Technical Sheet Think Design Suite 2009 L en

ThinkDesign Suite
Technical features datasheet 2009

ThinkDesign Suite Technical features datasheet
ThinkDesign Suite guarantees the TOTAL PROCESS COVERAGE through the phases of Sty ling, Engineering and Tooling, meeting
the needs of those working in these departments. One of the benef its of using a unique solution throughout the v arious product
def inition phases lies in the demolition of the communication barriers among designers, engineers and molding and equipment
technicians, due to the possibility of intervention without losing the work done by other departments.
Thanks to its structure and the rich av ailability of tools, ThinkDesign Suite allows to user the MULTIPLE MODELING APPROACH, in
relation to the nature of the existing starting data and the specif ic project needs. Engineers can choose the "traditional" approach of 2D
sketch, the three-dimensional solid and surfaces modeling, ev entually operating in an evolv ed mix of hybrid modeling, in total freedom
and simply in relation to the project needs, in a unique, high performances and extremely productiv e env ironment.
Inf act, using f unctions such as 2D, 2D and 3D integration, curve creation and editing, surf aces and solids, sheet metal, tubing, f rame
modeling, assembly management, drawing lay out creation, animation, mechanical component libraries, FEM integration, rendering and
much, much more, the project materializes in the product. Project data can broadly be managed thanks to the MULTI DATA
REPRESENTATION of ThinkDesign Suite. Thanks to the advantages of the solid modeling, the f lexibility of the free f orm surf ace
models and the impressiv e GSM³ editing tools, you can make highly creative and precise modifications to any ty pe of shape, be it
nativ e or imported, while keeping complete association, in a much shorter time compared to traditional approaches.
Also the specif ic needs f or mechanical cams creation, FEM / FEA analysis, rev erse engineering f rom physical models, die design f or
metal stamping and relativ e spring back compensation, complete planning f or plastic injection molds, f inds answers in the complete
panorama of the solution.
The integration with the PLM of think3 allows the whole project management not only f or geometric inf ormation but also f or the entire
data and all the aspects of the lifecycle management.
Base functions
Environment management
Base functions for files management
The daily and repetitive activ ity of f ile management is supported by classical commands
such as Open, Save, Sav e As, etc. Howev er, it becomes robust with management of
templates, a kind of base file that not only contains the predef ined sty les and various
properties, but also particular lay ers settings or existence of base geometries, ty pically
usef ul or necessary for a particular sketch or modeling activity.
Windows paradigms
ThinkDesign is f ully compatible with the Windows env ironment. DoubleClick editing, Copy &Paste, Drag&Drop and Multi-Windows all
assist users in their interaction with ThinkDesign and its various applications. For example, the user can hav e two viewports - one in 2D
and one in 3D - and Drag&Drop entities f rom the 2D environment into 3D.
Visualization tools
Geometry v isualization can be managed with tools like zoom, pan, rotate
and f it. View settings can be stored via Visual Bookmarks, and the screen
div ided into v iewports for isometric or perspectiv e v iews.
©2009 thi nk3 Inc. All rights reserved. T hink3, the thi nk3 logo, ThinkDesign Styling, ThinkDesign Engineering, Thi nkDesign Tooling, Thi nkDesign
Professional, thi nkPLM, thinkteam are registered and unregistered trademarks of think3 Inc. All other trademar ks, product names and company names
or logos menti oned herei n may be the property of their respecti ve owners.
Entities graphic properties

Entity properties such as color, thickness, line type (in 2D) or color and transparency characteristics (in 3D) can be easily set as def ault
or modif ied on the existing geometries to get the best possible visual.
Material properties
Besides graphic properties it is also possible to set physical properties of models organized in a materials table. These properties are
expressed according to unity of measure def ined by the user and can be assigned to solid objects contained in the model. Analysis
f unctionalities use these properties for the calculation of v olumes, weights, center of
grav ity, etc. providing fundamental information to control costs and product planning.
Styles settings
Company standards can be created and stored using sty le settings. Dimension
f onts, texts, surface textures, etc. are created easily. ThinkDesign guarantees the
integrity of these standards and allows a global setting of all the elements'
characteristics and their use by the user. These settings can also be organized in
f ormats for quick assigning.
Environment customization
The entire graphic user interface (GUI) of ThinkDesign can be customized to a
user's needs. Toolbars can be turned off or on, and docked or left 'floating'.
Custom toolbars and commands can be created for often-used f unctionality. The
goal is optimal productiv ity.
Configuration management
All ThinkDesign settings (from graphic to GUI to system) can be sav ed in a
conf iguration f ile f or use either locally or system-wide. These conf iguration files
can be sav ed and used on v arious installations to create a company-wide
standard UI, or to restore a certain user setting after PC maintenance.
Layers
Lay ers can be used to organize jobs according to various criteria: by color, by
entity ty pe, or by some other user-defined method. In each case creating,
using and modifying layers is simple and intuitive. AutoCAD users rage about
the v ery similar environment that ThinkDesign has, which facilitates and
smooths the migration f rom AutoCAD to ThinkDesign.
Selection and filter tools

