Feature Chart

Direct 3D Modeling

History-Free Modeling

History-free modeling allows the user to work on any geometry as though it were created natively. It’s the ability to edit and create a model independently of history or parametric feature information.

Direct 3D Modeling

Feature Discovery

Feature discovery is the ability to mouse over the various faces on a solid model and detect "features" like blends, chamfers, pockets and bosses. It's a critical part of the direct editing tool set as it allows the user to easily select topological conditions that would otherwise be defined by a feature in a history based system.

Direct 3D Modeling

Dynamic Face Editing

Dynamic face editing is the ability to use history-free face edits on any solid using the DynaHandle to execute the edits by dynamically dragging and positioning faces.

Direct 3D Modeling

Dimension Driven Editing

Dimension driven edits let the user edit a solid model by defining a driving dimension then editing the model by changing the dimensional value. It is different from history based dimension editing because once edits are made, they are no longer dependent on the dimension, therefore the dimension can be deleted without limiting the ability to make further edits to the model.

Direct 3D Modeling

Hybrid Design

Hybrid design is the ability to use history-free wireframe, solids and surfaces to achieve a final design result. Hybrid modeling is especially useful when complex edits on solid models are required in the absence of defining history and parametric information or when in-context modeling for manufacturing tooling requires the decomposition and repurposing of a design. Hybrid tools can be used to alter the topology of a model and make difficult changes.

Flexible Design Strategy

Advanced Solid Modeling

Mature, non-history based solid modeling and editing tools designed to deal with geometry from any source.

Flexible Design Strategy

Surface Modeling

Precisely design complex, organic shapes using free-form surfaces.

Flexible Design Strategy

Wireframe Profiling and Modeling

Create 2D and 3D profiles and curves that are used for defining solid features and free-form surfaces. KeyCreator provides unparalleled power in quickly positioning construction planes to locate profiles in 3D space exactly where they are needed.

Flexible Design Strategy

In-Context Modeling

Easily model features within the context of mating parts or geometry without the complex dependencies or history of other systems. KeyCreator uses the existing mating geometry to shape a new design or feature, making it a very powerful in-context modeler.

Flexible Design Strategy

2D Design, Drafting, and Detailing

KeyCreator provides traditional 2D CAD drawing tools for creating and editing engineering drawings. A complete set of dimensions, details, and symbols support mechanial drawing standards from around the world.

Flexible Design Strategy

Convert 2D to 3D

Create a solid model by using 2D orthographic views from an imported engineering drawing. This process is streamlined in KeyCreator, requiring no history or feature dependency.

Flexible Design Strategy

Associative Layouts and Detailing

View instances of 3D models can be detailed and changes to the models are automatically updated in their associated layout drawing.

Flexible Design Strategy

Advanced Surface Modeling

Generate surfaces tangent to or at a draft angle from existing surfaces, or projected from a set of curves.

Flexible Design Strategy

Fasteners, Mechanical and Structural Elements

Generate standard mechanical elements, structural elements, and fasteners based on industry standard sizes, fits, and functions.

Flexible Design Strategy

Single File for Parts, Assemblies, and Drawings

KeyCreator's unique CKD file format is flexible enough to allow parts, assemblies and their associated drawings to be contained either within the same file or in different files. The user can adopt the file management scheme that best suits their requirements.

Flexible Design Strategy

Level-Managed Design Strategy

For prototype or small assembly design, KeyCreator can use a level-managed approach which allows the user to do in-context assembly modeling with all parts residing in a single level-managed design file. This method enables a far easier initial design process, when frequent changes to both the component features or selected components occur.

Flexible Design Strategy

Referenced Assemblies

Distributing an assembly across multiple CKD files using part references is important strategy to reduce memory usage of large assemblies. KeyCreator has the flexibility to gradually transition a design to references as needed, either organizing into a few sub-assemblies or pushing fixed/purchased components out as references.

Flexible Design Strategy

Animations

Ability to animate assemblies and perform motion studies with collision detection.

