The General Geometric Constraint Manager (GGCM) is a next-generation, fully-variational 3D constraint manager licensed from ALS Geometric Software, SA (ALS). The component solves simple thru complex design problems in CAD/CAM/CAE and other technical software applications. The solution provides technology-leading variational solving for assembly management, part design, curve and surface editing, and smooth kinematic motion simulation. The 3D constraint manager offers superior solvability, flexibility, and performance.
GGCM is based on a breakthrough non-linear equation solving technology that uniquely solves a large set of configurations, including:
- All types of 3D configurations, including complex and non-separable configurations of arbitrary size in linear time
- Configurations when the initial shape is far from the solution
- Degenerate problems
- Configurations with an arbitrary mixture of over- and under-constraining
GGCM provides a simple C/C++ API for easy integration with software applications. GGCM offers superior solvability, performance and flexibility, and is extensible, giving vast control and independence to the application.
With GGCM you can:
- Provide innovative solutions to solve complex engineering problems (e.g. large complex assemblies, linkages, weldments, surface design, kinematics with smooth behavior, part design)
- Deliver a high-performance application with variational solving performance on par with history-based solvers, linear on problem size
- Reduce development time by integrating a single, extensible 2D/3D solver to meet a full range of engineering and application needs
Key Features of GGCM:
- Unmatched, high-performance
- Sophisticated, non-linear equation solver for complex design and engineering problems
- 2D/3D integrated solver in one software system
- User can define highly complex expression (engineering) constraints, including new objects and constraints, solved simultaneously with the rest of the configuration. This allows:
- Equilibrium analysis (e.g. hanging chains and pulleys, force analysis on assemblies with weights and springs),
- Modeling physical properties (e.g. shearing force, bending moment, elasticity, air drag),
- Complex assembly interactions (e.g. synchronized gears)
- Fine control over solver behavior for under-constrained configurations and dragging
- Solver automatically identifies Rigid Equivalence Classes (virtual subassemblies), i.e. assembly parts that are rigidly “glued” together to highlight design intent and diagnose problems
- Powerful and meaningful failure diagnostics that identify the smallest failing part of a problem
- Advanced variational constraints (e.g. curve length and area)
