Solid Modeling Solutions
Solid Modeling Solutions™ is an independent supplier of source code for a powerful suite of 3D geometry kernels. SMS provides advanced NURBS-based geometry libraries, SMLib™, TSNLib™, GSNLib™, NLib™, SDLib™, VSLib™, and PolyMLib™, that encompass extensive definition and manipulation of NURBS curves and surfaces with the latest fully functional non-manifold topology.
VSLib™ provides deformable modeling as part of a library using the constrained optimization techniques of the calculus of variations. The library supports several very different geometric operations.
PolyMLib™ is an object-oriented software toolkit that provides a set of objects and corresponding methods to repair, optimize, review and edit triangle mesh models. It can be used to analyze surface properties, such as smoothness and curvature distribution, as well as to repair and optimize surface meshes.
History
Solid Modeling Solutions (SMS) was formed in early 1998, founded with a commitment to deliver quality products and services with a strong commitment to responsiveness and partnership with our customers. Alliances were developed with GeomWare and IntegrityWare and the non-manifold topology features led to the initial SMLib product in mid-98. A new alliance was established in 1999 with HarmonyWare driven by close collaboration with our customers. This led to IGES, STEP, and VDAFS data translator products in 1999. In late 2001, Nlib was purchased from GeomWare, and the alliance with IntegrityWare was terminated in 2004. Enhancements and major new features are added twice-yearly. SMS is convinced that a small team of talented and motivated experts create better and more efficient products than large corporate projects.
SMS software is based on years of research and application of NURBS technology. Les Piegl and Wayne Tiller (a partner of Solid Modeling Solutions) wrote the definitive "The NURBS Book" on non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBS) with aids to designing geometry for computer-aided environment applications. The fundamental mathematics is well defined in this book, and the most faithful manifestation in software is implemented in the SMS product line. More on the history of NURBS and key SMS team members can be found at SMS team on the SMS website.
Philosophy
SMS is committed to providing source code to our customers in order to enhance and enable their understanding of the underlying technology, provide opportunities for collaboration, improve time to repair, and protect their investment. Web-based delivery of product delivery, maintenance, and communication has enabled SMS to be extremely responsive, among the best in the industry. SMS has no underlying debt, no hidden partners, and is totally employee owned. SMS is independent of any proprietary influences and totally committed to an open and responsive relationship with our customer base. SMS has established a very unique model of technical organization and an adaptive open-source approach. The pricing philosophy provides a stable base of technical expertise, and it is very cost-effective for our customers when viewed from perspective of total cost of ownership of complex software. A license for an SMS product represents a fraction of what it would cost to develop and maintain the same capability in-house.
Recent customer comment include:
"SMLib looks to be very interesting. I'm especially attracted by the fact that it is distributed in source code form. I hate opaque black boxes! Also the licensing terms seem to fit our needs."
"Gotta love source code, and the VC++ debugger! This problem only slowed me down for 5 minutes, whereas if this was an object library it would have been a week in the very best circumstances."
With respect to SMLib selection as one of the "Top 10 Software for 1998" by IEEE Computer & Graphics Applications, one of our customers said: "Congratulations! It's certainly one of my personal top 10."
"In my opinion, the quality of the code is excellent - world class..."
"...the support is nothing less than phenomenal. "
And from a major software developer regarding geometry kernel independence: "The destiny of software developers that stick with ACIS or Parasolid will be inextricably linked to Dassault or Unigraphics. Any competitor posing risk to either company could put itself in jeopardy of delays in receiving updates, bug fixes, and contract renewals."
SMS Architecture
SMLib™ - fully functional non-manifold topological structure and solid modeling functionality.
TSNLib™ - analyze NURBS based trimmed surface representations.
GSNLib™ - based on NLib with curve/curve and surface/surface intersection capabilities.
NLib™ - an advanced geometric modeling kernel based on NURBS curves and surfaces.
VSLib™ - deformable modeling using the constrained optimization techniques of the calculus of variations.
PolyMLib™ - an object-oriented software toolkit library that provides a set of objects and corresponding methods to repair, optimize, review and edit triangle mesh models.
data translators - NURBS-based geometry translator libraries, with interfaces for the SMLib, TSNLib, GSNLib, NLib, and SDLib family of products, including IGES, STEP, VDAFS, SAT, and OpenNURBS capabilities.
Functionality
Complete descriptions of the SMS product line can be found at the SMS Product Page