meghosry yuryel westbey

[Niklas Terki]

We have been developing a highly optimized interface to Pro/ENGINEER / CREO that uses JLINK (and can also support Pro/TOOLKIT) for many years - it is the core library of our commercial offerings like Nitro-CELL, Nitro-PROGRAM, and Nitro-BOM.

The current code base is a Java Library that can be included in a Java application to directly communicate with Pro/E / CREO asynchronously (control Pro/E / CREO externally - not as a registered application on startup - connects on the fly). While we have some specialized applications running headless automations for some of our customers using the library directly, most of our code uses a micro-server to handle all the bi-directional traffic to/from CREO for us.

But -- IF (big IF) we build a JSON interface, this would be able to be used by ANY language that supports JSON.... Visual Basic, .NET, C#, Java, etc, etc. etc. So we feel this would be a good option for anyone - regardless of development preferences

We got permission from PTC to release our language-agnostic JSON Interface/Server as an OpenSource project for -ANY- PTC CREO Parametric Customer interested in automating CREO Parametric.

We are in the process of laying the framework for how to properly roll this out for easy download, usage and contribution. Be patient - we need to do this as close to right as possible. One thought is to use Apiary for code documentation/examples - any other suggestions?

CREO is still a single-threaded workflow. If multiple clients are accessing it, problems are soon to come up for sure. It is possible to run multiple requests into CREO at the same time - but the changes of screwing up someone else's session is huge (e.g. "erase memory" call affects everyone using the same CREO session, not just your models)

That being stated, we DO have customers that DO have multiple clients requesting CREO to DO things -- e.g. build assemblies headless, batch process changes, etc. This requires job queuing (job = a defined process that will be called with specific variable inputs/requirements). Basically a Traffic Cop to manage the process.

This is also why Node.js is (very) attractive as an option (but please note, this can be used by ANYTHING that could communicate via HTTP and JSON). Node.js specifically can serve two purposes for people that use this:

So your server is written using JavaScript and your Client requests to CREO via our interface would be with JavaScript. If you wanted to put a Web Page in front of all this to collect user inputs and display information... Node.js can serve that also and all the client functionality there... JavaScript (again). With a little more work, you can connect to and consume data from other systems via internal (or cloud) services/databases or whatever -- VERY enterprise friendly!

However, (I believe) this would be easier to use than JLINK or C++ or VB -- less code, more functionally defined expectations and results. A lot of nice things are already baked into our core interface that are often bload code like "wildcarding" ... for example:

The above command would open every *.prt file that is in the current working directory and display them in CREO as it goes. Our core layer has been optimized to not just reduce the number of calls you make, but also are also organized into high level categories to the common-sense things you want to get information or manipulate (e.g. model, dimension, parameter, note, feature, etc.)

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Distinguished by its ability to handle complex engineering challenges, Creo is highly regarded for its parametric and direct modeling capabilities. Additionally, it provides a scalable approach to product development. Furthermore, it is extensively used in industries such as high-tech electronics, automotive, and industrial machinery. Fundamentally, its powerful features support an integrated approach to product design, from conceptualization to manufacturing.

These differences make SolidWorks ideal for small to medium-sized projects or businesses. Alternatively, Creo is often the choice for larger organizations dealing with more complex product development challenges.

While SolidWorks has primarily focused on AR/VR Exporter technology in recent years, its future seems to pivot towards the 3D Experience Platform. In contrast, Creo has significantly expanded its capabilities in the past 24 months. For example, introducing features like:

Reflect on the value derived from your SolidWorks support. Does your SolidWorks VAR provide adequate assistance? Or, are you finding more self-reliance? Next, consider if the absence of recent significant updates in SolidWorks affects your decision to upgrade to newer versions.

The stability and frequent crashes of SolidWorks are well-known. Often, this leads to substantial productivity losses. So, analyze how these issues impact your daily operations and whether a more stable alternative like Creo might enhance efficiency.

Users often experience issues with geometry rebuilding and design tree reordering in SolidWorks. However, Creo offers enhanced robustness and reliability in these aspects, facilitating smoother design processes.

Many companies opt not to abandon their current CAD systems instantly, choosing instead to run them concurrently with Creo. Alternatively, your organization might prefer a complete shift to Creo to fully leverage its advanced capabilities. So, as you strategize the phasing out of your existing CAD system, determine the implications to these key considerations:

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