ThinkDesign entities can be selected in simple and direct ways, or with
sophisticated f ilter and capture tools used in pre-selection mode. For
example: entities with broken contour, existing on a certain level and hav ing
a specific color can be selected using ThinkDesign selection f ilters.
Speech interface
Think3 is on the cutting-edge of ev ery possible user interface application. One example is the speech recognition system, which when
combined with the use of mouse allows f or optimal usage. The speech recognition system works on the personal user’s v oice tone,
eliminating the possibility of errors due to variation of the user voice, or improper use f rom other people or in presence of env ironmental
noises.
Capture&Playback
The Capture & Play back tool in ThinkDesign allows a user to record (Capture) to a log file all the actions executed during a think3
application and then to execute them again (Play back). This tool can be very useful when creating personalized procedures, or when
receiv ing remote customer care assistance to help explain and rectify an issue.
User defined properties

In many instances it is necessary to associate alphanumeric information to models and drawing or to parts of them. To this purpose,
ThinkDesign prov ide the "User Def ined Properties” non graphic entity (string, integers or real) which is assignable to models and
drawings or to component entities. Properties can prof itably exploited by people who create personalized procedures.
Print functionality
The printing of a document is handled according to Windows standards, by selecting the proper peripheral
and set-up options. Users can then specify a series of settings to save the proper f ormat, orientation,
borders, scale, entities and lev els to be printed, and these settings can be used repeatedly for use in
f uture printing.
Visual bookmark
Visual Bookmarks in ThinkDesign provide a fast and simple way to save and restore the general status of
a document by managing the v isual appearance, the feature activation status and the presence or
absence of Spreadsheet variables. When created, a Visual Bookmark specifies which sets of parameters
must be captured: the v iew data, the render mode, the activ e lay ers, the v isualization status of entities,
annotations and components and the presence or absence of f eatures and Spreadsheet v ariables. All
these data are stored into the Visual
Bookmark and sav ed along with the
document. Users can recall an existing
Visual Bookmark any time, so all the
parameters it contains are restored and
the document is brought back to the
status at the time the Visual Bookmark
was created.
Preview
Many operations in ThinkDesign prov ide the user with a prev iew, to
show the results of the operation to the user bef ore actually
perf orming the command. This allows the user to understand the
f unctionality and the technical parameters for it's correct use.
Help
ThinkDesign's on-line Help assists the user from installation to use of the product by providing clear, direct explanations and
f ast access to inf ormation and examples. It is equipped with a series of introductory training exercises - complete with sample files - so
that the user can gain understanding to new functions quickly and easily.
“Think3 is a winning choice. All design work is now done entirely in 3D, information sharing and access to designs
have been improved for all departments and the percentage of error has been significantly reduced. The solution were
introduced rapidly and have produced impressive results in terms of optimization of the product development process.
Thanks to the collaboration with think3, we are convinced we can reach further growth targets.”
Rémy Charrette, Technical Drawings Manager of MATISA
Dialogue
Standard translator
Data exchange is a ThinkDesign strength. It features 2D translators f or DWG, DXF, IGES and GBG Draftmaker f ormats, as well as 3D
translators for IGES, STEP, STL, VDA, VRML, Wav eFront and IV formats, the neutral format of ThinkDesign and ASCII.
AutoCAD compatibility
Think3 offers full AutoCAD compatibility: 2D drawings can be imported into ThinkDesign, modified and reused as nativ e designs.
ThinkDesign combines advanced translation functionality and a modern and comprehensive design architecture. DXF/DWG translators
ensure the integrity of AutoCAD entities and support imported data.
Image importation
To make the communication between concept phase and product creation
phase better and easier, it is possible to import a v ariety of image f iles into
the ThinkDesign environment. These images can be used to create require
shapes, or as guide curves to help modify a product while preserv ing a
designer's creativ e intent.
PDF format output

The PDF f ormat has been a long-time standard in the protected distribution
of documentation with text and images, and it is becoming a standard f or
drawing distribution. The immediate f uture will also see PDF's extended
usage f or the circulation of 3D inf ormation. Think3, always f ocused on
customer requirements for dialogue and information exchange, is
implementing in ThinkDesign direct creation of PDF 2D and PDF 3D files
through the integration of Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro Extended (sold separately ).
Advanced visualization tools

3D section view on parts and assemblies
A f ast and easy to use clipping tool is available f or v iewing a model or
assembly in a 3D section mode. Once def ined, the section plane can be
dy namically rotated, with the view updating accordingly. The v iew can be
rendered in high-quality mode, and the section color is user-def ined.
High quality d ynamic visualization

