Cobalt Feature List

• Updated Interface
• Unified Associative, Dimensionally-constrained Parametric Drawing & Modeling Tools for Wireframe, Surfaces & Solids
• Vellum Drafting Assistant™ for Intelligent Snaps and Alignments in X,Y, & Z
• Unique Hybrid Mac/Windows, Office/Home Licensing
• Complete Set of Precision Import/Export Translators Including ACIS SAT, Parasolid, IGES, STEP, DXF, DWG, EPS, AI, and more
• Class-A NURBS Surface Modeling
• True Solid Modeling
• Surface Analysis
• Full Photo-realistic Rendering & Camera-based Animation

• Design Explorer™ History Tree
• Associative 2D View Generation with Auxiliary, Section, and Detail Views
• True Associative Dimensioning
• Bill of Materials
• License includes Graphite™ v8
• Dimensionally Constrained & Equation-driven Parametrics
• Associative Assembly Tools
• Object & Assembly Properties (CG, Volume, Weight, etc.)
• Mold Tools including Core, Cavity, Rib, and Lip
• Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T)
• 149,000 3D Mechanical Parts Library

Luc Heiligenstein designed this sports watch using both Ashlar-Vellum drafting and 3D modeling software.

“With Cobalt you can just extrude in any direction to get a product shape very quickly. It’s as flexible as modeling clay. Unlike other design software, you don’t have to calculate everything using parametrics, create a detailed assembly and add all the dimensions just to get something to show the client for interim approval.”

Read more about Luc’s success.

General Features

• Direct, Associative or Dimensionally Constrained 3D Modeling
• ACIS Modeling Kernel from Spatial
  
• 16 Place Floating Point Accuracy
  
• Hybrid Mac/Windows, Office/Home License
• 65,000 Hierarchical Layers
• Unlimited Colors
• Unlimited Number of Objects and Drawing Size
• Single File Holds Drawings, Models, Assemblies, etc.
• Direct Multi-sheet PDF Creation
• Universal Binary Support for Intel Mac

User Interface

• Updated, Intuitive Vellum Interface
• Drafting Assistant™ for Automatic Snaps and Alignments
• Smart Cursor Changes Shape Indicating Active Tool and Operations
• Strokes and Short Cuts Provide Instant Access to Commands
• Tear-off and Auto-hide Palettes
• Dockable Tools and Palettes
• Palettes can be Flipped Vertically or Horizontally
  
• Resizable Dialog Boxes
• Status Line to Specify Object Parameters
• Message Line Provides Tool Instructions and Options
• World and User-defined Coordinate Systems
• All Data Entry Fields can Perform Numeric Calculations
• TrackBall for View Selection and Dynamic or Step Rotation
• Show/Hide Palette
• Selection Mask for Easier Selection of Specific Entity Types, Layers, Colors
• Grid (User Definable)
• Object Editor
• Design Explorer™ Layer Tree
• Design Explorer™ History Tree
• History Manager
• Support for SpaceMouse Device on Mac and Windows
• Easy Update Installer

Display and Visualization

• Scene Display Modes:
  • Flat Shaded
  • Gouraud
  • Gouraud w/Edges
  • Phong
  • Phong w/Edges
  • Hidden Line Dimmed
  • Hidden Line Removed
  • Photo-realistic
• Scene Display Options:
  • Anti-alias
  • ZBuffer Curves
  • Clip at Eye Point
  • Transparency
  • Reflected Environment
• Real-time Object Display Options:
  • Display Iso Lines
  • Silhouettes
  • Transparency
  • Direction
  • Curvature Comb
  • Surface Analysis Display (Gaussian, Mean, Min/Max, Zebra, Normals, Curvature, Draft)
  • Object Display Resolution (Coarse, Medium, Fine, Very Fine, Super Fine)
  • User Definable Object Colors
• Adjustable Perspective
• Infinite Pan and Zoom
• Section Profiles and Cutaway View in the Edit Window
• Real-time 3D Display:
  • Curves
  • Surfaces
  • Solids
  • Meshes
  • Text
  • Bitmaps
  • Dimensions

Object and Assembly Properties

• Material
• Center of Gravity
• Volume
• Weight
• Density
• Moments of Inertia
• Principal
• Axis

Dimensionally Constrained Parametric Sketches

• On-demand:
  • Automatic Inference
  • Manual Creation
• Can be Used to Create Wireframe, Surfaces & Solids
• Equation-driven:
  • Dimensional
  • Conditional
• Geometric Relationship-driven Including:
  • Parallel to Sketch X or Y Axis
  • Coincident (Endpoint, Midpoint, Vertex, Quadrant, Center)
  • Tangent
  • Parallel
  • Perpendicular
  • Concentric
  • Symmetric
  • Equal
  • Co-linear
  • Offset Distance
• Animation of Incremental Dimensional Variations

Associative Parametrics

• Parametric Sketch-driven:
  • Direct Input
  • Dimensional
  • Geometric
• Modify:
  • Wireframe Creation
  • Surface Creation
  • Solids Creation
  • Mesh Creation
  • Surface Edits
  • Solid Edits
  • Mesh Edits
  • Solid Features