Repair and Re-Use

Hybrid Editing

Hybrid editing is the ability to supplement direct face editing of solids with the use of surface and wireframe modeling to achieve a final design result. Some complex edits on models require decomposition of solids into surfaces and curves, rebuilding that local area, and stitching the surfaces back on to re-form a closed solid. These tools allow ANY edit of a model to be achieved and mean no model ever needs to be rebuilt from scratch.

Repair and Re-Use

Topology Modification Tools

Topology modification allows the user to remove and replace the individual faces of a solid model for hybrid modeling or add edges within a face for decals, exclusion zones, manufacturing, or analysis applications.

Repair and Re-Use

Model/Body Verification

Ensure the quality and status of a model to support surface modeling, topology modification, and model repair.

Repair and Re-Use

Body Simplification

Simplify imported geometry by changing the math basis of all faces of a solid model to its simplest form. E.g., changing a spline face to a planar face. Simplification "lightens" a model and provides more flexibility to the model’s ability to be edited using face editing tools.

Repair and Re-Use

Healing

Automated repair of any damaged solid, usually due to translation, into a useable, closed solid.

Geometry Verification and Measurement

Mass Properties

Calculate the volume, center of mass, moments of inertia, etc. of bodies and assemblies.

Geometry Verification and Measurement

Extract Data from Entities

Extract level, color, entity type and other information from an entity aiding in the geometry identification, editing and management process. Useful for imported, non-native geometry identification and handling.

Geometry Verification and Measurement

Area/Centroid

Calculate the area and centroid of a closed chain of curves or edges.

Geometry Verification and Measurement

Measurement

Measure distance between two positions, curves, or faces, or minimum and maximum distances between entities.

Geometry Verification and Measurement

Entity to Entity Deviation

Calculate the distance deviations between various types of entities.

Geometry Verification and Measurement

Entity Count and Verification

Yields the entity count and types of entities contained in a given file. Useful for imported, non-native geometry identification and handling.

Geometry Verification and Measurement

Interference Checking

Find intersecting areas on assembled models and graphically display those intersections.

Geometry Verification and Measurement

Draft Angle Analysis

Perform a draft angle or mold extraction analysis on a model based on a defined draw direction.

Data Exchange

PDF (Export)

Developer: Adobe

PDF format support: Vector graphics, text 

3D PDF format support: Vector graphics, text, and 3D polygon

Export versions: 7

Data Exchange

STEP (Import, Export)

Developer: ISO 10303

AP203 format support: solid, surface, wireframe

AP214 format support: solid, surface, wireframe, and assemblies

Import versions: all

Export versions: all

Data Exchange

IGES (Import, Export)

Developer: ANSI Y14.26M

IGES,IGS format support: solid, surface, wireframe, drawings, and assemblies

Import versions: all

Export versions: 5.3

Data Exchange

Batch Translation

Convert sets of selected files from any supported import format to any supported export format. 

Data Exchange

DWG/DXF (Import, Export)

Developers: Autodesk and Open Design Alliance

DWG format support: Drawings, wireframe, and 3D models

DXF format support: Drawings and wireframe

Import versions: All versions up to 2018

Export versions: 2000-2018, R12-R14

Data Exchange

ACIS (Import, Export)

Developer: Spatial Corp. (Dassault Systemes)

Extension(s): SAT, SAB

Support: 3D solid, surface, and wireframe

Import versions: R2016-R2020, 1.5-R26

Export versions: R2016-R2020, 1-5-R26

Data Exchange

Parasolid (Import, Export)

Developer: Siemens PLM Software

Extension(s): X_T, X_B

Support: 3D solid, surface, and wireframe, assemblies

Import versions: 10.0 - 31.0

Export versions: 12.0 - 31.0

DATA EXCHANGE

CADKEY (Import)

Developers: CADKEY and Baystate Technologies

PRT format support: Drawings, wireframe, and 3D models

PTN format support: wireframe

Import versions: Versions 19, 99 - 97, 5- 7

Data Exchange

SolidWorks (Import)

Developer: SolidWorks (Dassault Systemes)

SLDPRT format support: 3D solid, surface, and wireframe

SLDASM format support: Assemblies

Import versions: 98 - 2020

Data Exchange

Inventor (Import)

