2D Sketching

ZW3D 2011 features a next generation 3D SmoothFlow design paradigm. SmoothFlow will make ZW3D 2011 the fastest, most effective 3D CAD system available anywhere. It combines the speed and flexibility of direct modeling with the precise control of dimension-driven designs, without losing the features and functionality of history-based modeling. You can modify features quickly and effectively on native or imported geometry without history regeneration.

2D Sketching

Hybrid modeling makes it possible for engineers to take advantage of the speed of solids with the flexibility of Class A surfaces. When you can handle solids and surfaces seamlessly in the same environment, your ideas come to life?


Sketching is easy in ZW3D especially with tools such as Quick Draw and Ready-sketch. These automation tools allow users to create fully-constrained sketches with a single command. ZW3D users have the power to work with fully-constrained, partially-constrained or unconstrained geometry. Freedom by design.

• Sketch on faces or datum planes
• Image-to-geometry (raster to vector)
• Create, edit and constrain free-form splines
• Built-in DWG/DXF import with healing of overlaps and gaps
• Designer and conventional filleting
• Fast constraint solver
• TrueType fonts can be used as geometry
• Automatic dimensioning including partially dimensioned sketches
• ReadySketch Library

Hybrid 3D Shape Modeling

• Advanced solids with built-in primitive shapes
• Superb shape simplification for direct editing of any geometry
• Import and export of all industry standard formats
• Feature commands for holes, threads, lips and rib networks
• Integrated Model healing
• 3D engraving on solids and surfaces
• Unlimited undo/redo capability
• Variable-offset shelling and draft
• Part comparison utilities

ZW3D supports true parametric (dimension driven) feature-based modeling, in addition to a range of direct editing commands not found in traditional feature-based modelers. For instance, parts can be moved into machine or mold position without effort, quickly offset any face with a right-mouse click, change draft angles and add fillets, remove holes, or completely reshape the part with morphing. These edits can be made to open or closed shape, points, wireframe, STL or solid/surface models.

ZW3D also provides tools for removing features on native or imported geometry using the simplify or erase and fill gaps commands. Mold and Die designers can split imported geometry without having to spend hours healing parts. ZW3D also has support for reducing the time to regenerate History with the History Backup and Encapsulate commands. The recent introduction of subparts expands on this idea. ZW3D gives the user quick and simple tools to let them work with native and imported geometry.

Show-n-Tell™ Built-in Learning

Learn ZW3D at your own pace on your own schedule. Get up and running fast with Show-n-Tell 3D tutorials, that work like a 3D book. The Show-n-Tell™ Tutorials system is built into all of the ZW3D products, providing on screen step-by-step lessons on a wide range of topics. Show-n-tell is also has a complete set of authoring tools and is used for design review assembly instructions.

More about Show-n-Tell™ Built-in Tutorials

Download Tutorials from the Learning Center

Translators

ZW3D has super fast geometry translators for importing nearly any type of file, including STL and image files (jpg, bmp, tif). Poor geometry will not stop ZW3D because of our support open shape modeling.

Import and Export 3D geometry fast and eliminate model repair time.

• IGES: ZW3D supports the latest IGES standards and works seamlessly with non-solids.
• STEP: Import AP 203 and 214 and export AP 203. STEP assembly/layer support.
• Parasolid: ZW3D supports the latest parasolid libraries and properly exports ZW3D Assemblies to parasolid assemblies or bodies.
• STL: STL files can be imported, modified and exported. Use the advanced design and CAM tools to surfaced or machined STL.
• Images: Import and emboss images on model faces with ZW3D Designer or greater.
• Force heal: Forces a best match from open edges to achieve a solid when possible

Fast 2D to 3D model conversion or Maintain old 2D DWG files with ZW3D

• Import and Export of 2D DWG
• Uses the latest DWGdirect™ library from open DWG Alliance.
• Handles Unicode (doublebyte characters) which is primarily found in Asian DWG translations.
• Accurate layer, color, hatching and ACAD Font support
• Users can specify the units of measure to import a DWG file.

Convert images to 3D Models

• Import 2D Images (jpg, tif, bmp) into sketches
• Accurate raster to vector conversion with a minimum entities
• Convert curves to lines and arcs with complete continuity control
• 2D gap checking

2D Layout & Detailing

Whether laying out 3D models or using traditional drawing techniques, ZW3D makes it simple to create production drawings and details. Creating views of 3D models and assemblies is easy especially since all views update automatically to reflect model or assembly changes.

