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CAD Model Repair Offers Quick Correction of Non-Manufacturable Conditions

WESTMINSTER, Colo.–A new feature in TransMagic Inc.'s suite of tools for CAD model repair is reported to help manufacturers save time and money by detecting and correcting non-manifold (non-manufacturable) conditions and helping customers to verify manufacturability. TransMagic, a provider of 3D geometry translation, repair, and comparison tools for CAD, CAM, and CAE systems, said in a press release that the new feature can help prevent costly delays in time to market.

"Non-Manifold Detect & Correct is a quick way to ensure that a part is ready for manufacturing, regardless of its complexity," said Craig Dennis, CTO of TransMagic, in a statement. "Using TransMagic, the process is simple. The entire CAD assembly, with all of its parts, can be analyzed with the click of a single button. This feature is particularly helpful for vetting models received from external sources. After detection and visualization of the problem, TransMagic can automatically correct these conditions with another click of a button."

A non-manifold condition typically becomes an issue when 3D CAD models are passed from one organization to another, as when a tier 2 automotive supplier passes a design to a tier 3 supplier for manufacturing. The more complex that a part is, the more likely that a non-manifold condition will arise. The model may appear sound to the tier 2 supplier in the native CAD system, yet when the tier 3 company opens the design, the non-manifold part could explode into possibly hundreds or thousands of surface bodies.

The tier 3 is then faced with the dilemma to fix it themselves (which could take hours or even days) or go back to the tier 2 for a revision. The non-manifold condition can result in lost time for both the tier 2 and tier 3 suppliers. Also, the tier 2 can lose confidence in its supplier. For this reason, the tier 3 supplier will often just do the extra work without notifying the tier 2 supplier.

TransMagic (https://transmagic.com), founded in 2001, develops multi-CAD interoperability software applications for 3D CAD file translation, 3D model comparison, geometry repair, collaboration, and viewing technologies to alleviate the CAD incompatibility and product data exchange challenges facing the manufacturing industry.