Tech Soft 3D’s HOOPS Exchange Integrated with Siemens PLM

Tech Soft 3D integrates its HOOPS SDK with Siemens PLM. How will this help CAD app developers?

For the last month, users of Siemens product lifecycle management (PLM) software have been able to license Tech Soft 3D’s HOOPS Exchange data access software development toolkit (SDK) directly through Siemens’ PLM software.

Since May 2015, Siemens and Tech Soft 3D have been working hand in hand to develop enhanced tools for parasolid model use. Throughout their collaboration, the two firms have been focused on providing ever more comprehensive CAD data reuse options so that no models are ever bound to a single modeling environment. Thirteen months on, and it appears that Siemens and Tech Soft 3D are steadily advancing to their goal.

“The integration of our solutions gives parasolid developers access to comprehensive data import-export technology, while this new agreement enables us to offer the combined solution through a single offering,” said Jim Rusk, CTO of Siemens PLM Software. “Many of our parasolid customers require advanced data translation capabilities. Our ability to offer one-stop shopping for this integrated solution simplifies the buying process and is a win for Siemens and our customers.”

In this latest integration update, developers who license the HOOPS SDK through Siemens will realize the following benefits:

·         A single API is used to import all supported model formats.

·         A number of leading CAD packages, whose models are based on parasolid geometry (NX, Solid Edge and SOLIDWORKS), can be imported through HOOPS Exchange without any data translation or data loss.

·         For those importing data from nonparasolid-based modelers, HOOPS Exchange will employ advanced parasolid translation functionality to map the original CAD model to a valid parasolid model. Issues like inconsistent tolerances, sliver faces and geometric discontinuities can also be resolved by the import package.

·         All model data, regardless of whether its parasolid or not, will have all model definition information, like geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, product marketing information, tessellation and other forms of instruction, preserved.

In the end, Tech Soft 3D’s integration with Siemens PLM is a no-brainer for both firms. For companies working with multiple vendors on a single product, it’s becoming ever more important to stay on a production schedule. If your firm is waiting on third parties to conform their deliverable to your standards, you could be losing time and damaging your productivity. With tools like HOOPS Exchange, engineering firms can take data translation matters into their own hands and be confident that the models they’re running through HOOPS are as valid as the delivered model.