High quality dy namic visualization tools allow the user to work on a model
with a lev el of realism never seen bef ore. Various combinations of lights,
shadows, exposures and env ironment mappings giv e the design a 'real
world' f eel. Visual f eedback f or the user is instant.
Renderer
Quality and beauty in the same product. Understanding the v isual impact of
a single product but also how it interacts in its env ironment. Renderings
needed to produce technical datasheets, web pages and printed catalogs.
These are some of the motiv es that push designers and engineers to
realize images with high realistic content. ThinkDesign offers the possibility
to render using material characteristics, lights and env ironments, with
sophisticated ray-tracing and anti-aliasing techniques, producing files to be
used in technical and marketing material.
General
Geometrics transformation
Translations, Rotations, Symmetries, Scaling, Stretching in 2D and 3D. They may seem like boring commands, but they are f requently
implemented and must be f ast, accurate, and easy to use. The ThinkDesign geometric transf ormation increase the user's productiv ity
instantly. The desired transf ormation is managed with a simple "handle," an active graphic symbol that allows -- with dynamic prev iew -
- positioning, translation, rotation and scaling of the selected geometry with instant and accurate results.
Adaptive measures
Adaptiv e measures allow, when inserting or modifying features, to input
dimensional v alues directly f rom the surrounding geometry, including solids,
surf aces, static 2D geometric elements...all with a simple mouse click. With
adaptiv e measures, users can speed up the modeling process in the context of
an assembly, as well as quickly create a 3D model f rom 2D DWG/DXF
drawings. Adaptiv e measures can be used to create links between dimensions
of 3D objects in order to obtain automatic updates when the driv en part
changes.
Reference grid
One option in ThinkDesign is to turn on a Reference Grid, “Creating a new machine is a process that requires a
allowing the positioning of a model (or models) with respect to great deal of commitment, both in terms of costs and
absolute automotiv e space. human resources. Thus it is extremely important to
optimize the development process through streamlined
Dimensional and volumetric analysis procedures, making use of highly productive tools like
3D v olumetric analysis offers clear adv antages ov er 2D analy sis ThinkDesign.”
tools. From the 3D model it is possible to extract with speed and
precision information such as minimum and maximum distances,
Massimiliano Monastero, CAM’s Technical Manager
v olume, weight, center of grav ity and area of complex surfaces.
The commands are specialized and easy to use.
Quality Check
ThinkDesign's Quality Check command giv es f unctions f or examining isophotes, draft angles, curvature radii, and many other
characteristics of curves, surf aces and solids in order to understand a model and prepare it f or manufacturing.
Collaboration
2D and 3D integration
ThinkDesign's integrated design environment ensures full 2D/3D transparency and
does not require expensiv e interf aces f or the migration from 2D to 3D. ThinkDesign
offers optimized and interoperable 2D and 3D env ironments, allowing companies to
preserv e and modify existing 2D data, securing their original investment and
prev enting the risks associated with the migration f rom one design platf orm to another.
A project can be created in a “mixed” 2D and 3D approach, and
experienced 2D users are going to f ind migrating to 3D very easy,
resulting in a reduced learning curve. Many commands of
ThinkDesign can be used both in 2D and in 3D, like line, circle,
poly line, rectangle, trim, stretch, transf orm and many others. To
hav e these unique commands in both env ironments provides
many adv antages to the user: specifically reduction in learning
time and time to maximum productiv ity.
Unique environment for part and assemblies

ThinkDesign's structure has been built f or f acilitating the user’s operational approach. For this reason the 3D env ironment is unique
both f or parts and assemblies, sheetmetal, tubing, or complex components made with surf aces modeling. Assemblies can be easily
created, and mated in one command without hav ing to def ine
complicated structures. Creation of an assembly 's hierarchy
can be done using a "Top-Down" or "Bottom-Up" approach.
Components can be managed either locally or externally
ref erenced for more flexible assembly management.
Standard libraries for bolts and bearings

ThinkDesign provides a large library of standard parts (screws,
nuts, f asteners, etc.) f or use in your design.
Environment for standard part creation

The user can create his own custom-part library using the thinkparts functionality.
Thinkparts is a standard part library creator and manager that allows custom-built, often
used, company standard parts to be managed in a simple manner. Key dimensions to these
company -standard parts are managed v ia a spreadsheet-like table, and can be accessed
anytime during the design cycle.
“The adoption of the think3 solution in TRIA has given a notable

contribution to the efficiency of the products development cycle,
allowing a modular planning of machines and the consequent
re-use of single modules in different job orders. An example is
constituted by the series 60 that has allowed us, inside the
same cycle of planning, to produce 3 base models and 6
different machines.”
Angelo Zanon, CAD Manager of TRIA
Multi-Data Representation and Multiple Approach Modeling

Drafting
Complete drafting environment
2D draf ting details are still v ery important to many companies.
Think3 is v ery aware of this f act and the f unctionalities prov ided
in the ThinkDesign 2D drafting env ironment are very productiv e
and complete. Tools for geometry creation and modification,
dimensioning and annotation insertion, and f ull support of
international standards are f eatured. Migration to 3D can be done
anytime, and mixed 2D/3D projects can be managed easily.
Solid Modeling
Work plane
The Workplane in ThinkDesign is the designer's aid. Prof iles are sketched on the Workplane (either f rom scratch or on a planar f ace of
a 3D model) and used to create additional features like Linear Protrusions or Slots. The Workplane can be moved and rotated easily
using a "handle" tool, which giv es instant feedback on position, translation and rotation.
2D and 3D Profiles
Prof iles are the base of ThinkDesign solid modeling. They contain 2D geometry
either sketched by the user or imported from 2D, as well as any additional
geometric or dimensional constraints. Dimensions can be def ined as variables in a
spreadsheet and can be managed easily using that tool. 3D prof iles can also be
created and used as paths f or ThinkDesign's new Tubing f unctionality, or as
structures for carpentry f rames using the new Frame f unctions in the ThinkDesign
Suite.
Complete solid modeling function set

