ThinkDesign Features | DPT CAD Software

General

Advanced Visualization Tools

Collaboration

2D and 3D integration

ThinkDesign’s integrated design environment ensures full 2D/3D transparency and does not require expensive interfaces for the migration from 2D to 3D. ThinkDesign offers optimized and interoperable 2D and 3D environments, allowing companies to preserve and modify existing 2D data, securing their original investment and preventing the risks associated with the migration from one design platform to another. A project can be created in a “mixed” 2D and 3D approach, and experienced 2D users are going to find migrating to 3D very easy, resulting in a reduced learning curve. Many commands of ThinkDesign can be used both in 2D and in 3D, like line, circle, polyline, rectangle, trim, stretch, transform and many others. To have these unique commands in both environments provides many advantages to the user: specifically, reduction in learning time and time to maximum productivity.

Unique environment for part and assemblies

ThinkDesign's structure has been built for facilitating the user’s operational approach. For this reason, the 3D environment is unique for both parts and assemblies, sheet metal, tubing, or complex components made with surfaces modeling. Assemblies can be easily created and mated in one command without having to define complicated structures. Creation of an assembly's hierarchy can be done using a "Top-Down" or "Bottom-Up" approach. Components can be managed either locally or externally referenced for more flexible assembly management.

Standard libraries for bolts and bearings

ThinkDesign provides a large library of standard parts (screws, nuts, fasteners, etc.) for use in your design.

Environment for standard part creation

Users can create their own custom parts library using the Thinkparts functionality. Thinkparts is a standard part library creator and manager that allows custom-built, frequently used company-standard parts to be managed easily. Key dimensions to these company-standard parts are organized in a spreadsheet-like table and can be accessed at any time during the design process.

Data Exchange

Drafting

Solid Modeling

Workplane

The Workplane in ThinkDesign is an essential tool for designers. Profiles are sketched on the Workplane, either from scratch or on a planar face of a 3D model, and are used to create additional features like Linear Protrusions or Slots. The Workplane can be easily moved and rotated using a "handle" tool, which provides instant feedback on position, translation and rotation.

2D and 3D Profiles

Profiles are the foundation of ThinkDesign solid modeling. They contain 2D geometry either sketched by the user or imported from 2D, along with any additional geometric or dimensional constraints. Dimensions can be defined as variables in a spreadsheet and easily managed using that tool. 3D profiles can also be created and used as paths for ThinkDesign's Tubing functionality, or as structures for carpentry frames using the Frame functions.

Complete solid modeling function set

Solid modeling is based on a rich set of easy-to-use features that allow for the quick creation of single parts, components and assemblies. Users can create solid primitives such as cones, cylinders, cubes, as well as specialized features like extrusions, rotations, pockets, holes, fillets and patterns. Features are organized in an easy-to-manage history tree, where users can redefine, delete, rearrange and insert features to achieve the desired shape or modify an existing one. Features can also be directly selected from the graphics area, facilitating users who prefer to work directly on the 3D model. Most solid modeling features include many options to enhance the creation of complex solids.

Datum entities

If the modeling approach is parametric solid, ThinkDesign offers tools that enable the creation of geometry with exceptional levels of modification. Datum geometry, represented by points, lines and planes, can be used together with 2D and 3D profiles to construct solids and assemblies. Through variables and ThinkDesign's spreadsheet management tool, it is possible to achieve a powerful level of control.

Parametrization and Spreadsheet

Parametric modeling strategies can be easily used with the Spreadsheet function. Profiles and models can be partially or fully constrained, and feature dimensions can be linked and managed within the Spreadsheet. The Spreadsheet also enables the creation of sophisticated mathematical relationships and dependencies among variables, as well as the management of feature and component existence.

Derived model

This functionality allows the creation of one or more models derived from a base or “source” model, which is particularly useful when working with machined or molded products. For example, a core and a cavity can be derived from a source model, and any changes made to the source part are reflected in all derived models, maintaining complete associativity.

