Mar 20, 2018 | By Tess
Software company PTC has released the latest version of its Creo 3D modeling software. The new CAD program, Creo 5.0, introduces a range of new tools and features including topology optimization, additive and subtractive manufacturing capabilities, and more.
With Creo 5.0, PTC is aiming to give users the tools to take a project from concept all the way through to manufacturing. The CAD environment is thus ideally suited for product design applications and smart, connected product design.
As John Mackrell, chairman of CIMdata, explains: “PTC is on the leading edge of some of the hottest technologies today with the Internet of Things (IoT) and augmented reality (AR), but it has not forgotten its roots in CAD, instead transforming this business by infusing its leading Creo software with new technologies and capabilities. Creo 5.0 is yet another example of PTC’s continued innovation and ability to meet customer needs.”
The software’s updated topology optimization feature, Topology Optimization Extension, offers users the ability to automatically generate optimized designs that meet certain preset parameters and constraints. In a bid to push innovation forward, PTC says the updated tool is “unfettered by existing designs and thought processes,” which means that wholly new product designs and solutions can be realized.
Creo 5.0’s new additive and subtractive manufacturing tools were developed to streamline the product design process even more. In other words, users will no longer have to export their designs into multiple software programs to prep them for 3D printing. The software’s new Creo Additive Manufacturing Plus Extension even gives designers the ability to order 3D prints (and now metal prints) from Materialise directly from the Creo platform.
The additive manufacturing extension also gives users access to Materialise’s online library of print drivers and profiles.
On the subtractive end of things, Creo 5.0’s Creo Mold Machining Extension offers the ability to directly send designs to connected machining equipment. This tool is ideal for the creation of molds, dies, prototypes, electrodes, and more. PTC specifies that Creo 5.0 is equipped with support for 3-axis and 3+2 positioning machining.
Another notable feature of PTC’s updated software release is Creo Flow Analysis, a tool that enables designers to simulate fluid flow issues. This can help to solve design issues for fluid flow applications early on, saving time and labour in the long run.
Among the smaller but still significant updates to the CAD platform are an improved user interface, new geometry creation tools such as sketch regions and volume helical sweeps, surfacing improvements, sheet metal design enhancements, and more.
A Creo Collaboration Extension for Autodesk Inventor also offers the option of consolidating the CAD programs into a single system. More specifically, Creo 5.0 users will have the ability to exchange parts and assemblies between Autodesk Inventor and Creo.
“Product design is fundamentally changing, and Creo continues to evolve to meet the needs of our customers,” added Brian Thompson, senior vice president of PTC’s CAD Segment. “With Creo, companies can go from the earliest phases of design to a smart, connected product. Improved functionality and new capabilities, like additive manufacturing, set Creo apart, and give companies a true competitive edge all the way from concept to manufacturing.”
Posted in 3D Software
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