Solid modeling is based on a rich series of easy to use f eatures
that allows quick creation of single parts or components and
assemblies. The user can create solid primitives as cone, cylinder,
cube, etc. and specialized f eatures like extrusions and rotations,
pockets, holes, f illets and patterns. Features are ordered in an
easy -to-manage history tree, where it is possible to redefine,
delete, rearrange and insert f eatures to get the desired shape or to
modify the existing one. Features can also be directly selected from
the graphics area, to f acilitate users who pref er to work "on the 3D
model". Most solid modeling f eatures include many options enrich
f eatures, making possible the creation of complex solids.
Datum entities
If the modeling approach is parametric solid, ThinkDesign offers tools that allow creation of geometry with amazing lev els of
modif ication. Datum geometry, represented by points, lines and planes, can be used together with 2D and 3D prof iles in the
construction of solids and assemblies. Through v ariables and ThinkDesign's spreadsheet management tool it is possible to reach a
powerf ul level of control.
Parametrization and Spreadsheet

Parametric modeling strategies can be used easily with the Spreadsheet function. Profiles and models can be partially or totally
constrained and feature dimension can be linked and managed inside the Spreadsheet. The Spreadsheet also allows the creation of
sophisticated mathematical relationships and dependence among the variables, and management of f eature and component existence.
Derived model
This f unctionality allows the creation of one or more models deriv ed from a base or 'source' model, which is v ery useful when working
with machined or molded products. For example, a core and a cavity can be derived f rom a source model, and any changes made to
the source part are ref lected in all deriv ed models, maintaining complete associativity.
ISM – Interactive Solid Modeling

ThinkDesign’s unique Smart Objects f unctionality allows the user
to capture, reuse and share, either f ully or partly, modeling
sequences. A Smart Object, f or instance, is able to reproduce the
insertion of a component, realizing the features and the necessary
mating to assemble it on the existing parts.The benef its are
consistency and compliance to company standards, f ewer errors
and f aster design cycles.
“For a long time we appreciate the solid and surfaces modeling and modification functions of ThinkDesign and now
thanks to the Interactive Solid Modeling, the intervention time for the preparation on the models of a piston is notably
reduced.”
Paolo Cunial, Pistons Development Manager of DURALDUR
Smart object
ThinkDesign’s unique Smart Objects functionality allows the user to capture, reuse and share, either f ully or partly, modeling
sequences. A Smart Object, f or instance, is able to reproduce the insertion of a component, realizing the f eatures and the necessary
mating to assemble it on the existing parts. The benef its are consistency and compliance to company standards, fewer errors and
f aster design cycles.
Sheet metal functions

ThinkDesign’s high flexibility allows design engineers to create
sheet metal parts easily, starting from scratch or from existing
parts, using either nativ e or imported data. ThinkDesign allows
management of thick sheet metal parts with f eatures on side f aces
while also including parts with different bend tables. In addition,
this application allows automatic generation of dev elopment
drawings ready for manufacturing. The wizard allows automatic
creation of assemblies with other sheet metal parts, adhering to
standard manuf acturing techniques.
Tubing
ThinkDesign offers f unctionality f or the creation of tubing structures. The process allows tubing and connection elements to be created
on a pre-constructed 3D network lay out, consisting of 3D profiles. Positioning can be confirmed using a single operation or through the
selective positioning of single parts. The user can access parts f rom a standard library that can be expanded through the addition of
personalized components. A specialized cut list can then be generated from the tubing structure.
Frame
Carpentry frame planning f or industrial
machinery can be easily constructed in
ThinkDesign using specialized and
optimized commands in the Frame tool.
The structure is created with 3D profiles
and normalized sections that are contained
in an av ailable library and av ailable f or
easy placement. The user can change orientations, topology of
intersections and cut options to achiev e the desired results. Full
associativ ity means all elements are updated when changes are
made, and automatic cut list generation is available.
Assembly
Assembly mating
Complex mechanical assemblies can be easily created in ThinkDesign with assembly constraints and mating tools. Tangency ,
coaxiality and concentricity are just a f ew examples of the mating options that allow 3D parts to be assemblied into logical kinematic
structures. Once mates are created, they can be easily modif ied or redefined by the user.
Symbolic References
Standard parts that are inserted into a design can be easily mated using Symbolic Ref erences. These specialized, predefined matings
are joined to the surf ace(s) of standard parts and are easily modif ied and updated when a new member of that standard part's family is
substituted into the assembly. This allows reduction in design time, and less design errors.
Large assemblies and simplified representation

Assemblies can reach elev ated levels of complexity in their number of parts.
ThinkDesign provides modern and powerf ul f unctions to maintain high
perf ormance when dealing with large assemblies. The geometric kernel and
graphic processor, hierarchy management and referenced components assist
the engineer working with these 'heavy' models. Components that are not
being currently worked on can be display ed in a simplified representation,
which drastically reduces their impact on system resources.
Motion with collision detection

Mov ing assemblies will often undergo collisions between components. These
collisions can be managed using ThinkDesign's collision detection function.
Collisions can be represented and analy zed graphically, and the v erif ication
can be checked using either the animation tool or via dynamic drag-n-drop by
the user.
Assembly analyzer
The Assembly Analy zer tool prov ides user with an ov erv iew of the current
assembly and information about existing Document Data and Part Properties
f or each component. Important statistics about the assembly structure can be
gleaned, such as number of local/external components and loaded/unloaded
components.
Base surfaces modeling