ISM – Interactive Solid Modeling

The powerful Interactive Solid Modeling feature allows for the modification of both native and imported solid geometries, helping users overcome foreign parametric logic and constraints to achieve the desired results directly. Thanks to its solid modeling and surfacing functionalities, ThinkDesign offers innovative part modeling capabilities in a flexible and user-friendly design environment.

Smart Objects

ThinkDesign’s unique Smart Objects functionality allows to capture, reuse and share modeling sequences, either fully or partially. For example, a Smart Object can reproduce the insertion of a component, including the features and necessary mating to assemble it with existing parts. The benefits are increased consistency and compliance to company standards, fewer errors and faster design cycles.

Sheet metal functions

ThinkDesign’s high flexibility enables design engineers to create sheet metal parts easily, whether starting from scratch or using existing parts, with either native or imported data. ThinkDesign supports the management of thick sheet metal parts with features on side faces while also including parts with various bend tables. Additionally, ThinkDesign automatically generates development drawings ready for manufacturing. The application includes a wizard for the automatic creation of assemblies with other sheet metal parts, adhering to standard manufacturing techniques.

Tubing

ThinkDesign offers functionality for creating tubing structures. This process allows for the creation of tubing and connection elements based on a pre-constructed 3D network layout, which consists of 3D profiles. Positioning can be confirmed either through a single operation or by selectively positioning individual parts. Users can access parts from a standard library, which can be expanded with personalized components. Additionally, a specialized cut list can be generated from the tubing structure.

Frame

Carpentry frame planning for industrial machinery can be easily constructed in ThinkDesign using specialized and optimized commands in the Frame tool. The structure is built with 3D profiles and normalized sections from an available library, which simplifies placement. Users can modify orientations, intersection topologies and cut options to achieve the desired results. Full associativity ensures that all elements are updated when changes are made, and automatic cut list generation is available.

Assembly

Surface Modeling

2D and 3D curve creation and modification

Good curves create good surfaces. Great curves create great surfaces. ThinkDesign enables users to create high-quality curves, effectively managing various cases and respecting end conditions such as tangency and curvature. ThinkDesign provides precise control over curve creation and modification, offering total accuracy and complete freedom.

Base surfaces modeling

ThinkDesign offers users a rich and robust set of tools for curve and surface creation and modification, aiding in the construction of complex, sculpted surfaces found in today's designs. Types of surfaces that can be created include lofted (ruled, grid, etc.), cylindrical, spherical, proportional and others. ThinkDesign's revolutionary Global Shape Modeling functionality also enables the realization of virtually any desired shape.

Capping

Experienced surface modelers know the challenge of addressing complex multi-boundary surface conditions. ThinkDesign's Capping commands simplify this process by allowing users to select all boundary and interior contours, and setting of boundary conditions (position, tangent, curvature continuity, etc.) to aid in creating the desired result quickly and with associativity.

Evolved surface modeling

Surface modeling is the ideal approach for creating and modifying the complex shapes typically found in the automotive and industrial design world. ThinkDesign provides users with complete control to adjust associativity, enabling efficient management of the construction and modification of intricate, organic shapes.

3D bounding box

When combined with ThinkDesign's GSM functionality, this option allows for selection through a three-dimensional network of points used to globally deform the chosen shape. The modifications applied to these points impact the shape with a sophisticated level of iteration.

Global Shape Modeling

DPT’s Global Shape Modeling (GSM) offers designers a high level of technological innovation combined with unparalleled ease of use. It is the only creation and modification tool that enables quick and precise changes at any stage of the design process, accelerating interactions with limitless creativity and eliminating the need to rebuild models. GSM has gained widespread recognition and appreciation for its ability to make complex changes in minutes rather than hours or days.

Zone Modeling

The Zone Modeling command allows you to apply all GSM functionalities to selected zones (faces) of a solid model. It can be used efficiently to locally modify a solid by applying controlled changes to targeted areas. Together with the “Insert Feature Mode” command, it can be used to modify a zone of a solid and propagate the controlled modification to subsequent features.