Object Management Tools

• Design Explorer™
  • Layer Tree
  • History Tree
• Object Properties Dialog
• Show/Hide Palette

General Transform Tools

• Move
• Copy Along Path
• Rectangular Array Duplicate
• Feature Array
• Rotate
• Polar Array Duplicate
• Scale (Uniform or Differential)
• Mirror
• Align

Wireframe Creation Tools

• Point
  
• Points on Curve
  
• Points on Surface
  
• Line
  
• Mid-point Line
• Connected Line
  
• Arc
  
• Circle
  
• Ellipse
  
• Conic
• Rectangle
• Polygon
• Arbitrary Polygon
• Star Polygon
• Sketch Spline
• Through-point Spline
• Vector Spline
• Bezier Spline
• Helix
• Spiral

Wireframe Editing Tools

• Fillet
• Chamfer
• Trim
• Relimit/Extend
• Break
• Offset
• Join
• Extrude
• Revolve
• Project to Plane
• Extract Edge of Surface or Solid
• Increase Order
• Fair Spline
• Add/Remove Spline Points
• Modify Spline Slope
• Curve by Intersection of Plane and a Curve, Surface, or Solid
• Project Curve onto Surface/Solid
• Intersect Two Curves
• Create Points by Intersecting Surfaces or Solids

Surface Creation Tools

• Surface Primitives:
  • Sphere
  • Block
  • Cylinder
  • Pyramid
• Infinite Plane
• Lathe
• Extruded Surface
• Sweep:
  • In Place
  • Perpendicular
  • Ridged
• Sweep Along One Rail:
  • Full Rail
  • To Entity
  • Between Rail Points
• Sweep Along Two Rails:
  • With Maintain Height
• Skin, Skin w/ Guide Curves
• Tangent Loft
• Cover Surface, Tangent Cover
• Net Surface
• Revolved Surface
• Tube Surface
• Offset Surface
• Drafted/Extended Surface
• Fillet Surface

“It is a real trick designing a high performance motorcycle exhaust system. This is where Cobalt really comes into its own. Cobalt makes me better than I am.”

These cam shafts and engine assembly were designed by Kelley Robert, Racing Engine Components. Read more about Kelley's success.

Surface Editing Tools

• Freeform Deformation (Push/Pull Surface Points)
• Deform to a Point, Factor, or Curves
• Add/Subtract/Intersect Planar Surfaces
• Join Surfaces
• Trim/Untrim Surfaces
• Match G1 and G2 Tangency
• Insert Control Points
• Elevate Degree
• Rebuild Surfaces
• Add, Remove, & Replace
• Curves of Associative Surfaces
• Imprint Profile Sketches for Surface Subdivisions

Solid Creation Tools

• Solid Primitives:
  • Sphere
  • Slab
  • Block
  • Cylinder
  • Cone
  • Torus
  • Prism
  • Pyramid
  • Ellipsoid
• Lathe Profile:
  • With Draft
  • Non-planar Profile
• Extrude Profile:
  • Distance
  • Vector
  • To Entity
  • Mid Plane
  • Thin Wall
  • With Draft
  • Non-planar Profile
• Skin, Skin w/ Guide Curves
• Tangent Loft
• Sweep Profile Along One Rail:
  • In Place
  • Perpendicular
  • Ridged
  • Full Rail
  • To Entity
  • Between Rail Points
  • With Draft
• Sweep Profile Along Two Rails:
  • With Maintain Height
• Pipe Solid
• Thicken Surface into Solid
• Stitch Surfaces into Solid

Solid Editing Tools

• Boolean Add/Subtract/ Intersect Solids
• Constant Blends:
  • Radial
  • Elliptical
  • Vertex
• Variable Blends:
  • Linear
  • By Position
  • To Curve
  • To Fixed Width
• To a Hold Line
• Constant Chamfers:
  • By Length
  • Two Lengths
  • Length and Angle
  • Vertex
• Variable Chamfers:
  • By Lengths
  • Four Lengths
  • Lengths and Angles
  • By Position
  • To Fixed Width
• Holes:
  • With Bore
  • With Sink
  • To Depth
  • Through
  • First Blind
  • To Face
  • With Draft
• Bosses:
  • With Specified Fillet
  • With Draft
• Profile Cutout:
  • With Draft
• Profile Protrude:
  • By Vector
  • To Face
  • With Draft
• Split:
  • With Surfaces or Solids
• Trim:
  • With Curves, Surfaces or Solids
• Shell:
  • With Independent Face Offsets
  • With Core/Cavity Options
• Parting Line:
  • With Draft
• Local Operations:
  • Taper/Draft Face
  • Move Face/Edge
  • Offset Face
  • Remove Face
  • Replace Face
  • Match Face
  • Deform Face (By Factor, To Point, To Curves)
• Bend Solids
• Twist Solids
• Stretch Solids
• Lip:
  • With Add/Remove
• Rib

3D Mechanical Parts Library

• 149,000 Mechanical Parts
• Standards included ANSI, BS, ISO, JIS, & NF
• Includes:
  • Bearings
  • Bolts
  • Nuts
  • Pins
  • Rivets
  • Washers
  • Clevis Pins
  • Locknuts
  • Parallel Keys
  • Retention Rings
  • Seals
  • Sections