• Automatic layout with projection, sectioning and detailing
• Hidden line, wire frame, shaded and fast hidden line views
• Advanced sections of trimmed parts or trimmed surface
• QuickDraw geometry with One-touch trimming & dimensioning
• Annotate views, sections and details with True Type Fonts
• Assembly exploded, detail, configuration and history state views
• GD&T Editing and creation
• Bill of Material, Hole & Electrode tables with auto-ballooning
• Title Header fill-in with attributes, variables or images (logo display)
• One-touch model recall

Geometry Healing

ZW3D healing can analyze and quickly repair abnormal conditions found in the geometry of imported files (e.g., vertex points, edge curves, UV curves, and face boundaries). These abnormalities include gaps that are impossible to machine. ZW3D can resolve thousands of such problems in minutes. Even though ZW3D can go straight to work on poor geometry, great healing tools are still essential to anyone that works with imported data.

Freeform Surfacing

• Class-A surface modeling
• Shape morphing
• Surface matching, merging, smoothing and control point editing
• Advanced surface editing (with divide, trim and sew options)
• N-Sided & FEM blends with continuity control and gap detection
• Smart surfacing - rails, splines, drive curves
• Advanced lofting & variational sweeps

3D Wire Frame Tools

• Parametric, freeform sketching for hybrid modeling
• Curve projection, offsetting and wrapping
• 3D model annotation
• Dynamic curve manipulation
• Import/Export of DWG/DXF geometry

Expert Assembly

ZW3D burst technology offers efficient handling of 10,000 part assemblies or larger. By special handling of display data, ZW3D minimizes memory usage which allows users to efficiently manipulate and manage assemblies from design prototyping through manufacturing.

• Strong support for assembly-centric design
• Top-down or bottom-up assembly design
• In-place assembly shape modeling
• Editable Bill of Material with Excel?link
• On demand data retrieval
• Assembly patterns
• Interference checking
• Motion Simulation with AVI exporting
• Alternate parts and configurations
• Exploded views (automatic & interactive)
• Part lookup with predefined search paths
• Constraint-based component positioning

Sheet Metal

• Full and partial flange creation with automatic bend radius and relief
• Simplified tab and cut creation
• Corner closing with relief
• Easy S-Bend creation
• Flexible, easy to create louvers and dimples
• Folding and unfolding of entire part or selected bends
• Easy modification of bend angle or radius
• Features can be added in folded or unfolded state
• Tagging of bends for working with non-native parts

Real-view & Checking

Users can continuously work on a model while displaying either a zebra stripe or draft analysis thus providing instantaneous, real-time feedback without interruptions or slow-downs.

ZW3D hybrid modeling lets users model instantaneously with solid, surface or wire-frame geometry in real-time checking mode which significantly reduces interruptions to their session or system degradation. For example, an industrial designer can simply turn on zebra striping to check curvature while modeling a product and then instantly switch over to draft checking to see if there are any draft problems.

ZW3D has an assembly level display tool that lets users toggle the display mode of any component. So, if a user wants to see inside a gear box or through a mold plate, instead of hiding parts, all he has to do is right-click a part and render it as transparent or wireframe. ZW3D gives the user even more control by allowing multiple instances of the same part to be displayed differently. The use of these display tools results in time saved designing and communicating ideas.

Dynamic Slicing in ZW3D goes beyond the norm as simply a "cool visualization tool." One of the key features of dynamic slicing is the real-time interference check. Users can see all interferences as the slice plane is moved across the assembly. This functionality gives instant interference feedback and virtually eliminates the need to process a separate interference check. Users can continue to model while in a sliced display mode and can save sliced views to be recalled later.

Hours of design time can be saved with ZW3D's Design Optimizer. Design Optimizer is an equation solver that is useful for driving specified design parameters to solve an engineering problem. For example, an engineer can control which parameters of a design can be changed to optimize a model to a lowest mass condition or drive a design to a specific volume. Design parameters can be held within a range and can also manually tweaked to get instant feedback.

Links to FEA, PDM, CMM

• FEA:ZW3D links directly with Cosmos DesignStar 2006 and ANSYS DesignSpace exporting an optimized data set for analysis. ZW3D supports the STL requirements of other third Party analysis products.

• PDM: Workgroups need an easy to use solution for document control. ZW3D provides tools for file check-in/out, read-write permissions, version and revision control and attribute searching. ZW3D also supports a wide range of third party PDM systems.
• CMM: Point files can be imported directly into ZW3D from any coordinate measuring machine or 3D scanner. ZW3D also has direct links to Romer and Microscribe arms for live point creation.

Image courtesy of Romit

Reverse Engineering

This new function provides the capability to insert abundant part libraries in ANSI, BSI, CSN, DIN, EN, GB, GOST, ISO, JB, JIS, KS, NF, PN, UNI, etc, including those from famous supplier in the world. It will reduce the time to create models manually and improve work efficiency and accuracy. PartSolutions^TM is included at no additional cost.

Reverse Engineering

• Create surfaces and STL models from millions of points
• Use point thinning to reduce data while maintaining shape integrity
• Point cloud surface fit analysis tools
• Point file display and edit tools
• Large STL data handling
• Import extremely large STL files
• Boundary edge tracing
• Create a closed multi-tangent-surface model from a 360^o scan
• Direct interface to Microscribe or Romer Cimcore CMM machines

Parting Lines/Surfaces

ZW3D can automate core cavity creation. Unlike in other systems, ZW3D does not require a perfect solid to perform a split.  Mold & die designers can go straight to work on imported parts and save hours of healing time.