2D and 3D curve creation and modification
Good curv es create good surfaces. Great curv es create great surf aces. ThinkDesign allows the user to create very high quality curv es,
easily managing a v ariety of cases and respecting end conditions such as tangency and curv ature. ThinkDesign allows curv e creation
and modif ication with total accuracy and f ull f reedom.
Base surfaces modeling

ThinkDesign provides the users a rich and robust collection of curv e
and surf ace creation and modification tools, to aid in the
construction of complex, sculpted surf aces found in today's designs.
Ty pes of surf aces that can be created are: lofted (ruled, grid, etc.),
cy lindrical, spherical, proportional and others. ThinkDesign's
rev olutionary Global Shape Modeling f unctionality is also av ailable
to allow the realization of virtually any shape desired.
Capping
Experience surf ace modelers are aware of the difficulty in finding a
solution to complex multi-boundary surf ace conditions.
ThinkDesign's Capping commands makes this easy - by allowing
selection of all boundary and interior contours, and setting of
boundary conditions (position, tangent, curvature continuity, etc.) to
aid in creating the desired result quickly and with associativ ity.
Surfaces modeling
Evolved surface modeling
Surf ace modeling is the ideal approach f or those who need to
create and modify complex shapes ty pically found in the
automotive and industrial design world. ThinkDesign off ers the
user complete control to adjust associativ ity and manage construction and modification of complex, organic shapes.
3D bounding box
This option, when used with ThinkDesign's GSM functionality,
allows f or selection v ia a three-dimensional network of points that
are used to globally def orm the selected shape. The modifications
applied to these points impact the shape with a sophisicated lev el
of iteration.
“ThinkDesign is a technology that assists creativity, able to cover all the phases of the development cycle for a
protective device, starting from scanning the parts of the body to developing the most complex surfaces.”
Luigi Ronco, Head of Dainese R&D
Global Shape Modeling

Think3’s Global Shape Modeling, now called “The potential of surface modeling and the Global Shape Modeling
GSM³, prov ides designers a v ery high lev el of tool have been a real help. It’s so easy to create variables and to
technological innov ation with unriv alled ease of
make changes in the 3D environment that the product takes shape
use. It is currently the only creation and
modif ication tool that allows changes in a quick just the way we want it.”
and accurate way in any stage of the design Giacomo Zucchi, Design Manager at Lagostina
process, accelerating interactions with unlimited
creativ ity and eliminating the need to rebuild
models. GSM has become famous and v ery appreciated because it makes complex changes happen in minutes instead of hours or
days.
Zone Modeling
The Zone Modeling command enables y ou to apply all of the GSM f unctionalities to selected zones (f aces) of a solid model. It can be
used efficiently to locally modify a solid by applying a controlled modification to a certain area. Together with the 'Insert Feature Mode'
command, it can be used to modify a zone of a solid and propagate the controlled modification to subsequent features.
Zone Draft
Zone Draft enables users to add a draft angle to one or more
zones (f aces) of a solid. The corresponding driv e dimension is
also added. This command is particularly usef ul in those
situations where technicians need to add a draft angle to complex
models after the model's creation. When this change must be at
the v ery end of the design proces -- and especially to static solids
imported from other env ironments -- Zone Draft is a fast and
reliable tool. It is very usef ul in the process of mold and tool
creation.
Blending Shape
The Blending Shapes command enables the designer to create
surf aces connection two contours (two chains of consecutiv e
curv es and/or surf ace boundaries) while controlling their smoothness and matching required continuity conditions along the selected
contours. Blending Shapes is designed to allow the quick modification of numerous values controlling the resulting surf ace, and to
interactively assess the possible result(s) using the Prev iew Mode.
Ad vanced continuity
Designers often need to bring a surf ace model to optimal quality, adjusting conditions f or tangency and curvature continuity.
ThinkDesign's Adv anced Continuity command enables the designer to modify continuity between surfaces or sets of surf aces with
consecutiv e boundaries. The result is a new set of surfaces, matching the designer's desired criteria.
Rake Sweep
This command enables the creation of high quality surf aces that
simulate the rake movement on clay. It is a unique instrument f or
achiev ing high quality shapes simulating the clay modeling
techniques typical of the automotive industry. It is inserted in the
wider "Touch and Design'' project that will offer the possibility to
work with a v irtual rake to provide maximum creativity in the
design process.
Reflection Highlight
The appreciation of a shape can be an unconscious emotional reaction
linked to our visual perception. The light reflected on an object plays a
f undamental role in this process. For this reason designers are constantly
f ocused on shapes that arouse this emotion. This ty pically requires many
iterations between modeling, creation of prototy pes and modification.
ThinkDesign eliminates the need to build and rebuild models. The user
def ines the required highlight on the object and think3’s technology
automatically builds (or rebuilds) the shape. This unique solution allows
modif ication of a shape by changing the ref lection light on the shape itself.
Target Driven Design

