LEDAS Enhances 3D Geometry Editing for RhinoDirect Beta 0.3

Rhinoceros software users now have full parametric control over solid geometry consisted of planar and cylindrical faces, including models imported from other CAD systems

LEDAS Ltd., the independent provider of end-user variational design tools, technology components, and software development services for the CAD/CAM/CAE/PLM market, today released an updated beta of RhinoDirect plug-in module for Rhinoceros 3D modeling software from Robert McNeel and Associates. RhinoDirect allows Rhinoceros users to control 3D geometric shapes parametrically using geometric constraints and driving dimensions. Version 0.3 of RhinoDirect beta is available as a free* download from www.DrivingDimensions.com/labs.php.

New to version 0.3 is the radial driving dimension. With this new constraint, users can change the radii of circles, circular arcs, and cylindrical surfaces, including fillets and holes.

Version 0.3 also supports polysurface vertices as arguments to the distance, coincidence, and fixed constraints. Other new features include the ability to group sub-surfaces of polysurfaces into rigid sets, to deal with free edges, and to automatically highlight satisfied and unsatisfied constraints in the RhinoDirect Manager window.

Some features introduced in previous versions of the plug-in have been improved in this release. Cylindrical holes that consist of several parts are now correctly modified. The concentricity of cylinders and the perpendicularity between cylinders and planes are automatically recognized and maintained. In addition, the code has been optimized and several bugs fixed.

“Version 0.3 of RhinoDirect is a big step towards our implementation of a powerful toolset for modifying solid and surface models parametrically in Rhino, including ones imported from other CAD systems,” explained Dmitry Ushakov, Director of Product Management, LEDAS Ltd. “More than 1,000 Rhino users installed previous versions of this plug-in; now we invite them to test our new one, and to share their experiences with us.”

About RhinoDirect

RhinoDirect 0.3 is compatible with Rhinoceros 4.0 SR5B (and higher), and can run on 32-bit versions of Windows XP, Vista, and 7. The beta can be downloaded from DrivingDimensions.com/labs.php at no cost. The Web page also offers visitors detailed on-line help, step-by-step tutorials, video tutorials, and a set of sample examples to play with.

RhinoDirect is an extension of LEDAS' RhinoAssembly plug-in, the ultimate tool for assembly design and kinematic simulation of mechanisms composed of rigid parts. It is commercially available from DrivingDimensions.com/store/Rhino for US$395.00. Both RhinoDirect and RhinoAssembly are part of the LEDAS Driving Dimensions product line.

About Driving Dimensions

Driving Dimensions are end-user applications developed by LEDAS as plug-ins for popular 2D and 3D modeling systems. They provide advanced parameterization capabilities for programs like SketchUp and Rhinoceros. Driving Dimensions are based on the LEDAS' Variational Direct Modeling technology for history-free editing, in which model elements preserve the design intent, and are expressed by explicit and implicit driving dimensions (linear, angular, radial) and geometric constraints.

Simultaneous satisfaction of geometric and dimensional constraints is achieved through LEDAS' LGS 3D geometric constraint solver, technology developed by LEDAS since 2001 and available for licensing to all CAD developers. More information about Driving Dimensions portfolio of applications can be found at www.DrivingDimensions.com.

About LEDAS

LEDAS Ltd. is an independent software development company founded in 1999. It is based in Novosibirsk Scientific Centre in Akademgorodok, the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science. A leader in constraint-based technologies, LEDAS is a well-known provider of computational software components for PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) solutions: geometric constraint solvers for CAD/CAM/CAE, optimization engines for project management, work scheduling and meeting planning as well as interval technologies for knowledge-based engineering and collaborative design. The company also provides services for PLM markets: software development, consulting, reselling as well as education and training.

More information about LEDAS is available at www.ledas.com.

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Driving Dimensions, RhinoAssembly, RhinoDirect, and LGS are trademarks of LEDAS Ltd. Any other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

*Limited time offer. RhinoDirect is available at no charge during the beta test stage.