3D construction

A major demand for 3D construction is the quick orientation on the screen. Constructors need to be able to find and observe any desired position or view of the model in a short period of time.

In ELITECAD Mechanics you easily achieve this task with mouse and a single key. The model is always under control and with the symbols at the cursor ELITECAD shows you which action is required. This allows you to rotate, move and zoom the model exactly to the location you want. The 3D axes always show the location in 3D space.

Furthermore, ELITECAD users can individually set the rotation point of the camera. Combining this with the dynamic clipping functionality you can see into every detail of the model.

One of the most important help tools in 3D construction are work planes and 3D axes. The work plane is a plane in 3D space, on which contours for 3D operations can be generated. The 3D axes indicate the X-, Y- and Z- axis and the orientation (+/- direction of the axis).

Useful depiction options in ELITECAD always inform constructors where the work plane is located in the room. Transparent depiction can be enabled optionally. 3D axes can be shown as well in order to keep a clear view. A useful feature for optimal orientation, which provides security and allows for precise constructions.

In ELITECAD Mechanics, the generation of 3D bodies is as easy as the creation of 2D geometries. With the help of 2D contours, e.g. boxes or rotation boxes, 3D objects are quickly and intuitively defined, including 3-views-objects. Of course, these 3D objects can be changed later on, in order to adapt them to the construction. The handles and gripper which are provided by ELITECAD enable precise modifications in every situation.

Our software is based on many years of practical experience and therefore is exactly tailored to the needs of constructors. With ELITECAD Mechanics you create the desired plants and constructions efficiently and user friendly.

ELITECAD is based on a custom 3D kernel, which means it's an independent and flexible software basis. This special property allows for the highest degree of freedom even for very complex free forms.

Numerous additional functions support constructors in the generation of free forms. This allows you to design products and plants exactly to your requirements and expectations.

The generation of Boolean operations (mean, minus-operation, unification) works as easy as the generation of other 3D objects in ELITECAD. Simply select the type of the operation and whether the result should be frozen or stay modifiable via the original objects in the property bar of the Boolean operation. If you are not satisfied with the result, simply delete it with one click and the original objects are visible again.

Furthermore, it is possible to unify many 3D objects into a single 3D object. Upon unification, the result is optimised in size and therefore is easy to handle. In addition, ELITECAD allows the assignment of 3D objects to 2D elements. This function is useful for kinematics, in order to assign 3D structures to the kinematics definitions.

Complex 3D objects often are modelled via multiple steps. For instance, by using Boolean operations or blending operations on the edges, which consequently turn a basic object into an edited object, which can be regenerated by changing the original objects. This process is also called Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG) and the steps of this process that lead to the desired result can be depicted as a tree.

The 3D origin dialogue was completely redesigned and now graphically shows the CSG tree, so the history of operations on the 3D object. The dialog displays the necessary modelling steps, which were used to create the selected object in a tree. The intermediate steps or basic objects can be selected directly in the tree and are highlighted in the graphics window. That way it is easy to navigate between the modification steps and the individual parameters of the original objects and the intermediate steps are always accessible. As a result, this new function allows for easy modifications on complex objects.