Product category:
CAD draughting software
News Release from: Okino Computer Graphics | Subject: SolidWorks CAD conversion system update
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 11 April 2008
SolidWorks CAD conversion system updated
A SolidWorks CAD conversion system has been updated by Okino for importing SolidWorks 2008 files (and all other major CAD file formats) into the newest DCC/Animation package releases.
Okino Computer Graphics has updated its SolidWorks CAD conversion system and is available, at no cost, to current users still within their valid maintenance period The conversion pipeline allows native SolidWorks BREP CAD assembly, part and presentation files (disk based, or from a live running copy of SolidWorks) to be converted to all major animation + authoring packages, 3D downstream file formats and VisSim programs
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 26 Jan 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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Okino provides excellent and well refined 3D data translation software for SolidWorks users and users of SolidWorks data.
T Okino's NuGraf and PolyTrans software imports crack-free geometry, hierarchy and materials (assembly data) from native disk-based SolidWorks files or from a running copy of SolidWorks.
It provides high-end rendering, viewing and scene composition of the data, or have the data optimised and then pipelined into all major 3D file formats, animation packages and third party/OEM integrations.
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There is now support for .slddrw 3D presentation layouts.
Most importantly, SolidWorks assemblies, parts and presentations can be effortlessly and directly imported into 3ds Max, Maya, Softimage|XSI, as well as any third party product which integrates Okino's PolyTrans 3D converters, such as mentioned below.
Okino develops and sells software that is needed in mission + production critical environments.
The company emphasises the following.
* We use the actual SolidWorks source code, or connect directly into the inner core of a running copy of SolidWorks, so the conversion process will always result in crack free and technically accurate 3D models.
We do not use intermediate file formats or hidden toolkits from unnamed companies.
This process will work 'out of the box' for all customers, for CAD expert or animator alike.
* Over the last 20 years Okino has pioneered the entire concept of bringing complex CAD assemblies into all downstream non-CAD programs, 3D file formats, animation systems and DCC packages, in particular 3ds Max, Maya, Lightwave, Cinema-4D and Softimage since the mid 90s.
These are very refined and efficient CAD pipelines, being used by tens of thousands of our enterprise companies, production houses and 3D professional users.
A typical complex CAD conversion process only takes a few minutes or less, including full scene optimizations.
There is no concept of spending days or weeks "trying" or "struggling" to get CAD data into these programs, where no such process existed before, because this has been Okino's primary calling card and forte in the 3D industry for decades.
* In the conversion process Okino' has a novel and proprietary CAD optimisation processor, which is integrated into each of its CAD importers.
Okino told manufacturingtalk.com that this processor is by far the most complex aspect of its entire 3D CAD conversion software pipeline.
It will reorganise large and unwieldy CAD assemblies into refined datasets for efficient animation, rendering or interactive viewing.
* Okino licenses, resells and/or integrates its CAD conversion system with many OEM and third party companies/products such as: 3DCreate (by Visual Components), Cinema-4D and its 'Engineering Bundle' (by Maxon Computer), EON Reality, NGRAIN military training products, Pytha (by CATS Software), Quest-3D (by Act-3D), VirTools (4DC .nmo pipeline by Realicon), and others who wish to remain anonymous.
* Okino's philosophy has been to bring expensive CAD software to all users, at affordable prices.
A very important point for our animation users is that for one-third the price of what others charge for a single SolidWorks converter.
Okino licenses its entire suite of industry standard, native, CAD modules in the Dual-CAD-Granite/Pack for US$510 (minus native JT and CATIA).
The SolidWorks conversion pipeline is available by itself in the CAD/Pack for US$245.
These are not reverse engineered, second rate CAD modules but rather de facto industry standard implementations, including: ACIS SAT, Alias .wire (via .g format), Autodesk Inventor, DXF/DWG 2008 (native AutoCAD and Mechanical Desktop), IGES solids, Parasolid, encrypted and native ProE (from PTC itself), Rhino-3D, SolidWorks, Solid Edge, STEP solids, STL, VDA-FS, XGL and X3D.
Dozens more file formats are also provided in the base-level PolyTrans, as well as in the DCC/Pack license, the JT Open import/export license, and the native CATIA v4 + v5 licenses (which are licensed copies of CATIA from Dassault - very unique in their price range).
* Okino provides free, quick and highly educated support for its software direct from the main management team and senior developers, and not from online forums or untrained front-line tech support people.
The company said it knows CAD conversion.
President and CEO of Okino Computer Graphics, Robert Lansdale, said: "Our SolidWorks 3D data conversion system is by far our most popular and requested CAD conversion pipeline software".
He said: "We have dedicated a great deal of effort into making our SolidWorks 3D import conversion, repurposing and rendering pipeline the best in the industry over the last 10 years.
We have seen demand grow quickly since the original release of SolidWorks, demonstrating that SolidWorks is the dominant solid modeler for its price range and market.
Our pipeline solution allows complete SolidWorks parts and assemblies to be converted cleanly and professionally to all other major 3D file formats, animation packages and visual simulation programs".
Landsdale continued: "It also allows all disparate departments of large enterprise companies (such as engineering, design, marketing and support) to easily exchange product data without the need to rebuild their CAD datasets - downstream uses include product documentation and manual creation, animation and rendering software, visual communication and review of data, and for accessing easier to manipulate versions of the original CAD datasets".
In addition, the software provides support for photo-realistic rendering and scene composition, 3D data and hierarchy optimisation and built-in polygon reduction for handling those truly huge scenes that other downstream applications can't handle without reduction.
He said: "Our solution is particularly popular for importing SolidWorks assemblies into the 3ds Max, Maya, Lightwave, XSI and Cinema-4D animation programs, amongst many other OEM and third party vendor integrations.
We also have kept prices affordable for all of our CAD solutions, including free support and maintenance".
Partner Program manager for SolidWorks Corporation, Brian Houle, said: "SolidWorks is the standard for 3D mechanical design software.
Combining it with Okino's product line gives engineers the tools they need to do their jobs faster and better by allowing SolidWorks 3D data to be re-purposed for additional downstream uses and applications".
Houle affirmed: "Engineers and designers can now re-purpose 3D data to suit their enterprise, including animation and rendering departments, documentation teams, product manual creation staff, and external third party services who want to use SolidWorks data in other 3D software applications that may not understand or accept SolidWorks data directly.".
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