CoreTechnologie Updates 4D_Additive, Adds Texture Library

MOEMBRIS, Germany, May 15, 2024 – The 3D printing software 4D_Additive from the Franco-German software developer CoreTechnologie now has a texture library in accordance with the VDI 3400 guideline. With the optimized textures module, the surfaces of 3D-printed components can be visually and functionally enhanced with just a few clicks.

With 4D_Additive, VDI surface textures are generated directly on the CAD models to eliminate the stairstepping effects in 3D printing | Photo Credit: CoreTechnologie GmbH

Aesthetic and Functional Surface Refinement

The textures of the optimized 4D_Additive Software tool improve the appearance, give additively manufactured components an aesthetic look and conceal irregularities that occur during production and printing, just like in injection molding. For the new type of surface finishing, special textures based on the VDI 3400 standard are now available in the textures module. The surface finishes of the VDI 3400 Surface Finish Guideline of the Association of German Engineers (VDI) are used worldwide for products for which a certain texture or grain is desired for aesthetic and functional reasons.

Easy to Use

Designers and engineers simply select the right texture for surface design and surface finishing from the extensive texture library. The 4D_Additive software works directly with the exact CAD models. The desired surfaces and texture areas are selected with just a few clicks and the surface structures predefined in the library are generated. The stair-stepping effect, which is particularly undesirable in 3D printing, is automatically concealed.

In contrast to the time-consuming process of creating textures in toolmaking, additive manufacturing allows surface design to be created on any 3D/CAD geometry in just a few seconds using the software.

The relevance of surface finishing is increasing, particularly in the increasingly important process of additively manufactured small series parts. From a commercial perspective, products with high surface quality and aesthetics that are provided with textures and graining are more attractive to customers and convey a higher quality standard.

Further information on the software is available at www.coretechnologie.com/products/4d-additive.

About CoreTechnologie

The software manufacturer CoreTechnologie (CT) was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Germany near Frankfurt am Main with subsidiaries in France, Japan and the USA. The company is the leading provider of 3D CAD conversion software, known as 3D_Evolution (conversion, repair, simplification, analysis), 4D Additive (3D printing software suite), 3D_Analyzer (CAD viewer with analysis tools) and 3D_Kernel_IO (CAD Interfaces SDK). The company’s mission is to optimize MCAD interoperability in the design value chain and to develop customized solutions for PLM integration and process automation. CoreTechnologie’s customer portfolio includes over 600 internationally active companies worldwide from the automotive, aerospace, mechanical engineering and consumer goods industries as well as leading manufacturers of 3D software.

For more information, visit www.coretechnologie.com.