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www.ADandP.media SOLID EDGE AD&P; ∕ NOVEMBER 2017 INTRODUCING CONVERGENT MODELING Generative modeling lets designers create interesting designs. These designs are connected together into a mesh. Reverse engineering lets users scan objects and get a series or cloud of points. Algorithms turn those points into a triangulated mesh. AM has been based on triangulated meshes since its introduction. Because these three operations use mesh-based geometries, a problem exists: Most design engineers work in CAD systems that create boundary represen- tation (B-rep) models, which are feature-based solid models. B-rep, explains Staples, uses cylinders, planes, cones and other objects to create a design. Faceted modeling doesn't; its designs use a mesh. Given modeling realities, producing a great genera- tive design or a part design from reverse engineering becomes less than "seamless" when it's time to modify the design—using a CAD system based on B-reps. Conversely, continues Staples, converting 3D scans to final designs is not hard, but people can spend days surfacing those designs. Unless they're using B-rep CAD. Convergent modeling solves all that by combining B-rep solids and facet models together. Explains Staples, "You can have B-rep data or mesh-based data. The data can co-exist. You can do Boolean operations between them. You can do feature-based modeling on the mesh models. The user interaction is so seamless, you might think you're working on a b-rep model when in fact you're not." In generative design, says Staples, engineers typically get "a really cruddy looking thing. It tells you where to put material; then you have to do all the work modeling the part." With ST10, engineers can create organically shaped "beautiful models ready for production" by essentially performing feature- based modeling on mesh-based parts. On the other hand, when applying generative design techniques in traditional reverse engineering, users have to take the scanned model into a B-rep model. ST10 eliminates having to choose what CAD method to use. Users, Generative design, additive manufacturing and reverse engineering are all based on faceted modeling, which uses mesh-based geometries. However, most designing is done in CAD systems that create B-rep models, which are feature-based solid models. Convergent modeling works with both modeling approaches. Generative modeling lets designers create interesting designs. For example, this gas pedal was designed by Craig Hall, owner of Hall Designs, with the latest version of Solid Edge and KeyShot 3D rendering and animation software. says Staples, "can do all sorts of feature-based model directly on that data." Users can also extract surfaces from mesh data into planar or cylindrical surfaces (i.e., B-rep models). With synchronous technology, users can work directly on the surfaces of 3D scanned mesh geometries natively, thereby eliminating the need—and time, energy and money—for reverse-modeling. Put together as it is in ST10—direct, facet and parametric modeling—there's "no time-consuming, error-prone conversions. You don't have to spend days reverse-modeling over mesh data. And if you already have an awesome ready-to-print model, you can still add/subtract features," explains Staples. Plus, says John Fox, Siemens PLM vice president of marketing, ST10 replaces a number of legacy tools for importing, exporting and modifying generative designs, scanned models, or performing topology optimization, thereby eliminating several large bottlenecks. THE BEST OF THE REST ST10 has several other new features. It includes a new, fully embedded computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation and analysis tool for investigating fluid flows and heat transfers. Also, "If you're a Solid Edge customer, you get Catchbook in the main package," explains Fox. This way, 41