Does Autodesk really make the fusion between linear and non linear modeling? If so how did they do that?

So here my point of view that follow my first post on the topic.

The new Fusion preview 2 stuff is mainly about the Change manager, that seem to make the fusion, the link, the bridge or call it what ever you want….

Not having a direct access to inventor 2010, i rely on the review  on the net, so here the typical workflow that seem to make the consensus for now.

1- You start your design in Inventor, save the IPT file.

2- File is open in fusion to receive some treatments, then save has a DWG file.

3- DWG file is open inside Inventor. Path to the original IPT file is recognize

4- Once the path is resolve, Change manager compare  both files (original IPT and the new DWG)

5- User review the Change manager list and apply the treatments

6- File is then save ( i guess that old IPT is update or squash in the operation)

To have a more in depth coverage of the process read Deelip – Inventor Fusion Technology Preview 2 it is a series of 10 articles on the subject or Develop 3D  also you can read Paul Hamilton blog .

Now how Change manager can fill the gap between linear and non linear modeling?

In Fusion when  you create extrusion you can chose between, adding, removing, intersecting and….. add a new body

For peoples that did not notice, at the top of the feature tree, there is a section listing all the bodies present in the document.

I do not have a copy of inventor 2010, but did get the opportunity to see this new version and there is some screen shoot all around, here one taking from Develop 3D

Do you notice something familiar….

The solid Bodies section.

This section, is the one that catch my attention has it seem to be the common point between the linear modeling of Inventor and the non linear modeling of Fusion and the link to make the transition between the IPT and the DWG.

What it is store in that section? My best bet, it is the raw information of the kernel.(shape manger that is a derivate of ACIS from spatial). From there it could be easy to track informations. Roughly said, I’m not an expert on kernel,  all geometries has an entry to the kernel database, each edges, faces has a unique number that can help track who is associate to who. Not sure about this one, but it will be fair to think that Autodesk use Shape manager for it kernel inside AutoCAD.

From the kernel point of view, a face in inventor or in fusion or in Autocad is the same.

With this information Change manager can  compare (step 4) face_001 in the DWG ( step 2),  to the same face definition in the IPT ( step 1). From here it is possible to look at what feature use face_001, analyze the move direction ( compare face normal) and see if the feature allow that kind of move.

From Deelip review we see that if a simple block has one of it’s face tilt, Change manager do not recognize this has being a move you can do in the extrusion. Instead two sculpt features were add. May be in a later edition they will recognize this has a draft feature? This would then involve feature recognition.

I wonder if Deelip could do the same move, but with the bottom surface? would we have the same result?

What about rotating  the whole body and see if the sketch plane would adapt? Start with a simple situation, make sure the rectangle is center  and rotate around one of the axis. May be the blue one to start and see what will happen to the sketch.

So from here what can i say.

Do we have the fusion between both world? I would prefer to say that a bridge  was create to allow information’s to go from one bucket to another one.

Because of the Fusion side we may call this non linear modeling but when it is back to Inventor, we rely on a plane/sketch combination to maintain part integrity, therefore what happen to the fusion?

If Autodesk keep the same logic of outputting the change to a DWG, what do we do with it? erase it?

Assuming Fusion is merging inside inventor, do we get a non-linear modeler or we simply get a superset of features to make a parametric history based edit? Some kind of SolidWorks’ Instant3D or what is call inside Solid Edge Dynamic edit/direct editing ( peer variables can be use for assembly). This may come with a litle extra has feature could eventually be recongnize or build (sculpt surface)

So at the end the main question from first article stand, does fusion stand for unite the linear and non linear world or what I suspect, is that internally Autodesk has start unite (fusion) their technologies to form a single platform for all their products?

I would be more incline to think the second one, with Fusion preview 2, they show they can make a bridge between Inventor (IPT) and Autocad (DWG). For those who follow Autodesk products, Autocad new features are geometric constraints and parametric dimensioning…………..

Update: after posting  Isaw new entry from Paul hamilton,

New release of synchronous technology introduce new behavior and layout for the steering wheel.

On the left Steering wheel in ST1 on the right ST2

Major difference, steering wheel torus is now coplanar with the primary axis.

Secondary knob is now locate at the tip of the seconsary axis.

Progressive exposure concept

In ST2, To reflect the fact that model editing often requires only the linear movement of one or more model faces, the concept of progressive exposure of the steering wheel has been implemented.

When face is select primary axis and origin knob are display.

When you complete the synchronous move, steering wheel components are fully display.

Having the steering wheel torus place coplanar with the primary axis, make the torus ready to rotate the select face has it is place perpendicular to the select face. To set the rotation axis around an edge, click the origin knob then the edge.

