Kernel allows client-side calculations, reducing back-and-forth client-server communication
Kubotek Kosmos, a creator of CAD and CAD-related applications, will show what it claims to be the first cloud-ready geometry kernel at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) 2024 in Chicago next week (September 9-14). The company’s new WebAssembly (Wasm) component will be included in the 6.0 release of its 3D Framework libraries, marking a milestone in the development of a kernel built for SaaS applications.
This cloud-ready kernel is poised to accelerate the creation of cloud-based 3D modeling applications such as Onshape.
The new WebAssembly component, based on the open WebAssembly standard, allows for optimized modeling, CAD translation, and WebGL display components within the 3D Framework. One key advantage of this innovation is its ability to minimize the number of transactions between client and server applications, reducing performance delays often experienced with conventional kernels transmitting back and forth between the server and client.
Kubotek Kosmos CTO and COO Ram Eswaran highlighted this breakthrough: “We believe this WebAssembly component is a milestone of speed and portability for the building blocks of specialized cloud-based precise 3D applications.”
The component also benefits developers by reducing costs associated with hosted server utilization. With client-side processing, calculations such as mass properties, pattern recognition or tessellation can be done without taxing the server.
In addition to the WebAssembly innovation, the 6.0 release of Kubotek’s Kosmos 3D Framework adds comprehensive support for 3D Model-Based Definition (MBD) data. MBD is increasingly becoming the industry standard for manufacturers with complex supply chains, replacing traditional 2D engineering drawings with precise, data-rich 3D models. This release will enable 3D application developers to integrate support for reading and authoring MBD datasets, preserving a digital thread from the original part definition throughout manufacturing.
Kubotek Kosmos has positioned itself as a critical player in the shift toward model-based enterprises, a trend supported by major manufacturers such as Lockheed Martin, which recently published its Model-Based Enterprise Supply Chain Playbook. A Deloitte study further underscores the industry’s shift, revealing that model-based enterprises could achieve savings of 70 to 80% in product development costs.
Kubotek Kosmos’ latest release enters a competitive market for geometric kernels against established companies such as Siemens and Dassault Systèmes. With its Parasolid geometry kernel, Siemens is a leading player in CAD applications, providing a kernel to SolidWorks, NX, Solid Edge and Shapr3D. Dassault Systèmes, with its CGM (Convergence Geometric Modeler) and ACIS kernel, powers CATIA. PTC offers the Granite kernel, which is used itself in its Creo application.
These companies offer comprehensive geometric modeling embedded in solid modeling software. However, Kubotek Kosmos differentiates itself by focusing on more specialized 3D applications that want to be cloud-based. Its small memory footprint, rapid load times and reduced server interactions set it apart from monolithic kernels that are more entrenched in traditional operating systems. By leveraging WebAssembly and optimizing for cloud architectures, Kubotek aims to provide a modern, scalable solution for developers building cloud-based and client-server 3D applications.