Assembly Tools

• Associative Connect
• Associative Mate
• Associative Align
• Associative Insert

Independent 2D/3D Drawing Creation

• Predefined and Customizable Layouts
• Complete Professional Drafting Available
• Create 2D/3D Drawings w/o Building Models
• Stored in Same File as Model

2D/3D Drawing Creation from Models

• Associative 2D or 3D Views from 3D Wireframe, Surfaces, and Solids
• Photo-renderings Accommodated in Views:
  • As Underlay
  • As Interleave
• Associative Detail Views
• Associative Section Views:
  • With Auto Hatching
• Automatic Hidden Line
• Predefined and Customizable Layouts
• Automatic Labels:
  • View Name
  • Scale

2D/3D Drafting & Detailing

• Available for Independent and Model-driven Drawings
• Smart Dimension Tool Automatically Creates the Appropriate Dimensions
• Dimensions:
  • Linear
  • Angular
  • Diametric
  • Radial
  • Spline Length
• Standard and User-definable Tolerances and Settings:
  • ANSI
  • DIN
  • ISO
  • JIS
  • Dual
  • Architecture
  • Stacked Fraction
• Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T)
• Balloon and Callout Dimensions
• Predefined and User Created Hatch and Fill Patterns
• Predefined and User Created Line Weights, Colors, and Styles
• Associative Bill of Materials
• All Dimensions can be Associative, Dynamic, or Static

Photo-realistic Rendering

• Drag and Drop Materials
• Drag and Drop Decals (with Alpha Channel)
• 3D Wireframe Interleave
• Realistic Texture Maps and Procedural Textures:
  • Wood
  • Marble
  • Granite
  • Leather
  • Plastic
  • Glass
  • Metal
  • Brushed Metal
  • Automotive Paint
  • and more
• Advanced Material Editor:
  • Color
  • Reflectance
  • Specular
  • Diffuse
  • Ambient
  • Roughness
  • Bump
  • Transparency
  • Refraction
  • Texture Orientation
  • and more
• Interactive Materials Display
• Environment Maps
• Customizable Scene Presets
• Editable Light Sources:
  • Spot
  • Bulb
  • Distant
• Photo-realistic Sunlight (Location/Date/Time)
• Photo-realistic Tube and Area Lights
• Adjustable Hard and Soft Shadows
• Visible Volumetric Light Effects
• Sketch Effects (SP1)
• Fog Effects
• Backgrounds
• Raytracing with Anti-aliasing
• Production Quality Resolution & Output (bmp, tga, tif, lwi, eps)
• Multiprocessor Photo-realistic Rendering (Mac SP1)
• User-defined Presets

Camera-based Animation

• Fly-by
• Walk-through
• Sunlight Timeline
• QuickTime Object VR
• QuickTime Panoramic VR
• Direct Event Journal Recording and Playback
• QuickTime Event Recording and Playback

Import/Export

• ACIS SAT
• PDF (Export Only)
• DWG/DXF
• IGES
• STEP
• Pro/E (via SAT)
• Parasolid X_T (Windows Only)
• SolidWorks (via SAT)
• Catia v4
• 3D Studio (Import Only)
• Rhino 3DM (Import Only)
• Facet
• STL
• Adobe Illustrator
• EPS (Export Only)
• CGM
• VRML
• ShockWave 3D (Export Only)
• Bitmap:
  • BMP (with Alpha Channel)
  • JPEG
  • PNG (with Alpha Channel)
  • PPM
  • XPM
  • XBM
  • GIF
• PICT (Mac Only)
• Spline (Import Only)
• RAW Triangle (Export Only)
• ASCII Text
• Grid Surface (Import Only)
• Other Ashlar-Vellum Products

Localized User Interface

• English US
• English UK
• French
• German
• Italian
• Portuguese
• Russian (Windows only)
• Swedish

Product designer Francois Charron uses Cobalt to design products with consumer appeal such as this irrigation system and remote control key fob.

PDF Integration

• Directly Generates Non-tessellated Arcs and Splines (SP1)
• Multi-sheet (SP1)
• Imbedded Exports Optional

Available Accessories

• Graphite v8 (included)
• Cobalt Share™ for Viewing, Printing and Exporting at Client or Manufacturing Site (Free)
• Vellum:environments™
• Vellum:tracks™
• Vellum:materials™
• Vellum:decals™
• Tutorials (Free)

Recommended System

• Windows / Macintosh
• Windows XP, Vista
• Mac OS X 10.4.5+ or 10.5
• Pentium 4, Xeon, Athlon / G4 or G5
• 32 MB Accelerated Video Card w/ Open GL (Standard on all business-class systems since 2005. Additional RAM will not improve performance.)
• Medium- to High-performance Workstation-class Graphics Subsystem Recommend for Real-time Environment Mapping on Complex Files
• 512 MB RAM
• 250 MB Free Hard DriveSpace /
  1 GB Allocated Virtual Memory
• CD-ROM Drive