A geometric modeling kernel is a

solid modeling Solid modeling (or solid modelling) is a consistent set of principles for mathematical and computer modeling of three-dimensional shapes '' (solids)''. Solid modeling is distinguished within the broader related areas of geometric modeling and ...

software component used in

computer-aided design Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computers (or ) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve c ...

(CAD) packages. Available modelling kernels include: *

ACIS The 3D ACIS Modeler (ACIS) is a geometric modeling kernel developed by Spatial Corporation (formerly Spatial Technology), part of Dassault Systèmes. ACIS is used by software developers in industries such as computer-aided design, computer-ai ...

is developed and licensed by

Spatial Corp Spatial Corporation was founded in 1986, and had one main product: ACIS, the first commercially available 3D modeling kernel. Through subsequent years, Spatial added products to its portfolio that enabled independent software vendors (ISVs), most ...

oration of

Dassault Systèmes Dassault Systèmes SE () (abbreviated 3DS) is a French Multinational corporation, multinational software corporation which develops software for 3D product design, simulation, manufacturing and other 3D related products. Founded in 1981, it is ...

. *SMLib is developed by Solid Modeling Solutions. *Convergence Geometric Modeler is developed by

. *

Parasolid Parasolid is a geometric modeling kernel originally developed by Shape Data Limited, now owned and developed by Siemens Digital Industries Software. It can be licensed by other companies for use in their 3D computer graphics software product ...

is developed and licensed by

Siemens Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational technology conglomerate. It is focused on industrial automation, building automation, rail transport and health technology. Siemens is the largest engineering company in Europe, and holds the positi ...

. *

Romulus Romulus (, ) was the legendary founder and first king of Rome. Various traditions attribute the establishment of many of Rome's oldest legal, political, religious, and social institutions to Romulus and his contemporaries. Although many of th ...

was a predecessor to Parasolid. *

ShapeManager Autodesk ShapeManager is a 3D geometric modeling kernel used by Autodesk Inventor and other Autodesk products that is developed inside the company. It was originally forked from ACIS 7.0 in November 2001, and the first version became available i ...

is developed by

Autodesk Autodesk, Inc. is an American multinational software corporation that provides software products and services for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries. Autodesk is headquarte ...

and was forked from

in 2001. * Granite is developed by

Parametric Technology Corporation PTC Inc. (formerly Parametric Technology Corporation) is an American computer software and services company founded in 1985 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The company was a pioneer in parametric, associative feature-based, solid com ...

. * C3D Modeler is developed by C3D Labs, part of the ASCON Group. * CGAL is an opensource Computational Geometry Algorithms Library which has support for boolean operations on Polyhedra; but no sweep, revolve or NURBS. * Open CASCADE is an opensource modeling kernel. *sgCore is a freeware proprietary modeling kernel distributed as an SDK. * K3 kernel is developed by Center GeoS. * SOLIDS++ is developed by IntegrityWare, Inc. * APM Engine is developed by RSDC APM. * KCM is developed and licensed by Kubotek Kosmos *SvLis Geometric Kernel became opensource and discontinued, for Windows only. *IRIT modeling environment, for Windows only. *GTS GNU Triangulated Surface Library, for polygon meshes only and not surfaces. * Russian Geometric Kernel. * Geometry Kernel, a multi-platform C++ library with source code accessible for clients, developed and distributed by RDF
Geometry Kernel web site
* SolveSpace has its own integrated parametric solid geometry kernel with a limited NURBS support.

Kernel market

The kernel market currently is dominated by

and

, which were introduced in the late 1980s. The latest kernel to enter the market is KCM.

has no presence in the kernel licensing market and in 2001

clearly stated they were not going into this business. The world's newest geometric modeling kernel is Russian Geometric Kernel owned by the Russian government, and it is not clear if it is going to be commercially available, despite offering unique features over the other kernels on the market.

Kernel developers

The table below contains a representative list of developers developing their own kernel or licensing the kernel from a third-party.

References

{{CAD software 3D graphics software Computer-aided design