17 comments

• 

  Josh

  1 year ago

  "believe that combining the two methods in the correct manner IS the best solution I have seen."
  
  I totally agree. I think the direct modeling will add ease of use but the history will provide the power. The focus is going to be on the DM because it's flashy and looks good in video.
  
  thanks for the link Ricky!
  reply
• 

  Tom

  1 year ago

  Hi Ricky, great blog. As for DM I agree, that it will not replace parametric modeling, like stated, power in parameters, ease and quick fixes in DM. However, I have had both abilities already for the past 10 years and its been a godsend to have both. I can't tell you how DM got me out of some binds and last minute deadlines. Also when time allowed to have parametric features help out for simple updates to standard productlines when properly implemented.
  Cheers
  Tom
  reply
• 

  Mike Jenkins

  1 year ago

  ProE will have functionality to create parametric features out of "dumb" imported models in WF4... I think this is the best of both worlds.
  reply
• 

  Ricky Jordan

  1 year ago

  Mike,
  
  I haven't seen this advertised anywhere. (Even checked the PTC site tonight). From the sounds of your description it sounds a bit like FeatureWorks which does work fairly well for prismatic parts.
  
  While creating parametric features can be a handy feature, direct editing if implemented correctly can be fast and easy.
  
  Like any software out there, the details of how these new features work will reveal how useful they can be. I appreciate you bringing it up as I will be on the lookout now to check it out.
  
  Best Regards,
  
  Ricky Jordan
  reply
• 

  Mike Jenkins

  8 months ago

  I saw the feature advertised in a regional user group meeting but this is the only thing I can find on the internet:
  
  http://www.ema-eda.com/products/ptc/proengineer...
  
  New Feature Recognition Toolkit
  Quickly convert imported geometries to features in your model
  reply
• 

  Ricky Jordan

  8 months ago

  Hi Mike,
  
  Based on their description it sounds similar to FeatureWorks. I doubt PTC will be implementing many Direct Editing tools into ProE since they now own CoCreate. Time will tell.
  
  Thanks for sharing the info. It is probably time to do some more posts soon on the whole Explicit Modeling issue.
  
  Ricky
  reply
• 

  Jobs Kent

  3 months ago

  Thanks for posting that link. Was looking for info.
  
  Ricky - will there be more posts on Explicit Modeling soon?
  reply
• 

  Ricky Jordan

  3 months ago

  Kent,
  
  Yes, there will be more posts on this in the future. SolidWorks did show off direct modeling enhancements at SolidWorks World. Once the NDA is lifted on SolidWorks 2010 (sometime mid to late summer) I will post more on it here.
  
  Thanks for reading!
  
  Ricky
  reply
• 

  joe

  1 year ago

  anybody seen DS Catia V6 video demo that was out in may...same kind of thing, except they didn't make as much of a fuss about it.
  
  combination of the two ways of doing things, looks like the future.
  reply
• 

  Matt Lombard

  1 year ago

  Imagine a parametric model that you inherit from someone else where the first 100 features are all parametric and the last 20 are hack-and-slash DM features.
  
  One of the problems with mixing DM with history based modeling is that the history based modeling always wins. the DM edits become history based features, as we see in SolidWorks with Move Face, Delete Face.
  reply
• 

  Ricky Jordan

  1 year ago

  Matt,
  
  I agree that 20 "hack-and-slash DM features" is a bit much at the bottom of a tree and is not a practice I recommend.
  
  Here is a good example of useage: An injection molded Master Model (3 solid bodies) with 500 plus features. After SEVERAL weeks on the project and three prototype sets, you need to move an interior rib wall by 0.020" without effecting any other feature. The move face worked well for this...especially when the change was last minute and literally had to be done in 10 minutes so that the files could be shipped off for more prototypes.
  
  Yeah...I agree...it is kinda funny that the DM edits are history based features. As long as the regeneration time of the DM features are low I don't think this is too much of a problem. If we get regeneration times like the Deform tool...then we have problems.
  
  The bottom line for me is that we (SolidWorks users) do need more tools that will allow us to make changes to imported parts. It seems to me some useful enhancements to the Direct Editing features is that best place for it without having a completely separate package (like SpaceClaim).
  
  Thanks for commenting...and congrats on the Surfacing Book.
  
  Best Regards,
  
  Ricky Jordan
  reply
• 

  kent kwan

  1 year ago

  I have used both and there are positives and negatives about both systems. Without a doubt DM is easiest to use when u inherit a part from another system or even another user of the same system. Its a very "hands-on" approach to modeling, more intuitive, more tolerant of different modeling methods and faster to hit the ground running. In a team based environment when you throw models around to be modified by other members it wins hands down. Not to say parametric is dead, just horses for courses. Unfortunately, one would have to look at the entire design cycle to truly evaluate which is the better method, something noone has ever or will ever do.
  reply
• 

  ocp

  1 year ago

  Editing imported files like iges & step, vene corrupted files with missing surfaces, has been around for years in VX. Thsi does create history after importing these dumb parts (solids or surfaces). That makes life much simpler, being able to just get on with the job.
  reply
• 

  B.Kali vara prasad

  6 months ago

  I B.Kali Vara Prasad.Thanks sir for sending me good tips.Please send me tips on Surface modeling.I had a doubt sir.I made bottle which is made by surface modeling,i converted in step format and opened in PTC wildfire-2.i observed lot of gaps between each surface.Please send me the correct process on my doubt.
  Thanking u sir.
  reply
• 

  Ricky Jordan

  6 months ago

  Hi B.Kali,
  
  When exporting files from SolidWorks to ProE you might want to try the .IGES format. I have had limited success with STEP. SolidWorks also has an option to write out a ProE native file but I have found the .IGES format to be the most robust in my limited dealings with ProE. You can also try reading in a parasolid file from SolidWorks into ProE.
  
  Thanks for the nice comments about the site. I'm glad you have found the content helpful.
  
  Ricky
  reply
• 

  PTC

  4 months ago

  I have no idea. But technology is advancing.
  reply
• 

  Kenneth

  1 month ago

  I'm hoping that, at some point in the future, we'll stop making a distinction between direct modeling and feature-based modeling. That will probably happen when a CAD package successfully combines the two so the user doesn't have to think about which environment he or she is modeling in. Sounds like Utopia? :-)
  reply