ZW3D includes utilities to automate create parting lines and faces in mold & die design. You can use a variety manual parting line creation and editing tools, which provide the flexibility mold & die designers require.

Basic Mold Base Library

Insert complete mold bases from DME,
HASCO and Futaba, with all of the purchased
components and proper BOM information.

Cooling Channels

2-Axis Milling

The 2-axis milling tactic provides a rich set of tool paths for rough stock removal and surface finishing. It also provides the means for the operator to make holes or cut access holes with drills or mill tools. The 2.5-axis tool paths include profiling and pocketing by collapsing step-over (inward or outward), parallel linear cuts, or continuous spiraling.

Auto-feature Tactics

Intelligent hole drilling (Hole Tactic)

ZW3D automatically recognizes hole features and selects the proper tooling, spot drill, tap, c'bore or c'sink. ZW3D gives the users total control over parent tools. You can drill, bore, ream or tap points, circles, cylinders, half cylinders(common with imported parts) and native or imported holes.

Automatic 2D feature milling (Mill2 Tactic)

Automatic 2D feature milling automatic operation and tool selections based on 2D part features reduces programming time and effort.

3-Axis Surface Milling

3-axis milling provides several families of tool paths based on different algorithms for positioning the tool. Each has its place in either roughing or finishing parts.

Intellinggent 3D Automatically Milling Tactics

Using ZW3D's combination of tools, automation and shop-floor machining logic, ZW3D breaks down part topology into solid features and then analyzes the capabilities of library tools to produce an effective, efficient machining plan and generate a more realistic machining work flow.

QuickMill™ High Speed Milling

Handle your toughest jobs: The ZW3D QuickMill suite offers dramatic speed and tool path improvements for tool and die machining applications-yet has exceptional ease of use to minimize training and support. A full range of material handling and cutting techniques are supported to allow extremely complex milling in 3D. Even difficult steep and shallow mold situations are easily performed in ZW3D QuickMill with advanced limiting, which eliminates milling problems in molds with steep walls or where a part needs to be progressively milled with a variety of tools and holders.

Reduce Programming Effort: Intelligent Machining Automation is made possible by the way QuickMill™ takes a unique whole part approach to machining. Users establish their own rules for machining a part, which ZW3D can use as a knowledge base for intelligently machining for a vast array of other parts. This greatly reduces the time required for programming new parts. In essence, ZW3D captures and uses the knowledge and logic of an experienced machinist for automatically generating machining.

Smoothflow™ AFC

SmoothFlow™ technology mills cavities and pockets safely and efficiently by maintaining constant material removal during roughing thus extending tool life and reducing machine wear and tear. AFC (Adaptive Feedrate Control) automatically adjust federates based on tool loading to ensure a constant chip load. Higher feed rates are possible without the risk of tool breakage by reducing the radial pressure on the tool spindle, essential for optimizing HSM machines.

SmoothFlow™ motion is softly contoured with corners and tight areas safely milled without full width cuts which prevents tool and spindle overload. All of these factors are critical for unattended machining to achieve extended tool life and reduced milling time. ZW3D SmoothFlow™ gives programmers the confidence to boost productivity with ideal feed-rates and cutting technology.

ZW3D Post

ZW3D Post provides advanced post-processing capability for converting cutter location data (APT-CL) into machine specific code (G and M code) required by CNC machines. ZW3D Post is integrated into all ZW3D machining bundles.

ZW3D Post Features:

• Supports all classes of 2 and 3 axis milling machines
• Access to all internal postprocessor variables
• User-definable postprocessor syntax
• CL file conversion
• Automatic conversion of point to point data to CNC format
• State-of-the-art technology using Windows GUI
• An easy to use macro language
• 2X and 5X drilling cycles
• Canned cycles support
• Conversational output style support
• 5 Axis indexing
• Support for head attachments for 5 face milling

CNC Output Manager

Solid Verification

Accurate Error Detection & Reporting
Solid Verify detects errors such as:

• Incorrect or misread blueprints
• Inaccurate programming
• Incorrect tool path motions
• Rapid motion contact
• Collisions with fixtures and clamps
• Tool shank and holder collisions

Model Analysis
The Verification module enables you to view and analyze the geometry of the cut part. You can zoom, reverse, and rotate the model.

Super-Fast Verification
Solid Verify can be accelerated to quickly verify lengthy machining operations or to advance through operations that you don't need to simulate.

Solid Verification

Optional 5-axis tool-paths include a range of strategies such as Planecut which keeps the tool perpendicular to the surface and Swarfcut which keeps the side of the tools in contact with the surface, offering a wide range of options to the programmer.