New Geomagic Studio, Qualify software set for concurrent release in November

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., October 14, 2003- Geomagic announces the concurrent release in late November of Geomagic Studio 6 reverse engineering and custom design software, and Geomagic Qualify 6 computer-aided inspection (CAI) software.

Geomagic software processes scan data from a physical part to generate highly accurate polygon and parametric surface models. It enables manufacturers to move easily between the physical part and its digital model for design, manufacturing and inspection, resulting in greater speed, accuracy and reliability.

Larger datasets

Geomagic Studio 6 features a redesigned geometry engine that can handle very large data sets efficiently. Concurrent improvements can be seen in data import, data registration, visualization, triangulation and decimation. During benchmark testing, it took 32 minutes for Geomagic Studio 6 to import a scan file containing 50 million points and automatically compute a triangulated surface. The test was performed on a dual-Pentium 4, 3.06-GHz PC with 2 GB of RAM.

The improvements in large dataset handling and memory management are important for automotive and aerospace applications, where parts are typically large. They will also help Geomagic Studio users such as Glenn Hill of Texas Tech, who is heading up a project to create a digital model of the Statue of Liberty.

“We viewed a variety of software programs and Geomagic Studio was the only one able to register the huge number of data points that we had,” says Hill. “Trying to register the points without the software would have added at least 120 additional hours of work, and we would not have been able to achieve adequate accuracy of the model.”

Improved registration for scan data

Geomagic Studio 6 provides new and improved methods for data registration. An oriented normal feature automatically detects the direction in which an object is scanned. This increases accuracy for registering multiple views of a scan model, especially for parts with thin walls.

A new technique called target registration in version 6 automatically identifies target centers for tooling balls. Multiple scans are aligned instantly and accurately, eliminating the need for manual registration.

Continued ease of use

Geomagic’s continued commitment to ease of use is reflected in the following improvements in Geomagic Studio 6:

• new hole filling and patch repair algorithms that automatically find problem areas and bring up the tools to fix them;
• improved auto surfacing that provides one-button conversion from polygons to NURBS surfaces;
• automatic, one-button fixing of surface intersections; and
• new color maps that visualize deviations of points during noise reduction and relaxation.

Better models for CFD, FEA

Improved large dataset handling, greater quality, and ease of use in version 6 are expected to further Geomagic Studio’s reputation as a pre-processing tool for CFD and FEA applications. The software is being used for this purpose by leading automakers and racing teams that realize Geomagic Studio can do something CAD software cannot: provide an automated process that allows users to quickly create an accurate digital duplicate of a physical part or assembly.

Models created with Geomagic Studio help ensure that CFD and FEA testing reflects real-world results, reducing reliance on costly wind-tunnel and crash testing. They also allow for easier design revisions at any step in the development process.

“Without accurate geometry, CFD, FEA or secondary machining simulations cannot be performed effectively,” says Clifton Kiziah of Richard Childress Racing. “When it comes to replicating cast parts, Geomagic Studio is the way to go.”

Instant inline inspection & in-depth offline analysis

New Geomagic Qualify 6 software adds significant new features that increase the benefits of computer-aided inspection in digital manufacturing environments. It is the first software to automate processes for both instant, inline inspection and offline, in-depth analysis.

Failure analysis in version 6 enables users to define what constitutes a part or mold failure. Geomagic Qualify displays color-coded images that show any 3D areas, 2D sections or boundary comparisons that have failed the specified criteria. The results can be used to initiate an external process or included in reports with other data for in-depth analysis.

New trend analysis capabilities in Geomagic Qualify automate the process of comparing multiple scanned parts for quality assurance and design integrity. Once a part is scanned and a report is saved in Geomagic Qualify, the software automatically generates user-defined capability studies. Batch processing enables users to collect data and generate reports on a large number of parts, and statistical analysis tools allow them to compare parts for pre-defined factors such as repeatability, changes over time, and variations from part to part.

"Right now,” says Rus Emerick, process specialist at Schneider Electric’s Square D brand, “we perform process capability studies using traditional methods such as CMM to generate metrics about specific part dimensions on each part, which can be very time consuming, because each part must be fixtured and measured individually. Data is then transferred to an analytic program, evaluated and then published. The ability of Geomagic Qualify to automatically analyze and generate statistical reports for batches of parts is going to save us countless hours of repetitive capture and analysis work."

Geomagic Qualify 6 also includes the following new and improved features:

• RPS (reference point system) alignment that automates the traditional alignment and inspection method;
• texture-mapped result displays that are faster, more interactive, and less memory-intensive; and
• improved reporting with charts and statistical elements.

Enabling digital manufacturing

“Geomagic Studio and Qualify are being used increasingly by our customers to create a closed digital loop among design, engineering and manufacturing processes,” says Ping Fu, president and CEO of Geomagic. “The new features and capabilities of these products are a result of direct feedback from customers, who are using digital manufacturing to produce unique products faster and better than ever before.”

Geomagic Studio is used by manufacturers worldwide for mass production of customized devices, build-to-order manufacturing, and automatic re-creation of physical parts and molds. Geomagic Qualify enables instant graphical comparisons between CAD models and as-built parts for first-article inspection, inline or shop-floor inspection, trend analysis, 2D and 3D geometric dimensioning, and automated reporting.

About Geomagic

Geomagic (www.geomagic.com) is a global company dedicated to advancing and applying 3D technology for the benefit of humanity. Geomagic’s scanning and design software solutions are used to capture and model 3D content from physical objects, organically sculpt complex shapes, and prepare products for manufacturing. In addition, the company produces powerful 3D metrology and inspection software that verifies dimensional quality by comparing as-built products to master designs. Geomagic’s Sensable Phantom haptic devices simulate the sense of touch in a digital environment. 

Geomagic’s software and hardware are utilized by world-class customers in a variety of industries, including aerospace, automotive, medical, consumer products, toys, collectibles, coindesign, jewelry, fine art, heritage restoration, research, education, mold making, entertainment, training and surgical simulation. In fact, some of the world’s leading companies and research organizationsuse Geomagic software, including Ford, BMW,Boeing, Harley Davidson, Timberland, Mattel/Fisher Price, Lego, Pratt & Whitney, NASA, Schneider Electronic, 3M, Danaher and Invisalign. Geomagic is based in Research Triangle Park, N.C., USA, with an office in Boston, subsidiaries in Europe and Asia, and channel partners worldwide.

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Geomagic, Geomagic Studio, Geomagic Qualify, Geomagic Qualify Probe, Geomagic Spark, Wrap, Geomagic Wrap, Phantom, OpenHaptics, Omni, Freeform, Claytools, Sensable and Sensable Technologies, Inc. are trademarks or registered trademarks of Geomagic Inc.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Media Contact:

Rachael Taggart
Geomagic, Inc.
+(1) 919-474-0135
Contact Rachael