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Okino Computer Graphics Releases Unique Solid Edge® Import
Converter Based on "OLE for Design & Modeling" CAD Standard.

Okino's New Import Module Provides 25+ New 3D Export File Formats for Solid Edge®

Toronto, Canada - January 10th, 2000 (Revised August 10th 2001) - After 16 months of development and refinement, Okino Computer Graphics today released innovative new data translation technology and support for the Unigraphics Solutions' Solid Edge® 3D solid modeling product, based on the "OLE for Design & Modeling" 3D CAD data transfer standard. This new addition to Okino's selection of core data translators allows object, assembly (hierarchy) and material data to be directly transferred from a running copy of Solid Edge into a running copy of Okino's NuGraf or PolyTrans software, or to a running copy of 3DS MAX or Alias|Wavefront Maya. No intermediate data files are required.

As of August 2001, the Solid Edge importer also includes the ability to read in native Solid Edge .prt and .asm files, without a local resident copy of Solid Edge. This method reads in the "display list", or polygon data from such native files. The only disadvantage to this system is that control over the number of imported polygons is not possible.

This new support in Okino's 3D products will greatly benefit all Solid Edge users. No longer are these users entirely dependent upon Solid Edge for 3D rendering, animation or data translation; rather, assemblies can now easily be exported through this converter module to Okino's powerful NuGraf renderer for the creation of photo-realistic imagery. Or, the assemblies can be re- exported from NuGraf or PolyTrans to a wide range of industry standard 3D scene and animation file formats not previously available to Solid Edge users, such as 3DS MAX (via native plug-ins in MAX), Alias|Wavefront Maya (via native plug-ins in Maya/NT), Lightwave, SoftImage, OpenFlight, Renderman RIB, trueSpace, and many others. Note that the translation process is uni-directional as it converts solids from Solid Edge into polygons for the destination format.

"With Okino's new and interesting ability to import Solid Edge data directly into its NuGraf software we are able to get photo-realistic pictures of Solid Edge assemblies within a short time with realistic material assignments and without depending on the slow Solid Edge rendering option," said Christian Niehaus of BEUMER Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. (http://www.beumer.com). "Moreover, we are able to create animations for presentation and documentation purposes within a short time after the direct import of our assemblies from Solid Edge to 3D Studio Max via this new Solid Edge import converter." Click here to see an example rendering done by Beumer of Solid Edge data using the NuGraf renderer, and click here to see many other examples of CAD models rendered by our NuGraf users.
"With the acquisition of the Solid Edge product by Unigraphics Solutions from its original Intergraph developer in 1998, and the conversion of the product from an ACIS kernel to the ParaSolids kernel, our existing Solid Edge customers needed a new method to move their Solid Edge data into our NuGraf and PolyTrans software products (previously done with ACIS SAT)," said Robert Lansdale, President & CEO of Okino Computer Graphics, Inc. "We decided to pursue the unique implementation of the OLE D&M Interface data transfer protocol. After 14 months of implementation we are very happy to again support Solid Edge users directly with the OLE D&M interface. Solid Edge users now have a wide variety of choices as to which rendering, animation or translation package they wish to use for their Solid Edge models, by way of Okino's export file formats".

"OLE for Design & Modeling Data Transfer Standard", An Overview

OLE for Design and Modeling (OLE for D&M) is the logical extension of OLE technology from Microsoft® Office® applications into 3D CAD/CAM and CAE. It aims to deliver direct access to native CAD models without data translation giving the same benefits to 3D that 2D users have enjoyed for years. The "OLE D&M" interface standard is maintained by the Design and Modeling Applications Council (DMAC); for more information, please visit http://www.dmac.org. OLE for D&M supports the concept of a CAD "server" and a CAD "client". This is depicted in the following diagram which represents how Okino's OLE D&M import module functions:

In this diagram, an Okino compliant software package (such as NuGraf, PolyTrans, 3DS MAX or Maya), on the left side, has asked Microsoft Windows to open up the application which understands Solid Edge data files. Windows then executes Solid Edge, the application on the right side above, and loads in the specified Solid Edge data file. Using Microsoft "COM" technology, the Okino application on the left side (the "client") obtains direct access to the internal routines and data of Solid Edge on the right side (the data "server"), as if the two programs were running as one. Object mesh data, hierarchy and materials are then directly transferred to the Okino application for subsequent rendering or further data translation. Once the conversion has taken place, the connection is closed and Solid Edge is allowed to exit.

