Dual Geometric Modelling Kernels - Kernel Collaboration (Examples)

[Malcolm Crowe]

Unlike other CAD software, IRONCAD is unique in that it uses both ACIS and PARASOLID geometric modelling kernels working in collaboration. For most users and applications this isn't important, but this feature provides greater versatility to IRONCAD, that isn't possible using a single kernel.

For those interested in understanding the "Kernel Collaboration" within IRONCAD, attached is our own internal document. This includes a description along with practical examples of where manually switching kernels has solved real world modelling problems.

Also attached is a video of our most recent example. This involved importing and converting of a SKETCHUP Faceted Model (also attached), followed by displaying with "Real Projection" within CAXA DRAFT. This particular example required using both ACIS and PARASOLID kernels to achieve the desired end result.

Other users should feel free to add other examples here also.

Malcolm

IRONCAD - Dual Geometric Modelling Kernels - 20230330.pdf

AXION MSR 8300-8309 EMERGENCY SHOWER AND EYE WASH.skp

Edited March 30, 2023 by Malcolm Crowe

[Bertrand Kim]

Hi Malcolm,

Thanks for attaching the good documentation with including examples of this in action. I think it will be very helpful.

Do you have any plans to bundle the documents and publish them as a book? I would buy it 
 

Kim

[tgjang]

Hello. Malcolm
Malcolm, the ODA you mentioned in the PDF file seems to be a similar organization to the ITC, can you tell me if the ODA Toolkit also supports LISP and ARX?
The ITC Toolkit certainly supports dwg and dxf file formats and the LISP and ARX APIs.
Many companies that use AutoCAD have developed internal programs using LISP and ARX APIs to get more out of AutoCAD, so they don't want to replace it with IronCAD.
As a seller of IronCAD, we have to replace AutoCAD with IronCAD, so We're trying to figure out how to do that.

Now that Autocad has changed its policy to subscriptions, many users have switched or are switching to ZWCAD, GSTAR CAD, UNI CAD and BRICS CAD.

Thanks.

 

Edited March 30, 2023 by tgjang

[Malcolm Crowe]

Hi Kim,

I've attached some of our inhouse documents within the "About Me" section of my profile. That's about as close as you're going to get to finding various documents in one place from me (unless you're a client of ours).

While I share a lot of our learnings with the IRONCAD Community, I don't share everything. 

Malcolm

Edited March 30, 2023 by Malcolm Crowe

[Bertrand Kim]

When the inside diameter of the cylinder meets the end point of the cylinder :

With the parasolid kernel, the inner diameter face disappear.

 

 

With Parasolid Kernal :

With Acis Kernal :

You could drill the hole deeper, but I'm working around that by simply changing the kernel with Ctrl+K.

 

Kim

[Malcolm Crowe]

Hi tgjang,

Regarding the OPEN DESIGN ALLIANCE (ODA), I think that you must be referring to a different document of mine rather than the one attached here.

I may be wrong, but my understanding is that ITC build their product around the ODA Platform (as is our other CAD software BRICSCAD). For anyone developing 2D/3D CAD software today, the ODA is the first place that they should start; to avoid wasting resources reinventing the wheel. Likewise, IRONCAD/CAXA should be making use as much as they can from the ODA as well.

Malcolm

Edited March 30, 2023 by Malcolm Crowe

[Malcolm Crowe]

The attached video is an example, where having Dual Kernels helped when importing a particular group of *.igs files. IRONCAD failed to import all of the geometry when the Scene was set to the PARASOLID kernel, but successfully imported all of the geometry when the Scene was set to the ACIS kernel.

Malcolm

Edited September 14, 2023 by Malcolm Crowe

[Malcolm Crowe]

This example involves the importing of a couple of *.stp files that behaved differently compared to other *.stp files received from the same manufacturer. To successfully import these particular files, it was necessary to either change an import setting (Combine all as reference geometry), or to change the Scene kernel from PARASOLID to ACIS.

Malcolm

Edited October 2, 2023 by Malcolm Crowe

[Malcolm Crowe]

This is an interesting example from yesterday, where it was necessary to change from the ACIS kernel to the PARASOLID kernel for some Blends to work. This model was originally created 5 years ago (using the ACIS kernel), but after some very minor dimension changes yesterday, these Blends stopped working. Changing the kernel property of the Part to using PARASOLID solved the blending problem.

Malcolm