Designers reach their goal by assigning "targets" -- points, curves or a
particular light reflection -- that is the desired result v isible on a shape. The Target Driven Design approach of GSM allows designers to
exclusively focus on the shape of product and to f ree their creativity, automatically translating their design intent to models, ready ing
them for analysis and production.
“Working on Isy we realised that in order to innovate in the true sense of the word we needed a tool which permitted a
greater degree of creative freedom. After analysis of the various solutions offered by the market we opted for
ThinkDesign because it is more oriented towards designer objects and is less rigid that the other products examined.
With ThinkDesign we have been able to translate the ideas we want to communicate into the CAD environment and
thus make them reality.”
Davide Scoccini, Technical Manager of Zucchetti
I-Interact
I-Interact is a real-time design platform specif ically aimed at the design
rev iew phase of automotive or other industries, providing high control on
complex design data through an easy-to-use and f amiliar tool as a pen and
a most f riendly f ree-hand sketching tool. An ordinary mouse can be used,
but the f ull potential of the tool is exploited when a Wacom® Cintiq cordless
pen, along with its tablet, is used.
Hybrid modeling
Solids and surfaces interoperability
ThinkDesign is a true Hybrid Modeler: it allows one to work simutaneously
on wiref rame, surf ace models or solid models -- all in one env ironment.
Solids and surfaces can be used in basic construction operations, and
associativ ity is keep between all entities. ThinkDesign can also handle
'open' solids (non-manif old solids, or solids with no v olume), which is often
the case when dealing with imported geometry.
Documentation
Part data, title block and part list
ThinkDesign offers a v ery simple and direct method to insert title block inf ormation, part data, part lists, etc. which can then be used
immediately for list creation in a 2D drawing. Integrating with thinkPLM completes the creation of the Bill of Material and enhances
product lifecycle management.
Automatic drawing layout

From 3D, drawing creation is automatic. A single 2D view or an entire layout
of v iews can be created with a f ew clicks of the mouse. Sectioned views,
detail v iews and auxiliary v iews can be added f rom the base v iews, and all
views can be dimensioned and annotated using f amiliar commands. All
changes made to the 3D model are automatically reflected in the assoicated
2D drawing(s).
Exploded views
The order of assembly of a structure is fundamental inf ormation f or those who
will physically put together various parts, and f or those responsible f or
maintenance of the structure. In ThinkDesign, the assembly sequence can be
'exploded' either manually (using a 'handle' tool) or automatically in order to
def ine the assembly order. The exploded assembly is created using
ThinkDesign's Visual Bookmark tool, and can be placed in a 2D drawing view
f or technical and marketing documentation.
Markup
The entities of markup are special meaningf ul elements of annotation on a
drawing or model. Addition of these markup elements is not done editing the master document, but with special pointers to the entities
that are saved through an export in a f ile. This special file can be shared then between the v arious components of the team and the
notes can be v isualized together with the master document to gain full design understanding.
Annotations
Annotations are special text labels linked to the geometry of the model. Unlike the traditional labels, the annotations can be v isualized
in 3D and they move around and "anchor point" when the view orientation changes. These annotations can contain inf ormation in
different multimedia f ormats, f or instance HTML, AVI, Microsoft® Word, and are v ery usef ul f or collaborativ e engineering and rev iew
activ ities.
Animation and movie creation

Mated assemblies in ThinkDesign can be put “ThinkDesign is a perfect solution for designing aerial platforms,
through their kinematic motion through the use especially due to its sheet metal working features. ThinkDesign lets us
of the animation tool. A 'timeline' can be work on surfaces with better performance than other solutions; the
def ined, along which the assembly will mov e
per its def ined mates. The animation can be functions for rendering and films are very useful and excellent quality. It
paused at anytime to study the m odel f or f orm , is a solution which contains other potentiality within it and it allows us to
f it and function. It is also possible to def ine develop according to the company's needs.”
different camera or v iewing angles at which the
assembly can be examined. Light settings, Paolo Balugani, founder and Technical Director of the Oil&Steel
shadow and ref lection settings can all be
adjusted for optimum effect.
Add-on products functionality extension

Advanced planning tool
Commercial part libraries
Standard and custom-built parts can be managed using ThinkDesign's
integration with CADENAS' PARTsolutions. The libraries from
CADENAS (sold separtely) prov ide the engineer with millions of
mechanical, electrical, pneumatic and hy draulic parts, which can be
used in many different designs. The CADENAS solution is also
integrated with thinkPLM, f or creation and management of Bills of
Material, etc.
Mechanical cam development

To answer to the request of cam dev elopment, think3 prov ide in its
suite X-Camme solution (sold separately ). It is a Microsoft® Excel
application for the kinematic and dynamic analysis of cam mechanisms and for cam
cutting on numeric control machine tools dev eloped by Studio Tecnico Turci. X-
Camme can be used in technical offices, in order to design the cam mechanism. Data
entry is performed through a graphical interface, directly accessible under think3
applications. Data and results are saved to a unique Excel document. Results are in
the f orm of tables and graphs relativ e to displacement, speed, acceleration, jerk,
pressure angle, radius of curv ature, FFT spectrum, CAD system f iles and Numerical
Control cutting machine tools. The resulting model will be automatically transferred to
the think3 CAD application.
Power transmission development

