3DCreate is a 3D graphical authoring environment for building and publishing component
based simulation models called visual components. The visual component models
are not application limited and can represent robot based mechanisms with a
highly complex motion control for off-line programming tasks as well as material
handling systems for logistics planning tasks. A visual component exhibits the
following three main characteristics:
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Interface to control how one component connects physically and logically to
other components. The interface supports configuration rules and different
communication techniques between components and external systems.
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Behaviors to define how a component acts physically under different operating
conditions.
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Geometry with parameter based and detail level representations for specific
simulation and visualization needs.
Once defined visual components can be published to web based libraries and
made accessible to users via the eCat directory service which appears as a
'tabbed' panel in all supporting visual component applications.
The component interface hides complexity and removes the use of global
variables making it possible for extensive component reuse.
3DCreate includes a Software Development Kit (SDK) for 3rd party application
development. The possibilities of the SDK provide from co-operative applications
with a robot controller to embedding visually rich simulations into PowerPoint
presentations. In a single package the user gains access to a discrete event
simulation engine, robotics services, a synchronized scene graph and a flexible
licensing mechanism. Python scripting and Microsoft COM interfaces provide
flexibility that extend the product family to meet specific needs.