Description :
Smart feature-based approach for all types of wireframes and surfaces
CATIA Mechanical Surface Design provides a comprehensive set of features for shape design. These include wireframe elements (point, line, plane, circle, spline, parallel curves, corner on plane, connect 3D, spiral, helix, conics…) and also includes standard and advanced surface features (extrude, revolute, swept surfaces (line & circle sweeping, multi-sections surface & blend capabilities, fill). Both standard and advanced combinations of elements can be used in associative transformation, including symmetry, scaling, translation, affinity, extrapolation and fillet.
Associative Design
The wireframes and surfaces can be designed using the part or assembly context. Design in context allows concurrent work with user control of associativity. Thanks to the powerful associativity mechanism, any required design change is easily controlled and rapidly propagated at any time for easy shape design optimization.
Operations & productivity tools
A suite of powerful modifying features is available and can be applied on curve and surfaces (intersection, projection, offset (including Variable & Rough), many kinds of fillets & chamfers…). Operators are provided with high productivity helps such as repeat options and quick multi-creation mechanisms.
Tolerant modeler
CATIA geometrical modeler is able to manage operations on curve and surfaces even if those got some small geometrical gaps (max=0.1mm). The smoothing capabilities and the tolerant lay down options make designers able to perform usual tasks keeping a fluid way to work, compensating the gaps and still getting high-end quality surfaces.
Capture and reuse Design Knowledge for automation of design tasks
CATIA Mechanical Surface Design is natively integrated with CATIA Knowledgeware products. Knowledgeware and laws functionalities included in CATIA Mechanical Surface Design bring to the user the best in class tools to faster create complex and smart surfaces. Also, CATIA Mechanical Surface Design enables to reuse the same surface geometry in multiple instances, allowing concurrent engineering to take place. It can reuse a surface geometry linked to an existing surface providing master model design methodologies.
Rapid flattening of ruled and non-ruled surfaces and developing curves on revolution surfaces
CATIA Mechanical Surface Design quickly and easily unfolds ruled and non-ruled surfaces and develops curves on revolution surfaces. It allows flattening ruled and non-ruled surfaces such as cylinders, continuous point blend, and sweeping segment. The user is then able to verify the mathematical surface of a shape. Once the surface is flat, it is easier to manage bulk calculations, raw materials' costs calculation, and manufacturability calculation. Design engineers, both non-surface specialists and advanced-shape designers, can define an associative flattened pattern from their 3D models for manufacturing from flat sheets of raw materials.
Suite of comprehensive and easy to use Surfacing modeling tools
CATIA Mechanical Surface Design unifies all types of free-form curves and surfaces in a single math-free representation. It provides surface-based tools to help designers create styled shapes and surfaces, enabling even casual users to easily smooth and trim curves and surfaces. Designers can create flawless, styled shapes from scratch, in order to model three-dimensional free-form curves and surfaces. The system can blend and extrude curves, fill, and blend or match surfaces.
Wide set of real time analysis tools for quality checking
CATIA Mechanical Surface Design provides immediate visual quality control through extensive and associative real-time curve and surface diagnosis tools. These tools include: Environment mapping, Pixel isophote mapping, Porcupine analysis of curvature, Dynamic cutting plane, Connection checker, Surface/element distance analyzer, Draft mapping analysis, Curvature mapping analysis.
Customer benefits :
Create mechanical surfaces thanks to end-to-end, full process coverage
CATIA Mechanical Surface Design offers a consistent approach to Mechanical Surface Design, with end-to-end full process coverage. Users can avoid data conversions between several systems and will save time and tolerance constraints. CATIA Mechanical Surface Design is directly integrated with other V6 workbenches, respecting an efficient workflow. Compliance with design rules and constraints leads to quality shapes ready for manufacturing.
Speed-up design process with flexible methodology
With CATIA Mechanical Surface Design, it is possible to employ several design tactics in order to build detailed designs. Designers can choose the level of intelligence of their designs. Several CATIA Mechanical Surface Design features help to efficiently manage design modifications, such as the replace capability. For example, the design may be build on top of datum curves or skins; those can be replaced by others to update the design.
Address hybrid modeling requirements
Designers often have to model hybrid parts that involve a combination of mechanical features and free-form shapes. CATIA Mechanical Surface Design addresses these hybrid modeling requirements. Hybrid Design enables surface and wireframe geometries to be handled inside the part body, among solid features. With CATIA Mechanical Surface Design surfaces and skins can be integrated with other CATIA V6 products for hybrid part designing. Shapes can be designed using the part and assembly context. When design changes are required, the user can control the propagation of modifications. This unique approach offers seamless design of mechanical parts.
Ensure high-end design quality
CATIA Mechanical Surface Design offers a complete set of surface creation tools. It is recognized as the standard solution in the mechanical shape design domain for delivering high quality shapes. The user can be sure that there is always a way to obtain the desired shapes, following the initial design intents. Users have total control over all levels of quality of their produced surfaces, thanks to a set of dedicated analysis tools and quality checkers.
Capture and re-use design methodologies and specifications with a productive and intuitive design environment
The feature-based approach offers a productive and intuitive design environment to capture and re-use design methodologies and specifications.
Use with ease
CATIA Mechanical Surface Design can be used by either non-surface specialist designers, thanks to the product ease of use, or by advanced shape designers looking for a complete surfacing tool, thanks to a wide functional set. CATIA Mechanical Surface Design’s intuitive interface makes it possible to produce shape designs with precision and very few interactions. The dialog boxes are self explanatory and require practically no methodology, all defining steps being commutative.