Abstract: In most of today's computer aided design (CAD), there are many definitive relationship between how components used in a CAD design relate to other components and feature in the same design. These relationships include sizing (a component is sized based upon another component), placement and orientation (a component is position and orientated based upon another component or feature). In addition, certain components can only be used with other specific components within the same design. Various attributes are placed on the CAD components and features that relate to each other that will be used to automatically size, place and orientate components, as well as make sure the component is valid to be used within the design intent. This saves designers considerable amount of design time as well as ensuring accurate component to component relationship as used in their design.

Abstract: Disclosed is a parametric feature-based 3D CAD system that allows multiple users to simultaneously edit a parametric feature-based 3D CAD model consisting of 3D parts and assemblies of those parts (3D Model). Several CAD users, each using their own computer, phone, or tablet, can edit the same 3D Model at the same time. Editing may be separate and simultaneous—there is no need for users to worry about locking, checking out, or otherwise restricting each other's access to 3D Models. As a result, users see each other's changes occur in real-time, and may also identify what aspects other users are actively modifying through visible Collaboration Cues.

Abstract: Disclosed is a parametric feature-based 3D CAD system that allows multiple users to simultaneously edit a parametric feature-based 3D CAD model consisting of 3D parts and assemblies of those parts (3D Model). Several CAD users, each using their own computer, phone, or tablet, can edit the same 3D Model at the same time. Editing may be separate and simultaneous—there is no need for users to worry about locking, checking out, or otherwise restricting each other's access to 3D Models. As a result, users see each other's changes occur in real-time, and may also identify what aspects other users are actively modifying through visible Collaboration Cues.

Abstract: A method is disclosed to model a part in the context of one or more assembly states. This method stores references of one or more states of one or more assemblies that a user wants to model a part against, and allows the user to reference surrounding parts from references of assembly states in one or more parametric features. Each reference of assembly with other necessary data is stored in a user object called a context. The assembly can be modified to move components as per desired motion while the part is modeled against one or more assembly states. Also provided is an interface to manage assembly states that are important for a part design for relating to other parts in the assembly. Such interface lets the user update one or more assembly states and associated features for each state at any time during design cycle.

Abstract: Many computer aided design (CAD) models include components that are supplied via third party vendors, also know as suppliers. These suppliers create CAD models of their components, place them in a library organized by logical categories, and then place the library in a cloud enable database infrastructure, which allows access to the supplier's library by other CAD users. As other users create new CAD designs, they will access specific supplier libraries in the cloud and add references to various supplier components within their own CAD design. All the references to any supplier components by any end user is stored in the cloud database infrastructure, allowing the suppliers to query who and how their components are being used in any end users CAD design.

Abstract: In most of today's computer aided design (CAD), there are many definitive relationship between how components used in a CAD design relate to other components and feature in the same design. These relationships include sizing (a component is sized based upon another component), placement and orientation (a component is position and orientated based upon another component or feature). In addition, certain components can only be used with other specific components within the same design. Various attributes are placed on the CAD components and features that relate to each other that will be used to automatically size, place and orientate components, as well as make sure the component is valid to be used within the design intent. This saves designers considerable amount of design time as well as ensuring accurate component to component relationship as used in their design.

Abstract: A method is disclosed to model a part in the context of one or more assembly states. This method stores references of one or more states of one or more assemblies that a user wants to model a part against, and allows the user to reference surrounding parts from references of assembly states in one or more parametric features. Each reference of assembly with other necessary data is stored in a user object called a context. The assembly can be modified to move components as per desired motion while the part is modeled against one or more assembly states. Also provided is an interface to manage assembly states that are important for a part design for relating to other parts in the assembly. Such interface lets the user update one or more assembly states and associated features for each state at any time during design cycle.

Abstract: A replication method for use within CAD software ignores parametric requirements and instead searches 3D geometry of components mated to a replication candidate directly for geometric elements that are identical to those on which the candidate is constrained. The system counts the number of identical geometric elements to determine the number of candidate instances to replicate, and then constrains one instance to each element with constraints equivalent to the constraints applying to the original candidate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a parametric feature-based 3D CAD system that allows multiple users to simultaneously edit a parametric feature-based 3D CAD model consisting of 3D parts and assemblies of those parts (3D Model). Several CAD users, each using their own computer, phone, or tablet, can edit the same 3D Model at the same time. Editing may be separate and simultaneous—there is no need for users to worry about locking, checking out, or otherwise restricting each other's access to 3D Models. As a result, users see each other's changes occur in real-time, and may also identify what aspects other users are actively modifying through visible Collaboration Cues.

Abstract: A graphical modeling environment is provided for a user to build a model for physical systems using blocks connected through signals. The user may build a model with the flexibility of user-defined implementations available in the graphical modeling environment and with the architecture provided by modeling tools for modeling physical systems. A two-way connection port may be provided for adopting an architecture that supports modeling of physical systems in the graphical modeling environment. The user may use the two-way connection port to make the model built in the graphical modeling environment look architecturally like a model built using physical modeling tools.