Key Features of Visual Components
Component Libraries and Wizards
Hundreds of pre-assembled components are available from supplier libraries to which links can be found from Visual Components home page. Wizards for conveyors, workcells, grippers and robots help to automate the component creation process.
Model Standard Factory Resources
Over 70 defined behaviours are available to select and combine to represent equipment behaviour without the need for programming.
Containers: buffers, pallets, boxes, storage.
Creators: new parts, container fillers
Interfaces: serial, plug-and-play, 1 to 1, 1 to many.
Sensors: contact, intersect, proximity, logical.
Paths: accumulating, non-accumulating, bucket, conveyor. AVG, transfer mechanisms, physics based grippers, OPC and RRS2 motion controllers, capacity controllers, signal maps and kinematics.
Plug-and-Play Interface
Components automatically snap into place to define a logical and physical connection using the Plug-and-Play interface. Configuration rules defined in the interface guide layout design and avoid product mis-match.
Feature Based Simulation
Imported geometry is organised into a node tree and associated to parameter based behaviours. The resulting simulation models change physical appearance and behaviour based on selected parameter settings.
Geometry Tools
Modify or regenerate geometry imported from a 3D CAD or product modeller. Primitives - block, cylinder, cone, sphere plane, frame. Operators - transforms, mirror, extrude, clone, revolve, switch. Geometry clean-up tools to group and organise geometry into logical structures and remove holes, threads and other heavy detail - copy, cut slice, revise face, reverse geoset, paste geoset, move geoset, merge point, merge faces, select, delete.
Make Parts Move
Part movement is defined by organising geometry into separate nodes with the drag-and-drop mechanism, and then setting the motion type and motion limits. Inverse and forward kinematics includes - articulated, Cartesian, delta, parallelogram, scara, tricept.
Process and Routing Control
Cascaded decision logic controls the order of processing the routing of material within a layout. Discrete event functions include: fixed input/ output, capacity, percentage, decision tables, constant, uniform, normal and user defined distributions. Special capacity managers monitor and control capacity for processes and paths to avoid deadlocks.
Grippers
Physics based grippers detect the presence of product using proximity and volume sensing. Part tracking and array indexing is obsolete.
Application Development
The byte-code compiled Python scripting language and COM interface allows complete freedom in expanding or developing high performance simulation models and custom applications.
RSL Motion Teaching
Simple icon based motion scripting defines part motion and robot paths. The icon pallet is based on the robot RRS2 standard.
Simulation Output and Reports
Layouts can be saved, emailed and viewed on free 3DVideo simulation player, reducing the need for comprehensive written reports. Statistical information is available from the discrete event engine through the component interface. A direct interface format with Microsoft Excel is available to record, graph and analyse results.
Collision Detection / Reachability
Fast collision checking and reachability algorithms aid in layout planning and process optimisation. Hold motion paths in place while equipment is repositioned and step through the process to check for collisions or near misses.
Event Based Communications
Signals and sensors are used to define internal and external communications and trigger events using digital, analogue or message models. Implemented examples for OPC and robot virtual controller RRS2 communications.
Interactivity - Web links
Connect component models to web based document archives or let users interactively test and exercise a machine's physical functions. Open machine covers an look inside, or move robot joints into position.
Material Libraries
In addition to the extensive material library supplied with 3DCreate, new materials and libraries can be designed in line with company standards. Match product materials, colours and logos exactly.
2D Import Filters
Improve marketing and support material with crisp images. Import filters are available for the following formats:
BMP: Bitmap standard windows file format.
TGA: Targa picture file format, uncompressed.
JPG: Jpeg compressed picture format
TIF: Tagged image format.
3D Import Filters
3DCreate uses existing geometry formats. Any new geometry created is saved by default as a 3DS file. Import filters are available for the following formats:
3DS: 3D Studio object and material files
DXF: Autocad object files
STL: Stereo lithography files
WRL: VRML version 1.0 and 2.0 files
RF: Technomatix Robface R4 files
PRT: v14 Igrip / Quest / VNC part files
New plug-in filters can be added dynamically
Graphics Optimiser
A geometry optimisation engine speeds up larger models on computers with low graphics performance to maintain usable levels of 3D interactivity.
System Requirements
Windows NT4/ 2000/ XP with the latest services packs.
| CPU | RAM | Graphics Card | |
| 3DVideo | 350 MHz | 64 MB | High colour |
| 3DRealize | 600 MHz | 128 MB | 32 MB High colour |
| 3DCreate | 1.2 GHz | 128 MB | 64 MB High colour |