Geomagic Debuts Spark, Freeform 2013

Euromold 2012 has unleashed a veritable flood of information and new releases. In the past few days Rapid Ready has looked at new 3D printers, such as the Iris and the Objet1000. Today I’ll be shifting focus from additive manufacturing systems to the data that feeds them.

Geomagic has announced the forthcoming release of its 3D modeling software: Freeform 2013. The newest version of Freeform continues to leverage the company’s Phantom haptic feedback technology, which allows users to virtually sculpt new designs. Freeform 2013 adds subdivisional modeling, which is intended to add greater surface detail by, “applying a refinement scheme to polygon mesh surfaces.”

“Most of the models I create are insane organic shapes with areas of miniscule intricacy,” said Kyle Houchens, president of The Outside Digital Art and Design. “They combine elements of automotive-smooth surfaces with jewelry-level detail. With the new subdivision modeling tools in Freeform, I will have the best of both worlds: the blazing speed and gorgeous surface smoothness of SubD with the detailing, texturing and bulletproof rapid prototyping Freeform is already known for.”

Other new features of Freeform 2013 include AutoSurface, which automatically converts voxels and mesh data into NURBS surfaces, and global registration, which assists with automatic alignment of separate data sets. The new software will be available toward the end of January 2013.

Geomagic also announced the upcoming release of Spark. The new software leverages the SpaceClaim platform to offer new tools for 3D scan, design and inspection. From the press release:

 Geomagic Spark enters the market as the only 3D software that combines a live 3D scanning interface, robust 3D point and mesh editing capabilities, comprehensive modeling design, assembly modeling, and 2D drawing creation in one complete application. Now, users can create accurate, manufacturable solid models and assemblies using combined scan and CAD data in the same application within minutes, even with partial scan data.

Some of the features offered by Spark include direct scanning into Geomagic, point cloud and mesh editing, sketching and modeling, mesh-to-solid deviation analysis, and native CAD import through to use of add-ons from SpaceClaim. Spark will also be available at the end of January, next year, and following the launch, Geomagic will offer a free trial.

For more information on Spark, read “Geomagic And SpaceClaim Spark 3D Scan Data Designs” on @digitaleng/.

Below you’ll find a video about Spark.

Source: Geomagic