On April 30 at the annual CATIA Operators Exchange spring
conference and Technifair, Dassault Systemes announced the first
commercial product that may represent the next technological
change in engineering software that fundamentally alters the way
we work. Like solid modeling, computer aided drafting, and
numerically controlled milling, Dassault Systemes 3DLive and
technologies like it could fundamentally alter the way
designers, engineers, manufacturing and construction workers,
and service technicians store, organize, and use information
about the products and structures that define our modern world.
The 3DLive vision
3DLive is, in part, Dassault Systemes' first attempt to
answer the needs of its customers for a better virtual
prototype. Unlike virtual mockups, 3DLive maintains a
lightweight database of graphic elements that is continuously
updated by one of the Enovia product-data management systems.
Each time a worker checks in a revised part or assembly, the PDM
system generates a compact, faceted model of the geometry in
CATIA's CGR format. This CGR model is then stored in the 3DLive
database where it is accessible by users of the system. 3DLive
also can store all the metadata associated with each part,
including part numbers, names, supplier information, and costs,
if available.
A model of a Dassault Falcon aircraft designed with CATIA V5 and
displayed in 3DLive. Notice the product structure tree in the
upper left corner. (Click for larger view.)
Product pricing
Dassault is offering versions of the 3DLive software for use
with its Enovia VPM and Smarteam PDM systems and the Delmia PPR
Hub. License fees are based on the number of clients that use
the system. There are no additional charges for server software.
The primary license charge (PLC) for the Enovia VPM and
Delmia versions of 3DLive is $1,000 plus 15 percent annually for
upgrades and support. The Enovia Smarteam version carries a PLC
of $480. Customers can also license 3DLive clients for a
recurring charge of $40 per month with no up front fee. Volume
discounts apply to these prices.
Jumping the gun
A May 2 press release announced the immediate
availability of 3DLive, but demonstrations at COE suggest that
it isn’t yet ready for serious evaluation. In the initial
release, the only way to find and display parts is by navigating
the product structure tree. 3DLive won’t let customers “fly
through” products or select exterior surfaces and hide them in
order to show the internals of complex machinery.
Read more... -
Unanswered questions
- The right
architecture?
- A long journey
The
full article is available for a fee at
