Technologies at Geometric

Geometric is a leading provider of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software solutions. Its key differentiator is its proven expertise in developing world-class technologies for leading PLM software companies. The creation of such complex technologies requires a deep domain expertise and a highly skilled talent pool. Geometric has over 17 years’ experience in developing CAD/CAM/CAE/PDM technologies. About 50 per cent of its software developers are from leading institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).

Geometric has developed technologies for CAD (Computer Aided Design), CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing), PDM (Product Data Management) and Collaboration — in other words, technologies across the breadth of PLM. Some of Geometric’s leading technologies include Feature Recognition, Instant Messenger, CollabView™ and Nestlib^®.

Feature Recognition Technology: why it is critical
Feature information (such as holes, pockets, fillets, chamfers, ribs, slots) plays a critical role in the design to manufacturing cycle. However, such information is often lost during data transfer or is not available in the required detail. Any change to an engineering drawing, as it passes on for various downstream applications, could mean recreating the drawing from scratch.

Technology developed in collaboration with IIT and IISc
Realising the potential, Geometric began developing this technology in 1993, initially in collaboration with the IISc, and later, with the IIT. At that time, being able to create and view a solid model on the computer was itself considered an achievement. Few could visualise that the gap between creating a model and actually manufacturing it could be filled.

What does FR do?
By automatically identifying and interpreting feature information, FR technology helps in the intelligent reuse of legacy and native solid models in many downstream applications such as design modification and manufacturing automation, thereby compressing the design-manufacturing cycle time.

Recognition for FR
The first sale of FR was to SolidWorks in end 1995 when Geometric customised its FR technology to create the add-in product, CamWorks^®, for users of the SolidWorks software. (CamWorks^® is a machining solution, a software giving implementation instructions to computer-controlled machinery.) CamWorks^®, which has FR at its core, helps recognise features that need to be manufactured. This product has been widely appreciated.

It is the only CAM solution to be recognised by the SolidWorks Gold Partnership programme. CamWorks^® has won several awards, including the “Most Intriguing Product” and the “Ease of Use” Awards by American Machinist. Geometric has developed another product for SolidWorks, once again based on FR technology, called FeatureWorks^®.

Who uses FR?
With almost 10 licensees worldwide, Geometric is acknowledged as a global leader in FR. Using the Feature Recognition technology at its core, Geometric has developed products on different platforms. Products based on Feature Recognition include FeatureWorks^®, CamWorks^® and the FeatureRecogniser module in Solid Edge.

Recent Success: FR has been integrated into CATIA, the world’s leading CAD product development solution
Dassault Systemes’ 3D PLM product, CATIA, is the world’s leading CAD product. It is used to design one in every two cars and seven in 10 airplanes worldwide. In November 2002, Dassault Systemes signed an Original Software Development Agreement with Geometric, by which Geometric’s FR technology will be embedded into Dassault’s 3D PLM product portfolio, including CATIA.

Huma Afridi