Zone Draft

Zone Draft enables users to add a draft angle to one or more zones (faces) of a solid, with the corresponding drive dimension also included. This command is particularly useful when technicians need to add a draft angle to complex models after their creation. When this change is required at the final stage of the design process - especially for static solids imported from other environments - Zone Draft serves as a fast and reliable tool. It is very useful in the mold and tool creation process.

Blending Shape

The Blending Shapes command allows designers to create surfaces that connect two contours (chains of consecutive curves and/or surface boundaries) while controlling their smoothness and matching required continuity conditions along the selected contours. Blending Shapes is designed for quick modification of various parameters values that control the resulting surface and to interactively assess the potential outcomes using the Preview Mode.

Advanced continuity

Designers often need to bring a surface model to optimal quality, by adjusting tangency and curvature continuity. ThinkDesign's Advanced Continuity command enables designers to modify the continuity between surfaces or sets of surfaces with consecutive boundaries. The result is a new set of surfaces, matching the designer's desired criteria.

Rake Sweep

This command enables the creation of high-quality surfaces that simulate the rake movement on clay. It is a unique tool for achieving high-quality shapes that mimic the clay modeling techniques typical of the automotive industry.

Reflection Highlight

The appreciation of a shape can often be an unconscious emotional reaction linked to our visual perception. The light reflected on an object plays a fundamental role in this process. As a result, designers constantly focus on shapes that evoke this emotional response, typically requiring many iterations of modeling, creation of prototypes and modification. ThinkDesign eliminates the need to continuously build and rebuild models. Instead, the user defines the required highlight on the object, and DPT’s technology automatically builds or rebuilds the shape accordingly. This unique solution allows for shape modifications by adjusting the reflection of light on the shape itself.

Target Driven Design

Designers achieve their goals by assigning "targets" – such as points, curves or particular light reflections - that define the desired result on a shape. The Target-Driven Design approach of GSM allows designers to focus exclusively on the shape of product and to free their creativity, automatically translating their design intent into models that are ready for analysis and production.

Subdivision surfaces

Subdivision surfaces are a powerful modeling tool available for controlling solids. Similar to how NURBS control a surface using points, subdivision surfaces control a solid (whether closed or open) using points. While in a NURBS the control points form a rectangular mesh, subdivision surfaces have a generic mesh with arbitrary topology. What is really outstanding is that, when you move the points, the solid remains connected and the faces maintain their tangency and curvature continuity conditions.

Hybrid Modeling

Full Hybrid Modeling

Hybrid Solids

Hybrid Solids are solids made by meshes (B-rep solids whose faces are triangular meshes). They provide users the possibility to import a mesh, transform it into a solid with the Make Solid command and then apply solid modeling features, such as solid Boolean operations. Scanned meshes from 3D scans and output meshes from FEA simulation tools can be integrated in the usual modeling process, they can be edited with mesh commands and also modified with solid features or combined with solid and skin entities by means of Boolean operations. ThinkDesign’s unique environment allows hybrid solids and all other entity types to coexist within assembly models documents.

Mesh Repair and Edit

This set of commands allows users to assess the quality of a given mesh and repair any defects. For various defect types (such as isolated nodes, duplicated nodes, duplicated facets, degenerated facets, etc.), users can change the display color of these defects, check a box to visualize and repair them or navigate through them. Improved mesh quality enhances the reliability and efficiency of commands such as Compensator, Super Capping, and 3D Printing.

Primitives on Mesh

This command allows you to simultaneously create several shapes, such as planes and cylinders that best fit the mesh zones, with or without predefined dimensions. An advanced feature of the tool is that designers can add constraints between the created shapes. For example, you can specify that a cylinder must be orthogonal to a plane, and the command will provide the best solutions based on their tolerance values. Additionally, you can create multiple cylinders and specify that they must all be parallel.

Global Shape Modeling on Mesh

GSM, since its beginning, is natively able to apply accurate and target-driven modifications to various types of shapes, including curves, surfaces, solids and meshes, supporting Full Hybrid Modeling.

