CATIA

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CATIA (Computer Aided Three dimensional Interactive Application) is a multi-platform PLM/CAD/CAM/CAE commercial software suite developed by Dassault Systemes and marketed world-wide by IBM.

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[edit] Features and Capabilities

Commonly referred to as a 3D Product Lifecycle Management software suite, CATIA supports multiple stages of product development (CAx). The stages range from conceptualization, through design (CAD) and manufacturing (CAM), until analysis (CAE). CATIA provides an open development architecture through the use of interfaces, which can be used to customize or develop applications. The application programming interfaces supported are as follows:

  • The Fortran and C programming languages for version 4 (V4).
  • The Visual Basic and C++ programming languages for version 5 (V5).

These APIs are referred to as CAA for V4 and CAA2 (or CAA V5) for V5. The CAA2 are component object model (COM) based interfaces. They provide integration for products developed on the CATIA suite of software.

Although later versions of CATIA V4 implemented NURBS, version 4 principally used piecewise polynomial surfaces. CATIA V4 uses a non-manifold solid engine.

Catia V5 features a parametric solid/surface-based package which uses NURBS as the core surface representation and has several workbenches that provide KBE support. 3DXML is the basis for model visualization, persistence, and distribution.

As of 2006, the latest release is V5 release 17 (V5R17).

One of the main reasons customers choose CATIA V5 is its ability to seamlessly interact and work in tandem with a host of other applications like Enovia , Smarteam , various CAE Analysis applications etc.

[edit] Supported Operating Systems & Platforms

CATIA V4 is supported for various flavours of Unix - IBM AIX, Hewlett Packard HP-UX, Silicon Graphics IRIX and Sun Microsystems Solaris.[1] Catia V4 and its predecessor versions were also available for IBM MVS and VM/CMS mainframe platforms.

CATIA V5 is provided on the Microsoft Windows platform and, without the facility to use Visual Basic additions, on the above-mentioned Unixes.[2]

[edit] Notable Industries using CATIA

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CATIA is widely used throughout the engineering industry, especially in the automotive and aerospace sectors. In this industry CATIA V4, CATIA V5, Pro/ENGINEER, NX, and SolidWorks are the dominant systems. Dassault Systems has expanded its reach into the Shipbuilding Domain with CATIA V5 release 8, which includes additional functionality serving ship builder needs.

The Boeing Company used CATIA V3 to develop its 777 airliner, and is currently using CATIA V5 for the 787 series aircraft. They have employed the full range of Dassault Systemes' 3D PLM products, comprising of CATIA, DELMIA, and ENOVIA, supplemented by Boeing developed applications.[3]

GD Electric Boat used CATIA to design the latest fast attack submarine class for the United States Navy, the Virginia class.[4]. Northrop Grumman Newport News also used CATIA to design the Gerald R. Ford class of supercarriers for the US Navy.[5]

European aerospace giant Airbus is also using CATIA extensively[6] for its design and development activities.[7]

Canadian aircraft manufacturing company Bombardier Aerospace has all its designing done on CATIA.[8]

German automotive companies BMW, Porsche, Daimler Chrysler[1] and AUDI use CATIA.[9] Other automotive companies using CATIA include , Volvo, Fiat, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Toyota, Honda, and Ford, Tata motors, Mahindra and Mahindra. GoodYear, pioneers in the manufacture of tyres for automotive, aerospace etc also uses the customised CATIA for its design and development.

Outside of those industries, architect Frank Gehry has used the software, through the C3 Smartmodel company, to design his award-winning curvilinear buildings.[10] His technology arm, Gehry Technologies, has been developing software based on CATIA V5 named Digital Project.[11] Digital Project has been used to design buildings, but none have actually been constructed using the new software.

[edit] References

  1. ^ CATIA V4 System requirements. IBM. Retrieved on March 8, 2007.
  2. ^ CATIA V5 System requirements. IBM. Retrieved on March 8, 2007.
  3. ^ "Computing & Design/Build Processes Help Develop the 777." Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
  4. ^ Conklin, James. Realizing Life Cycle Cost Savings Through Standardization. Defense Standardization Program. Department Of Defense.
  5. ^ CVN 21 Facts. Northrop Grumman.
  6. ^ "PLM: Boeing's Dream, Airbus' Nightmare." Baseline.
  7. ^ Airbus Training Methods. Avantec.
  8. ^ Latulippe, Isabelle (August 2001). "Bombardier Aerospace Virtual Product Definition: Achievements and Future Directions". COE NewsNet. Retrieved on 2007-03-07. 
  9. ^ Product Lifecycle Management Solutions from IBM and Dassault Systemes Boost Efficiency at Leading Premium Vehicle Manufacturer. COE Newsnet.
  10. ^ Day, Martin (September/October 2003). "Gehry, Dassault and IBM Too". AEC Magazine. Retrieved on 2007-03-07. 
  11. ^ Digital Project. Gehry Technologies. Retrieved on March 7, 2007.

[edit] External links

[edit] Gallery

North Leg of the Eiffel Tower Made with CATIA
North Leg of the Eiffel Tower Made with CATIA

Concept Product Creation

CAT

FEM & Structural Analysis

Electrical Wire Harness Design

Machine Tool Simulation
  • Full CATIA gallery source available here
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