ACIS Solid Modeling Kernel

Developed by Spatial Technology Inc. - www.spatial.com
Available for: Import and Export
File format: Text
File extension: *.sat
Versions supported:
     Import:      1.6, 1.7, 2.0, 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 5.3, 6.0 (5.0 requires SolidWorks 99 or later, 5.3 and 6.0 requires SolidWorks 2000 or later)
     Export:
  		     1.6, 1.7, 2.0, 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 5.3, 6.0 (1.6 requires SolidWorks 98Plus date code 1999/042 or later, 5.0 requires SolidWorks 99 or later, 5.3 and 6.0 requires SolidWorks 2000 or later)
Data: Solid Parts, Assemblies of Solid Parts

 
General Notes:
  • ACIS is a 3D modeling system that provides curve, surface, and solid modeling in an open object-oriented architecture. Spatial introduced the ACIS Geometric Modeler in 1990 as the world's first commercial, object-oriented, 3D geometric modeling tool kit. This product was designed for use as a "geometry engine" within 3D modeling applications.
     
     
  • ACIS is similar to Parasolid in that it is a standard modeling technology which is used in numerous applications. However, ACIS and Parasolid are not compatible, but competitive products.
     
     
  • Some of the modeling applications which use ACIS as their native geometry engine are: AutoDesk's AutoCAD and Mechanical Desktop, Bentley's Microstation, and Intergraph's Solid Edge (although they are switching to Parasolid).
     
     

 
SolidWorks Specific Notes:
  • To translate an ACIS version 1.6 file from SolidWorks to another application which only supports ACIS version 1.6 (AutoCAD and others), export any version ACIS file from SolidWorks, then bring the file into the ACIS Viewer (available at www.spatial.com) and save as version 1.6. Then import the version 1.6 file into the receiving system.
     
     
  • The Parasolid modeling kernel is capable of creating edges which are smaller than those which can be made in the ACIS modeling kernel. Parasolid can create edges as small as 1.0e-8 Meters and ACIS can only create edges as small as 1.0e-6 Meters. Because of this ACIS limitation, users may sometimes encounter the message "SAT: ACIS Edge is too small" when exporting SolidWorks files to ACIS. These files would not import properly into an ACIS based package because ACIS can not recognize the small edges, and therefore, SolidWorks will not write out an ACIS file under such conditions. To overcome such a situation, the user must eliminate the small edges from the model. The Tools, Check command can be used in SolidWorks to search for small edges on the model.