Reverse Engineering

ThinkDesign’s Reverse Engineering is specifically developed to address the challenges faced by CAD users who need to import and manage files obtained from 3D digitization of physical models. These tools facilitate rapid prototyping and design review, allowing users to convert physical models—whether made of wood, clay or resin—or real objects into computerized 3D shapes for processing or modification. In various contexts, particularly in sectors like styling, clay modeling (creating physical clay models) is a crucial phase of design analysis. Performing reverse engineering to extract and process digitized information from these clay models is essential. This capability is especially valuable for companies in industries such as automotive, transportation, molding, product design, and more. You can import meshes and STL objects obtained from digitization machines in various formats, including *.stl, *.obj, *.ply, and *.asc. After performing tasks such as point decimation, cleaning and smoothing of the meshes, you can proceed with surface reconstruction if needed. ThinkDesign’s Reverse Engineering provides functionalities such as reconstructing character lines, healing the mesh, splitting the mesh and generating surfaces over it.

Thickness Analysis

ThinkDesign offers this command to optimize material usage by verifying whether the model meets the minimum thickness requirements for successful 3D printing. This command helps prevent potential printing issues such as warping, collapsing, or excessive fragility due to insufficient thickness, while promoting efficient use of resources and cost-effectiveness in production.

3D Printing interoperability

The 3D Printing command allows you to print objects (components, solids or meshes) directly from ThinkDesign if a 3D printer is installed on your computer, using the 3D printing support in Windows 8.1 or later versions. In “Create mesh” mode, the solids are converted into ThinkDesign meshes for further processing (such as repair and editing) before printing. For 3D Printing manufacturing interoperability, ThinkDesign supports opening and saving files in STL format, as well as the latest 3MF standard format. The 3D Printing command with the “Print to file” option also supports saving in the AMF format.

Documentation

Part data, title block and part list

ThinkDesign provides a very simple and efficient method for inserting title block information, part data, part lists, and more, which can then be used immediately to create lists in a 2D drawing. Integration with thinkPLM facilitates the completion of the Bill of Materials and enhances product lifecycle management.

Automatic drawing layout

Creating drawings from 3D models is automatic. With just a few clicks, you can generate a single 2D view or an entire layout of views. Sectioned views, detail views, and auxiliary views can be added from the base views, and all views can be dimensioned and annotated using familiar commands. Any changes made to the 3D model are automatically reflected in the associated 2D drawing(s).

Exploded views

The order of assembly of a structure is fundamental information for those who will physically assemble the parts and for those responsible for maintaining the structure. In ThinkDesign, the assembly sequence can be “exploded” either manually (using a “handle” tool) or automatically to define the assembly order. The exploded assembly is created using ThinkDesign's Visual Bookmark tool and can be incorporated into a 2D drawing view for technical and marketing documentation.

Markup

Markup entities are special, meaningful elements used for annotation on a drawing or model. Adding these markup elements does not involve editing the master document directly. Instead, they are added using special pointers to the entities, which are saved in an export file. This file can then be shared among team members, allowing notes to be viewed alongside the master document for a comprehensive understanding of the design.

Annotations

Annotations are special text labels linked to the geometry of the model. Unlike traditional labels, annotations can be visualized in 3D and dynamically adjust their position relative to the "anchor point" when the view orientation changes. These annotations can contain information in various multimedia formats, such as HTML, AVI and Microsoft® Word, and are very useful for collaborative engineering and review activities.

Animation and movie creation

Mated assemblies in ThinkDesign can be put through their kinematic motion with the animation tool. A timeline can be defined along which the assembly moves according to its specified mates. The animation can be paused at any time to study the model for form, fit and function. Additionally, different camera angles and viewing perspectives can be set for detailed examination. Light settings, shadows, and reflections can also be adjusted for optimal effect.

