ViaCAD contains a collection of tools to edit parts without a history tree.    These tools are invaluable for modifying parts where you:

• Import the file from another CAD system
• Remove the tree to simplify the file size or regeneration times
• Modify a part independent of a pre-defined feature (by face)

Check out the video below showing these interesting tools.

Background

Our first implementation of tools to modify faces independent of features was around 1997.  We had source code to the Local Operations technology from Geometric Software Solutions (GSSL). At the time this was a third party component technology on top of ACIS to perform shelling and draft operations.  Later the technology was acquired by Spatial and tightly integrated into the ACIS kernel.  When you hear feature free modeling hype from CAD vendors typically the underlying workhorse is “Local Operations”.  If you are a software geek, click here for the Spatial docs on Local Operations. Interestingly, Local Operations is also the component name within the Parasolid kernel.

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I was first introduced to ACIS in 1992 by Bruce Morgan of Spatial. For those of you unfamiliar with ACIS, this is the underlying modeling kernel in ViaCAD and Shark. At that time I was responsible for Lockheed’s internal CAD development group. Bruce came in with his ACIS sales hat on with the mission to get Lockheed to incorporate ACIS components into our CAD tools.

What he set into motion though was something quite different!

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The blending tools in ViaCAD and Shark are typically used to blend edges.  However, the blend tool can also be used to blend the faces of two separate bodies.   The trick  is to hold the shift key when you select the items to blend.

Click on the image to see a video demonstrating this feature.