If you need to Rotate the face around a vertical axis, click the secondary knob and pivot the secondary axis to snap at 90 deg.

Next click the Steering wheel torus to initiate rotation around secondary axis.

Here a quick chart of steering wheel components.

In the progressive display logic, a second type of steering wheel layout is available. It is call 2D steering wheel

This steering wheel is intent to be display for element where 2D manipulation is best suit.

• Cylindrical faces
• Holes
• Patterns
• Sheet metal thickness faces
• Procedural features, such as dimples and drawn cutouts

When select select a circular face or hole, 2D steering wheel will be display.

To access all steering wheel components, click the origin knob.

How to lock the center of a slot to a local reference plane?

See the answer in the tutorial section

Solid DNA is building a bank of candidate for future reference.

If you have some interest

Document are for Solid DNA/Solide ADN internal use only

Send a PDF file via e-mail

First  four or five lines of the resume have to be:

• First Name ( Last name optinal)
• Country
• State/province
• city
• Zip/ postal code ( optional)

Follow by  a short paragraph where you describe your main strenght inside solid edge ( between 3 to 5 lines maximum).

Next add any other informations relate to your experience, you can format the information like you want from this point.

Maximum 2 pages the equivalent of 8.5×11 recto/verso. 

Send to solid_dna@yahoo.ca

Thank you for your cooperation

Designnews .com  post  a news about SEwST winning the Golden Mousetrap award

“…While the merits of history-free vs. history-based or parametric CAD systems have been debated for years, 2009 was the year vendors made huge strides in bridging the benefits of both modeling technologies in one product. Perhaps no 3-D CAD company did as much to advance the trend as Siemens PLM Software with the introduction of Synchronous Technology, its next-generation modeling approach…”

Lately, my attention was caught by a strange design, when I notice Made in Solid Edge.

So i would like to share this picture.

Anyone has a guess of what it is?

Here a hint..

Want to know more about the company, click Trang link on the right in industrial link 

Having start my professinal career has a machinist, i always keep an eye  on what happend on this side of the fence.

Base on Siemens fact sheet,   Siemens PLM Software creates and manages more than 48 percent of the world’s 3D data

Many readers, would probably think that i would place emphasis on using parasolid file to exchange data between system. In fact in my previous life of machinist, i found myself using  STEP file format to exchange data between system. Then Parasolid,  finally last two options SAT or IGES. 

Some rumor state that this was develop for the US army, that need to have  neutral file type that can be exchange rapidly between manufacture facility in order to produce standard and customer part with a minium of preparation.

 Click here to see a time line http://www.steptools.com/pressroom/timeline.html it start aroun 1991

The ultimate goal,  take any STEP NC file send it to a cnc machine with the proper controler, press run after a simple setup and your ready to machine. The need to program a part is almost vanish and no need to have post processor.

Multi-Axis Machining at JPL and NIST, january 2003

On February 3rd, 2005,  http://www.stepnc.com/library/stepnc/2005_orlando/  4 CAM’s, 2 controls , 0 Postprocessors

 Interest in demo set http://www.stepnc.com/products/stepncmachine/samples/

 I would like to share some video on the subject to show what this could mean for your business.

STEP-NC tolerance-driven tool compensation demo (2008-03-12)

Video: STEP-NC impeller machining demo (2008-10-01)

NX7 and Synchronous Technology! CAD guru John Baker! CAD, CAM and Solid Edge tracks! User presentations! Follow-along workshops! Vendor Fair! Food and door prizes!All these and more will be at the 2009 CAUG/WUG Regional Conference on October 13 at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center in Kenosha, WI.

User presentations
One of the great benefits of this conference is the opportunity to see how your colleagues solve the same kinds of problems you have. We welcome users to make presentations on how they use Siemens PLM products in their work. As a presenter, your conference fee will be waived and you’ll receive a nice token of our appreciation. If you’re interested in presenting, we’ll make it easy for you to participate.

First meeting of the user group will be held on, October 14th from 3:00 to 7:00 pm.

Please register your presence at:

http://velocityseries.plmworld.org/home/sigs/solid-edge-sig/huntsville-regional-meeting/

Here what seem to be the final agenda.

3:00                 Welcome and organizational discussion                   Dave Ault,Fieldweld  and  PLM World Board Member, Ken Grundy

 3:15                 Solid Edge with synchronous technology 2               Siemens/Saratech

4:15                 Use of traditional technology, synchronous or both?            Jeff Walker, Siemens                     

4:45                 Break and networking                                                            All

5:00                 Solid Edge tips and tricks                                          Saratech

6:00                 Top 5 implementation mistakes to avoid                  GTAC

6:30                 Development roundtable                                            Solid Edge development

7:00                 Networking, pizza and door prizes                            All