Okino's "NuGraf Rendering System" and "PolyTrans" Software, An Overview

Okino's stand-alone "PolyTrans Model/Scene/NURBS/Animation Translator" for Windows and SGI IRIX was released in August 1996 and has gone on to become one of the most acclaimed and respected 3D geometry translators. Unlike most translation programs which only convert basic polygon geometry, hierarchy and some shading information, PolyTrans is unique in its ability to convert every aspect of a 3D model file; this includes all geometry (meshed polygons with recursive holes, NURB and bicubic patches, and quadrics), object hierarchy, pivot points, smoothing data (vertex normals), (u,v) texture coordinates, bump mapping information (tangent vectors), lights, cameras, all texture projection methods and animation. In addition, PolyTrans accurately matches the color, shading and texture mapping parameters between the input and output file formats resulting in models that will render faithfully in the target rendering program.

Okino's NuGraf Rendering System is the elder sibling of PolyTrans that includes, in addition to everything in PolyTrans, high-end scanline and multi-threaded ray tracing (for product and CAD visualization), material editing, bitmap and procedural texture mapping, texture projection methods, extended user interface and text creation. NuGraf received the "IEEE Technical Excellence Award" from IEEE CG&A Magazine in 1997 and the "Golden Pixie" award for 1998. It is intuitive for beginners, deep and rich with features for experts.

Okino software is used world wide by thousands of professionals, covering such varied groups as engineering, manufacturing, government, defense related, production studios, digital effects houses, animation studios, 3D content developers and most major 3D game development companies. An interesting list of notable users can be viewed online at http://www.okino.com/conv/users.htm.

Industry Standard Export File Formats

The new OLE D&M interface module allows Solid Edge data to be exported to virtually any 3D modeling, animation, rendering, CAD, landscape (DEM) or design package. Supported export formats include 3D Studio MAX (a copy of 3DS MAX is required), 3D Studio r4, Alias PolySet, Apple 3DMF (Quickdraw-3D), DirectX, DXF, Fractal's Detailer, IGES 5.3 (polygons in the case of this Solid Edge converter, otherwise NURBS), Imagine, Lightscape, Lightwave, OpenGL C Code, OpenFlight, POV 2.0/3.0, Pro/Engineer .SLP, Renderman RIB, Renderware, SoftImage .hrc models and scene databases, StereoLithography .STL, Strata StudioPro, trueSpace, USGS DEM, Vistapro, VRML 1.0/2.0 and Wavefront. For v3.0 of PolyTrans and NuGraf the following file formats will also be supported for export: Alias|Wavefront Maya (a copy of Maya is required), Cinema-4D and Electric Image FACT (also useable for import into Form/Z). The converters have been developed by Okino Computer Graphics over a period of 11 years and are complete implementations of their respective file formats. Over 25 import formats are also supported by Okino products, but it is not possible, in general, to transfer this data into Solid Edge without slow and complex surface healing operations.

Major Benefits to Solid Edge Users

Some of the major benefits Solid Edge users will gain from using this new translator include:

Applicable WEB pages

The following are pertinent pages on the Okino WEB site relating to this press release:

Available Through VARs

The new Solid Edge module, as well as all other Okino products, are available directly from Okino Computer Graphics and through a growing number of Value Added Resellers (VARs) in the design, CAD and multimedia markets. Fully functional demonstration versions (with minor limitations) of the software are available through Okino's Internet WEB site at http://www.okino.com.

Product Pricing

The Solid Edge module is sold as an optional add-on component together (as one bundle) with Okino's new SolidWorks import module and the existing ACIS SAT import converter. For product pricing, to locate an authorized VAR or for customer inquiries, please contact Okino Computer Graphics at (905) 672-9328 or toll free at (888) 3D-OKINO (1-888-336-5466).

System Requirements

The Solid Edge import module requires Solid Edge v7 or newer, and operates efficiently with Pentium®-based computers equipped with Windows 98/95 or Windows NT 2000, 4.0 or higher. The module must be purchased along with a copy of Okino's PolyTrans or NuGraf software in order to operate.

Company Background

Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Okino Computer Graphics specializes in the development of 3D photo-realistic rendering, visualization and model translation technology. This technology is currently used within Okino's NuGraf Rendering System product, its PolyTrans data translation program (and byproducts) and its NuGraf Developer's 3D Toolkit. For more information on Okino Computer Graphics, please call 905-672-9328 or visit Okino Computer Graphics' Internet WEB site at http://www.okino.com.

Documents Available Electronically

Attention editors. This document, as well as screen snapshots and related documents for the Press (in Word for Windows format) can be obtained electronically by visiting http://www.okino.com/press/magpics.htm

NuGraf and PolyTrans are registered trademarks of Okino Computer Graphics, Inc. Okino is a trademark of Okino Computer Graphics, Inc. Solid Edge is a registered trademark of Unigraphics Solutions. 3DS MAX is a registered trademark of Discreet Logic. Maya is a registered trademark of Alias|Wavefront. Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

Editorial Contact:

Robert Lansdale
Okino Computer Graphics
T: (905) 672 9328
F: (905) 672 2706
Email: lansd@okino.com
WEB: http://www.okino.com