaches to assembly part positioning and kinematic simulation, 3D sketching and direct (non-history based) part shape modification.

AboutSiemens PLM Components; Parasolid and D-Cubed

PLM Components are software tools that support innovation and promote interoperability in CAD, CAM, CAE and PLM applications. Siemens PLM Software develops these components, uses them throughout its own applications and licenses them to independent software vendors and end-user organizations. PLM Components include the Parasolid and D-Cubed products, widely used technologies that provide 3D part and assembly modeling, editing and interoperability, 2D/3D parametric sketching, motion simulation, collision detection, clearance measurement and visualization functionality. Applications include mechanical CAD, CAM, CAE, mold design, sheet metal, AEC, GIS, structural, plant and ship design, CMM, reverse engineering and sales configuration. For more information, please visit www.siemens.com/plm/open.

Become a member of the CIMdata PLM Community to receive your daily PLM news and much more.

Tell us what you think of the CIMdata Newsletter. Send your feedback.

CIMdata is committed to your privacy. Your personal information will never be sold or shared outside of CIMdata without your express permission.

Subscribe