Where equipment saf ety, reliability, and optimization are the
deciding f actors think3 provide to engineers KISSsoft solution (sold
separately ). KISSsoft AG dev elops calculation programs f or both
mechanical and design engineers in a wide range of f ields. Making
f ull use of all the latest standards (DIN, ISO, AGMA) KISSsoft
sof tware ensures quick and reliable calculation of design
parameters, v alidation, and strength analysis for machine elements
with documentation of saf ety factors and expected lif e. KISSsoft is
a calculation program consisting of a standard package and expert
add-ons f or the certif ication, design and optimization of machine
elements. Standard Packages have been dev eloped to cope with
v arious problems f rom many f ields of application. Solution has a
modular construction so that only the appropriate amount of
sof tware need be acquired. Standard Gear Package allows the calculation of the geometry and the strength of cy lindrical gearing.
Standard Coupling-Element Package contains calculations for shaft-to-collar
connections. Standard Spring Package encompasses calculation modules
f or the design of Pressure and Tension-springs. The results of calculations
can be transf erred to the think3 application very easily thanks to capability of
automatically creating the corresponding appropriate models.
FEM/FEA analysis
ThinkDesign offers the integration with the Ansys analysis product (sold
separately ) for those instances where structural analy sis is needed to v erify
the compliance of a model in a certain work environment. CAD and FEA data
can interact in an analysis and modification cycle that allows the engineer to
optimize the design to the desired characteristics.
Reverse Engineering
Reshape is a rev erse engineering solution explicitly developed f or solv ing the
problems of CAD users who need to import and manage f iles obtained
through 3D digitizing operations of physical models. It facilitates f ast
prototy ping, design review, finite element analysis, and inspection. Reshape
can be profitably exploited whenev er a physical model (which can be wooden,
clay or resin made) or a real object needs to be described as a computerized
3D shape to be processed or modif ied. In many contexts, among which some
sectors of the styling industry, Clay Modeling (that is: working out a physical
clay model) is an important design analysis phase. Doing rev erse engineering
f or extracting and processing digitized inf ormation f rom the clay models is
imperativ e. Reshape gives a prompt answer to those who need to mov e their
activ ity to reverse engineering. It is theref ore most usef ul to companies, such as, the ones operating in automotiv e, transportation,
molding, product design and so on. The Reshape module integrates functionalities to manage Mesh within the think3 environment.
Using Reshape y ou can import Meshes and STL objects obtained from digitalization machines in any these formats: *.stl, *.rve, *.obj,
*.ply, *.asc. On such files, after the stages of point decimation, cleaning up and smoothing of the meshes, it can proceed with the
surf ace reconstruction process, if needed. Reconstruction of character lines, smoothening and healing the mesh, splitting the mesh, or
generating surf ace ov er it are few of the Reshape f unctionalities. All the operations are obtained through robust automatic processes
with good quality results. Users are also enabled to interv ene manually when required, exploiting all the possibilities off ered by the
integration with the ThinkDesign Suite. For instance, they can get exact mesh symmetries or patterns f rom the data obtained only by
doing a partial digitalization of physical models.
Metal stamping springback compensation

Engineers specializing in tool & die f or sheet metal stamping, design a
product with all the inf ormation needed f or the manuf acturing process. During
the manuf acturing process, problems and errors are typically introduced and
geometry modif ication is required. When stamping a sheet metal part or a
complex shape a “springback” problem occurs. Designers must attempt to
correct or project for those materials problems; hence, the need to
"compensate. Currently, designers predict what the shape should look like
after shrinkage/warpage and springback, by using FEA (Finite Element
Analysis) tools. Listening to his own customers think3 understand their need
to modify surf ace models, when tooling modif ications are required, and solv e
specif ic manuf acturing problems. Building on GSM³ technology, think3
dev eloped Compensator to optimize and automatize the interaction between FEA predictions and optimized tooling design.
Compensator automates the process, sav ing time, replacing tedious manual labor and maintaining the same surface structure
(topology ) as the original surf ace model. Using think3 technology with FEA data reduces user interaction, eliminating the need f or
designers to spend time rebuilding/redrawing compensated surf aces. Compensator speeds the process, allowing designers to create
better designs f or manufacturing.
Metal stamping mold design

For the design of equipment f or sheet metal molding, using comprehensive,
integrated tools which can respond quickly to modif ication requests offers a
signif icant sav ing in time and resources, and achiev es the desired result
eliminating expensiv e interactions, with excellent quality lev els and breaking
down the communication barriers between departments and systems.
Think3's Die Design meets this demand in a very specif ic way . Alongside the
reliable ThinkDesign Tooling or ThinkDesign Professional solutions, it
prov ides tools offering comprehensiv e management of die geometries. Die
Design was dev ised so that last-minute modifications can be made properly.
Theref ore, technicians can start working on an incomplete geometry or one
which has not y et been finalized and carry out the adjustments needed, all of
which will be maintained when modif ications hav e to be made to the figure.
The think3 suite and Die Design support all phases of the process until the die is completed, and include important tools, such as the
analysis, quality control of the model and comparison of the mathematics between different v ersions. Production of all the interventions
needed to mold and modify the sheet such as: closure of "holes", blank holder, work holder and drawbeads. Intervention on the radii of
the blank holder geometries, to allow the sheet to slide or not. Calculation of the cutting line corresponding to the development of the
f langed parts. Local compensation on those parts where the springback generates a twist. Calculation of the offset needed to generate
the thickness of the die. When dealing with sheet molding, practical answers are needed f or each phase of the process: Die Design is
the right answer.
Plastic injection mold design