Advanced Functionalities

Metal stamping springback compensation (Compensator)

Engineers specializing in tool and die for sheet metal stamping design products with all the necessary information for the manufacturing process. However, during this process, problems and errors often arise, requiring geometry modifications. When stamping a sheet metal part or a complex shape, a “springback” issue can occur, where the material doesn’t retain its intended shape. Designers must address these material challenges by predicting and correcting for such issues. This leads to the need for “compensation,” where designers use Finite Element Analysis (FEA) tools to predict the final shape of the part after considering shrinkage, warpage, and springback. In response to customer needs, DPT developed a solution that allows you to modify surface models when tooling modifications are required and resolve specific manufacturing issues. Built on GSM technology, DPT’s Compensator optimizes and automates the interaction between FEA predictions and tooling design. Compensator streamlines the process and saves time by replacing tedious manual labor while maintaining the same surface structure (topology) as the original model. By integrating DPT technology with FEA data, user interaction is minimized, eliminating the need for designers to spend time rebuilding or redrawing compensated surfaces. Compensator speeds up the process, enabling designers to create more efficient designs for manufacturing.

Metal stamping mold design (Die Design)

For the design of equipment for sheet metal molding, using comprehensive, integrated tools that can quickly respond to modification requests offers significant time and resource savings. These tools enable achieving the desired result while eliminating costly iterations, maintaining high-quality levels and breaking down communication barriers between departments and systems. The functionalities of DPT’s Die Design precisely meet these requirements, allowing comprehensive management of die geometries. Die Design was created to handle last-minute modifications effectively. This means technicians can begin working on an incomplete or not-yet-finalized geometry, making necessary adjustments that will be preserved even when further modifications are needed. Die Design supports all phases of the process until the die is complete, and includes essential tools such as the analysis of the model, quality control and mathematical comparison between different versions. It also facilitates the production of all necessary interventions for molding and modifying the sheet, such as closing holes, creating blank holders, work holders, and drawbeads. Additionally, Die Design allows adjustments to the radii of blank holder geometries, controlling the sheet's ability to slide; it calculates the cutting line for developing flanged parts; compensates locally for areas where springback causes twisting; and it calculates the offset needed to generate the die's thickness. In sheet molding, practical solutions are required at every stage of the process - Die Design is the right solution for those needs.

Plastic injection mold design (Mold Design)

ThinkDesign covers the entire mold design process and offers powerful, flexible tools capable of efficiently meeting specific requests at every stage of the planning and production cycle. These functionalities are part of the Mold Design module, which excels in importing and managing highly complex models with both high- and low-quality surfaces, allowing users to work on them with its creation and modification tools. Mold Design preserves surface quality, ensuring that even class A surfaces can be properly processed. Thanks to total associativity, Mold Design allows technicians to begin working on an incomplete or unfinished geometry, making the necessary adjustments while preserving these modifications when changes are made to the shape. The specialized mold design tools provided by Mold Design enable loading the part, performing a Quality Check with analysis functions such as undercut, draft, and topology, and making improvements and modifications using Global Shape Modeling (GSM) and Interactive Solid Modeling (ISM), all while maintaining the model's quality. The module also supports the creation of the parting line, with the added benefit of Semantic Associativity, which updates the line automatically following any changes to the shape. Additionally, Mold Design enables automatic division into core and cavity, subdivision of volumes for slide creation, generation of parametric mold base assemblies with plates and columns, electrode design, insertion of standard library parts, and the creation of cooling systems with 3D paths. Mold Design is the ideal solution for those working with injection plastic molds.

High-Quality Reverse Engineering

ThinkDesign’s High-Quality Reverse Engineering includes advanced tools specifically developed to facilitate reverse engineering, especially to generate class A shapes. These commands primarily help analyze and preprocess scan data. In this process, the Extract Zones command is used for extracting zones from a single mesh that has been analyzed by the Mesh Analyzer command and will serve as input for the Super Capping command, which generates the surface over the input (point) data. All operations are performed through robust, automatic processes that deliver high-quality results. For example, these tools can achieve precise mesh symmetries or patterns using data obtained from only a partial digitization of physical models.

Explore the key features of ThinkDesign and unlock its full potential.