This past summer, Polish 3D printer manufacturer Verashape introduced its VSHAPER 3D printer, as part of an important project subsidized by the National Centre for Research and Development 2014-2020, with the ultimate goal of creating a versatile 3D printer with a global distribution network. Soon after, the next iteration of the printer, the desktop VSHAPER GO, was introduced, and then the company announced its new long-term 3D printer rental program. Verashape has been continuing to research additive manufacturing and the best ways to leverage and enhance it, including having its R&D department work to support fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printing technology through software. Verashape announced today that it has licensed Siemens PLM Software’s innovative Parasolid Communicator Software, in order to offer assistance in preparing and importing 3D models for printing.
Over four million consumers currently utilize Parasolid software, which is the foundation of Siemens PLM’s NX and Solid Edge products. The software is also licensed to approximately 130 leading independent software vendors (ISVs), now including Verashape, which is able to enjoy both its geometric modeling functionality and interoperability. These ISVs are in fields and industries such as computer aided design (CAD), computer aided manufacturing (CAM), computer aided engineering (CAE), and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC), and have developed hundreds of Parasolid-based applications already, in both the analysis market and product design space. Verashape itself has twenty years of experience in implementing advanced CAE, CAD, and CAM systems.
Parasolid
Some of the benefits of licensing Parasolid, according to its website, include high performance, cost efficiency, data compatibility with leading products, and rapid integration.
John Whetstone
The Parasolid XT data format represents over 40% of all 3D model data stored all over the world, and is one of the most widely available formats used to represent accurate 3D product data. Through the exchange of XT files, Parasolid-based applications get easy two-way data compatibility, so end users are able to mix and match Parasolid applications more effectively.
John Whetstone, Director, CTO Product Management and Marketing, Siemens PLM Software, said, “Demand for 3D printers is growing and given the widespread availability of Parasolid models, it’s exciting to see Verashape develop 3D printing software that leverages the Parasolid data format.”
The software is being designed in a way to support a variety of different 3D printers. This is big news for both Verashape and Parasolid: Verashape will be one of the first 3D printer manufacturers to create software that’s based on Parasolid Communicator and will be used to support the import and print preparation of 3D models.
Tomasz Szymański
Tomasz Szymański, founder and CEO of Verashape, said, “When conducting programming work we strive to make the software we create a universal solution aiding the print preparation process regardless of the type of 3D printer used for printing.”
The new interface will let the user be in charge of a number of printer applications – they’ll be able to stop the printing process no matter the height, and make decisions about the support structures for models that don’t already have the support of adjoining paths. The user can regulate the print cooling, and choose at which point they will generate paths, which will significantly enhance the overall efficiency of the application.
Ryszard Leniowski, R&D Software Manager, Verashape, said, “3D Printing enthusiasts will definitely be interested in the option of printing with only one extruder when working with a dual extruder printer, as well as the ability to configure temperature settings, printing speed, layer height or wall thickness.”
Some of the most important features of the Parasolid Communicator software include:
- Import and export: trimmed surface import and sewing, reading/writing of Parasolid XT files, and boundary representation import
- Geometry creation: creation of both solid primitives and B-spline entities
- Interrogation and computation: mass properties, geometric evaluations and inquiries, min/max distance and clash detection, and topological evaluations and inquiries
- Visualization and drafting: graphical output, non-destructive sectioning, and faceting/meshing
Verashape will soon start conducting beta tests of the Parasolid Communicator software, with industrial companies who already use their VSHAPER 3D printers every day at work. Discuss in the Verashape forum at 3DPB.com.
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