Through its own ThinkDesign Suite, MoldDesign and the products of
excellent partners, think3 can embrace the whole mold design process
and off ers powerf ul and flexible tools capable of efficiently meeting
specif ic requests at every stage of the planning and production cycle.
One MoldDesign’s f undamental characteristic is the capacity to import
and manage very complex models with high and low quality surf aces
and to be able to work on them with its own creation and modif ication
tools. MoldDesign does not degrade surf ace quality, but maintains the
existing quality. This means that even class A surfaces can be properly
processed. Thanks to total associativity, MoldDesign allows technicians
to start to work on an incomplete geometry or one which has not been
f inalized inserting the necessary workings and preserv ing them at the
time modifications have to be made to the shape. The specif ic mold
design tools prov ided by MoldDesign allow the loading of the part, the
quality check with analy sis f unction such undercut, draft and topology , improv ements and modif ication using Global Shape Modeling
(GSM³) and Interactive Solid Modeling (ISM) maintaining the quality of the model. Creation of the parting line with the major added
v alue of Semantic Associativity, capable of updating the line following any changes to the shape. Automatic div ision into core and
cav ity. Subdiv ision of volumes to create the slides. Creation of parametric mold base assembly with plates and columns. Electrode
design, insertion of standard library parts and creation of cooling systems with 3D paths. MoldDesign is the right answer f or who deal
with injection plastic molds.
Project management and communication

Product Lifecycle Management
ThinkDesign is completely integrated with think3's “We have chosen the think3 solutions because their offer
PLM (Product Lif ecycle Management) application responded to our demands both for the planning and for product
suite. This prov ides users with tools to research data, data management. The solution is simple to be used, it allows to
generate bills of material, manage the documentation
associated with the project, and is one of the key tools work in 2D and in 3D and the suite for Product Lifecycle
in managing the rev iews of parts and assembly and in Management is able to integrate with all the already present
the product maintenance cycle. procedures in company”.
Marco Anceschi, Technical Manager of TRIA
Drawing and models visualization

ThinkDesign Viewer is application designed to be a v ersatile file "v iewer" f or native think3 files (.e2 and .e3) as well as a host of other
industry standard file f ormats (including Autodesk® DWG, DXF, IGES, STEP, VDA and STL f iles, to name a few). Do more than just
viewing: it enable distance measure, weights, check continuity, analy ze curv es and so on. ThinkDesign Viewer can be an ideal solution
f or different situation: a manufacturer who receives think3 f iles and other industry standard design data f iles and at the shop f loor,
where any printing is to be carried out on the model to compare with the f inished product. For a supplier who requires to show and
measure precisely the inf ormation contained in a model (3D)/drawing (2D) in order to deriv e manuf acturing data and f or an external
consultant of your company who has to occasionally ov erview the look and feel of the product and so on.
Reference table main feature / product
Feature activ e in foundation product

Installable add-on product
Feature inactiv e in foundation product or not installable add-on product
Mktg 12/2009
General system requirements for ThinkDesign Suite (verify for specific application)
Minimum Suggested
TM TM
• W in d o w s ® 7 , V ista , XP Professional x64 Edition, XP Professional/H om e • W ind o w s ® 7, V ista , XP Professional x64 Edition, XP Professional/H ome
SP2 or higher SP2 or higher
• Intel® Pentium 4 2 GHz or equivalent processors supported by SSE2 for • Intel® Pentium 4 2.4 GHz or equivalent processors supported by SSE2 for
TM
AMD systems System memory (RAM) 1.5 GB, 2 GB for Vista AMD systems
TM
• Virtual memory (paging) 3 GB • System memory (RAM) 2 GB, 2.5 GB for Vista
• Disk space 600 MB for a typical installation • Virtual memory (paging) 4 GB
• Graphics accelerator 64 MB Vram OpenGL T M 1.4 • Disk space 600 MB for a typical installation
TM
• Microsoft® .NET Framework Version 2.0 or higher • Graphics accelerator 128 MB Vram OpenGL 1.4
• Microsoft® Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1 or higher • Microsoft® .NET Framework Version 2.0 or higher
• Microsoft® Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher

Technical Sheet Think Design Suite 2009 L en

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Technical Sheet Think Design Suite 2009 L en

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ThinkDesign Suite

Technical features datasheet 2009

Entities graphic properties

Selection and filter tools

User defined properties

PDF format output

Advanced visualization tools

High quality d ynamic visualization

Unique environment for part and assemblies

Standard libraries for bolts and bearings

Environment for standard part creation

“The adoption of the think3 solution in TRIA has given a notable

Multi-Data Representation and Multiple Approach Modeling

Complete solid modeling function set

Parametrization and Spreadsheet

ISM – Interactive Solid Modeling

Sheet metal functions

Large assemblies and simplified representation

Motion with collision detection

Base surfaces modeling

Base surfaces modeling

Global Shape Modeling

Target Driven Design

Automatic drawing layout

Animation and movie creation

Add-on products functionality extension

Mechanical cam development

Power transmission development

Metal stamping springback compensation

Metal stamping mold design

Plastic injection mold design

Project management and communication

Drawing and models visualization

Reference table main feature / product

Feature activ e in foundation product

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