A geometric modeling kernel is a
solid modeling
Solid modeling (or solid modelling) is a consistent set of principles for mathematical and computer modeling of three-dimensional shapes '' (solids)''. Solid modeling is distinguished from related areas of geometric modeling and computer graph ...
software component used in
computer-aided design
Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computers (or ) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve c ...
(CAD) packages. Available modelling kernels include:
*
ACIS is developed and licensed by
Spatial Corp
Spatial Corporation was founded in 1986, and had one main product: ACIS, the first commercially available 3D modeling kernel. Through subsequent years, Spatial added products to its portfolio that enabled ISVs mostly in the CAD/CAM industries, ...
oration of
Dassault Systèmes
Dassault Systèmes SE () (abbreviated 3DS) is a French software corporation which develops software for 3D product design, simulation, manufacturing and other 3D related products.
Founded in 1981, it is headquartered in Vélizy-Villacoublay, Fr ...
.
*SMLib is developed by
Solid Modeling Solutions.
*Convergence Geometric Modeler is developed by
Dassault Systèmes
Dassault Systèmes SE () (abbreviated 3DS) is a French software corporation which develops software for 3D product design, simulation, manufacturing and other 3D related products.
Founded in 1981, it is headquartered in Vélizy-Villacoublay, Fr ...
.
*
Parasolid
Parasolid is a geometric modeling kernel originally developed by Shape Data Limited, now owned and developed by Siemens Digital Industries Software. It can be licensed by other companies for use in their 3D computer graphics software products.
...
is developed and licensed by
Siemens.
*
Romulus
Romulus () was the legendary founder and first king of Rome. Various traditions attribute the establishment of many of Rome's oldest legal, political, religious, and social institutions to Romulus and his contemporaries. Although many of these ...
was a predecessor to Parasolid.
*
ShapeManager
Autodesk ShapeManager is a 3D geometric modeling kernel used by Autodesk Inventor and other Autodesk products that is developed inside the company. It was originally forked from ACIS 7.0 in November 2001, and the first version became available ...
is developed by
Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc. is an American multinational software corporation that makes software products and services for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries. Autodesk is headquartered ...
and was forked from
ACIS in 2001.
* Granite is developed by
Parametric Technology Corporation
PTC Inc. (formerly Parametric Technology Corporation) is an American computer software and services company founded in 1985 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The global technology company has over 6,000 employees across 80 offices in ...
.
*
C3D Modeler is developed by C3D Labs, part of the
ASCON Group.
*
CGAL
The Computational Geometry Algorithms Library (CGAL) is an open source software library of computational geometry algorithms. While primarily written in C++, Scilab bindings and bindings generated with SWIG (supporting Python and Java for now) are ...
is an
opensource
Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open-source model is a decentralized sof ...
Computational Geometry Algorithms Library which has support for boolean operations on Polyhedra; but no sweep, revolve or NURBS.
*
Open CASCADE
Open Cascade is an Information Technology Company of Capgemini,. Open Cascade provides services in the domain of scientific and technical computing and simulation tools.
Open Cascade is primarily known to public for its Open Source platforms the ...
is an
opensource
Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open-source model is a decentralized sof ...
modeling kernel.
*sgCore is an
opensource
Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open-source model is a decentralized sof ...
modeling kernel, with precompiled libraries only, for Windows only.
*
Open Inventor
Open Inventor, originally IRIS Inventor, is a C++ object-oriented retained mode 3D graphics toolkit designed by SGI to provide a higher layer of programming for OpenGL. Its main goals are better programmer convenience and efficiency. Open Inve ...
is both a
proprietary and
free and opensource modeling kernel.
*
Coin3D is an
opensource
Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open-source model is a decentralized sof ...
modeling kernel
library
A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vir ...
compatible with
Open Inventor
Open Inventor, originally IRIS Inventor, is a C++ object-oriented retained mode 3D graphics toolkit designed by SGI to provide a higher layer of programming for OpenGL. Its main goals are better programmer convenience and efficiency. Open Inve ...
3D Graphics
API
An application programming interface (API) is a way for two or more computer programs to communicate with each other. It is a type of software interface, offering a service to other pieces of software. A document or standard that describes how ...
.
*
K3 kernel K3 may refer to:
Transportation
* China Railway K3/4
* K-3 (Kansas highway), a state highway in Kansas
* London Bus route K3
* Taquan Air, an Alaskan commuter airline (by IATA code)
* K-3 cart
* Kia Forte, sold as Kia K3 in South Korea
* L ...
is developed by
Center GeoS
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricity ...
.
*
SOLIDS++ is developed by IntegrityWare, Inc.
*
APM Engine APM, apm, or Apm may refer to:
Technology Computer technology
* Active policy management, a discipline within enterprise software
*Advanced Power Management, a legacy technology in personal computers
* Apple Partition Map, computer disk partit ...
is developed by
RSDC APM.
*
KCM (Kosmos Core Modeler) is developed by Kubotek3D subsidiary of Kubotek Corporation, released in 2016 and 2018.
*SvLis Geometric Kernel became opensource and discontinued, for Windows only.
*IRIT modeling environment, for Windows only.
*GTS GNU Triangulated Surface Library, for polygon meshes only and not surfaces.
*
Russian Geometric Kernel
Russian Geometric Kernel (also known as RGK) is a proprietary geometric modeling kernel developed by several Russian software companies, most notably Top Systems and LEDAS, and supervised by STANKIN (State Technology University). It was written i ...
.
*
FeatureScript is an
opensource
Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open-source model is a decentralized sof ...
modeling feature kernel for cloud platforms, developed by
Onshape
Onshape is a computer-aided design (CAD) software system, delivered over the Internet via a software as a service (SAAS) model. It makes extensive use of cloud computing, with compute-intensive processing and rendering performed on Internet-bas ...
.
*
Geometry Kernel, a multi-platform C++ library with source code accessible for clients, developed and distributed by RDF
Geometry Kernel web site
Kernel market
The kernel market currently is dominated by
Parasolid
Parasolid is a geometric modeling kernel originally developed by Shape Data Limited, now owned and developed by Siemens Digital Industries Software. It can be licensed by other companies for use in their 3D computer graphics software products.
...
and
ACIS, which were introduced in the late 1980s. The latest kernel to enter the market is
KCM.
ShapeManager
Autodesk ShapeManager is a 3D geometric modeling kernel used by Autodesk Inventor and other Autodesk products that is developed inside the company. It was originally forked from ACIS 7.0 in November 2001, and the first version became available ...
has no presence in the kernel licensing market and in 2001
Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc. is an American multinational software corporation that makes software products and services for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries. Autodesk is headquartered ...
clearly stated they were not going into this business.
The world's newest geometric modeling kernel is
Russian Geometric Kernel
Russian Geometric Kernel (also known as RGK) is a proprietary geometric modeling kernel developed by several Russian software companies, most notably Top Systems and LEDAS, and supervised by STANKIN (State Technology University). It was written i ...
owned by the Russian government, and it is not clear if it is going to be commercially available, despite offering unique features over the other kernels on the market.
Kernel developers
In the table below you can see a representative list of developers that belong to companies developing their own kernel or licensing the kernel from third-party.
References
{{CAD software
3D graphics software
Computer-aided design