Architectural CADD News by Software
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Architectural CADD News by Software |
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Last Updated : Dec. 20, 2000
ACIS
Spacial Technologies --- (ACIS 3D Modeler)
ACIS was bought by Dassault Systems in the Fall of 2000. This move could have a tremendous impact on AutoCAD, which uses ACIS for solid modeling functions of AutoCAD 13, 14, 2000, and 2000i (polyline extrude and revolve) as Autodesk and Dassault are arch-rival competitors. AutoCAD ADT uses a different, non-ACIS modeler for the "Mass Elements" of ADT.
Spatial Purchase Completed
Dassault Systemes announced 14 Nov it completed the acquisition of Spatial Technology Inc.'s 3D software component business. The component business will be known as Spatial Corporation and will operate as an independent, wholly owned subsidiary of Dassault Systemes. As previously announced, Michael Payne, chief technology officer of Dassault Systemes, has been appointed chief executive officer of Spatial.
"Acquiring Spatial is a key step toward Dassault Systemes' strategy to have 3D everywhere, anytime and for everyone," said Bernard Charles, president of Dassault. http://www.spatial.com
As a result, the company formerly known as Spatial has changed its stock ticker symbol has changed from STY to PCD. http://www.planetcad.com
ACIS v5.1
Spatial Technology is now shipping Version 5.1 of the ACIS 3D Toolkit, which features faceted silhouette edges for interactive hidden line and drawing generation (useful for AEC applications), and full naming support for feature-based modeling applications. Autodesk immediately announced that ACIS v5.1 would be part of Mechanical Desktop 4.0. Other ACIS 5.1 features include:
AEC component produces an optimized representation of planar ACIS bodies.
Selective booleans enhanced for terminations that are more complex.
New functions for deep copy of geometry allows programmers to produce unshared geometry.
Native 64-bit Silicon Graphics support.
Interactive vertex alignment for loft and skin surface generation.
Interactive space warping (twisting and bending).
Real-time level of detail control allows, for example, objects that are far away to have fewer facets, while objects that are close-up have more facets.
ACIS, from Spatial Technology, is Y2K compliant now.
In related news, Spatial Technology is shipping ACIS v4.1 just 8 weeks after ACIS v4.0 became available. Spatial says there are now 1.3 millions users of 160 software packages made by 400 licensees that contain the ACIS solids modeling kernel. http://www.spatial.com