Developer: Autodesk

IPT format support: 3D solid, surface, and wireframe 

IAM format support: Assemblies

Import versions: 2008 - 2020, 6 - 11

Data exchange

CGR 

Developer: Dassault Systemes 

CGR format support: polygon mesh

Import versions: all

Data EXCHANGE

IFC - Industry Foundation Classes

Developer: buildingSmart, ISO 16739-1

IFC format support: Building Information Modeling (BIM) data - assemblies, solids, and meshes

Versions: 2x3, 2x4

Data exchange

JT 

Developer: ISO 14306 (HP, Siemens PLM)

JT format support: solids, polygon mesh

Import versions: 8.x - 10.x

Data Exchange

NX (Import)

Developer: Siemens PLM Software

PRT format support: 3D solid, surface, and wireframe, assemblies

Import versions: 1872, 1851, 1847, 1 - 12, UG 11-18

Data Exchange

Solid Edge

Developer: Siemens PLM Software

PAR format support: solid, surface

ASM format support: assemblies

Import versions: 2020 - 2019, V18 - ST10

Data Exchange

Creo (Import)

Developer: PTC

PRT format support: 3D solid, surface, and wireframe 

ASM format support: Assemblies

Import versions: 1.0 - 5.0, Wildfire, 1 - 5, Pro/E 16 - 2001

Data Exchange

CATIA V4 (Import, Export)

Developer: Dassault Systemes

MOD, MODEL format support: 3D solid, surface, and wireframe

Import versions: 4.1.9 - 4.2.4

Export versions: 4.1.9 - 4.2.4

Data Exchange

CATIA V5 (Import)

Developer: Dassault Systemes

CATPart format support: 3D solid, surface, and wireframe 

CATProduct format support: 3D solid, surface, and wireframe, and assemblies

Import versions: R8 - 30 (R2020x)

Data Exchange

CATIA V5 (Export)

Developer: Dassault Systemes

CATPart format support: 3D solid, surface, and wireframe 

CATProduct format support: 3D solid, surface, and wireframe, and assemblies

Export versions: R15 - 30 (R2020x)

Data Exchange

Native Drawings Import (CATIA, Creo, NX, Solidworks)

Import drawing files from the native formats of major 3D CAD programs.

Dassault CATIA drawing versions: V5 R7 - 29, V4 4.1.5 - 4.2.4

PTC Creo drawing versions: 1.0 - 6.0 

Siemens NX drawing versions: 1847 - 1884, 1 - 12

Dassault SolidWorks drawing versions: 99 - 2019

Data Exchange

PMI (CATIA, Creo, NX, Solidworks)

Read Product Manufacturing Information (PMI) including 3D geometric tolerances from the native formats of major 3D CAD programs.

Dassault CATIA versions: V5 R4 - 29, V4 4.1.5 - 4.2.5

PTC Creo versions: 1.0 - 6.0, Wildfire 1 - 5 

Siemens NX versions: 1847, 1 - 12, UG V11.0

Dassault SolidWorks versions: 99 - 2019

2- and 3-Axis NC Machining

Drilling

A complete drilling solution with a full spectrum of drilling cycles: spot, peck, boring, tapping, and canned, as well as user defined cycles.

2- and 3-Axis NC Machining

Pocketing

Generate multiple 2- and 2.5-axis pockets in a single toolpath, with the option of defining top and depth for each contour or island.

2- and 3-Axis NC Machining

Profiling

Comprehensive 2D Contouring including various approach & depart strategies, finishing and roughing with multiple steps in XY and Z.

2- and 3-Axis NC Machining

Roughing

3-axis multi-surface roughing strategies include Z-level contour (with spiral or ramp-down options), Zig-Zag, Uni-directional, and Follow surface.

2- and 3-Axis NC Machining

Finishing

3-axis multi-surface finishing strategies include Planar, Radial, Plateau, UV Flow, Pencil tracing, and Convert geometry to toolpath.

2- and 3-Axis NC Machining

Wire EDM

2-axis Wire EDM toolpath generation works with or without constant taper, supports open & closed profiles, and “Turn then Burn” capability for rotary/indexing.