When people hear “Creo,” they often automatically think “Creo Parametric.” This is because Creo Parametric was one of the distinguishing components in the first Pro/ENGINEER release back in 1988. Although these names are associated, they are not synonymous. Creo Parametric is just one of the tools included in the entire Creo suite, but there are many more features that go beyond just parametric modeling.

Creo Parametric is at the core of the Creo family.

The latest Creo release includes five different tiers, each one building on the previous, to provide the tools and extensions engineers need to complete the most advanced projects. Creo Parametric is at the core of each package – here’s what it includes.

Core Creo Parametric Capabilities

Parametric Modeling

At the core of Creo Parametric are 3D parametric modeling features. The Creo platform provides these tools in an easy-to-use and flexible way that rivals traditional direct modeling. Creo Parametric allows designers to quickly create free form shapes and add surfaces. It even includes advanced 2D and 3D simulations that recreate the real-world operating conditions so engineers understand performance, calculate MTBF (mean time between failures), and determine maintenance requirements.

Creo Parametric includes advanced modeling tools that rival traditional direct modeling methods.

Advanced Tools

The Creo Parametric platform also includes a range of features that help facilitate and streamline design processes. It includes tools that allow designers to quickly and easily explore design alternatives.

  • 3D graphics: Generate beautiful 3D graphics to help engineers and other stakeholders evaluate product performance and design.
  • Human factor analysis: Helps teams design efficient and safe production processes without having to create and test physical prototypes, saving time and money while speeding up time to market.
  • Digital twin and AR: Virtually pair designs with digital twins to improve data analysis and complete simulations quickly.
  • IoT functionality: Supports sensor-connected devices and equipment to provide design and process feedback in real time.
  • Mathcad Express: Ensures that the right mathematical formulas are available to help complete any design, so accurate specifications are completed quickly.

Collaboration

In the modern age, it is no longer required for team members to be in the same place, therefore, digital collaboration is a central component of any technological solution. In the world of design and manufacturing your designers, customers, and suppliers must be able to seamlessly work together. Creo Parametric includes the tools you need to easily share data with teams while ensuring the security of your critical IP. It even plays well with other CAD systems. Creo uses Unite Technology which allows you to seamlessly share files and data without any error-prone and time-consuming file translations.

Unite Technology removes the error-prone process of CAD file translation.

Creo Extensions

Although there is a range of features included in the Creo Parametric platform, there are an even larger variety of Creo extensions that can be used to further boost design capabilities.

  • Creo Simulate Live: Don’t wait to complete simulation as a validation step at the end of the design process. This extension allows you complete CAD simulation in real-time as changes are made to models to better support analysis-driven design methods.
  • Additive Manufacturing: Instead of getting treated as an afterthought, the additive manufacturing extension is central to the Creo Parametric platform. Creo directly connects to the printer to ensure accuracy and helps designers create and optimize the complex lattice structures that are unique to 3D printing.
  • Additive Manufacturing Plus: This extension includes all the same features as its predecessor but adds metal 3D printed part support. This elevated extension also connects directly to the online Materialise library for improved part analysis.
  • Topology Optimization: This extension analyzes the potential stresses and strains and then recommends the removal or reduction of unnecessary materials. It works within the user’s defined objects and constraints to inform designers which areas of the design are working most effectively.
  • Options Modeler: Quickly create customer-specific products that are derived from modular architecture. Users can create product models and define how modules are assembled. This extension helps reduce time to market and helps companies meet complex customer requirements for products with unique specifications.
  • Complete Machining: Include advanced NC-control and prismatic milling as part of your model analysis. Understand how these products will be made and determine if any changes are needed to improve manufacturability. It can complete simulations for multi-task machines, 2- to 4-axis wire EDM, 2- to 4-axis lathes, 2.5- to 5-axis mills, and multi-axis machining. It also includes an extensive tools library and proven manufacturing templates to help you optimize designs.
  • Simulate: Analyze and optimize meshing, structures, and thermal characteristics of your designs using comprehensive finite product element analysis.
  • Advanced Simulation: Easily analyze the impact of non-linear stresses on products.
  • Mathcad: Have access to all the mathematical terms and formulas necessary for your designs and present them to key stakeholders.
  • NC Sheet Metal: Reduce and eliminate waste created when cutting, bending, or punching sheet metal designs. Plus, optimize products so they can get to market faster through simplified manufacturing.
  • Production Machining: Program NC machines directly when cutting or shaping products with any design changes automatically incorporated into the NC programming.
  • GD&T Advisor: Use the geometric dimensioning and tolerance (GD&T) advisor extension to reduce errors that occur between designed and produced products by utilizing a simple UI to show errors and warnings that require attention.
  • GD&T Advisor Plus: This extension includes all the features listed above plus allows engineers to use existing annotations and provides the guidance necessary to ensure errors are fixed in accordance with established standards.
  • Flow Analysis: Calculate internal and external flows of air, turbulence, and flow with real-time animated results for optimized molding performance.
  • Fatigue Advisor: Utilize simulation to understand fatigue performance to help reduce costs and minimize downtime.
  • CAD Collaboration: Ensure that everyone involved in a project has access to the same data and information by making it easy to collaborate with CATIA and Siemens NX.
  • Layout: Quickly and easily move between 2D and 3D design data to create 3D models and to manage all design changes and updates.
  • Tolerance Analysis: Document geometric tolerances directly on your 3D model to understand worst-case performance and statistical predictions of final measurement distributions.
  • Mechanism Dynamics: Understand how your designs will perform and withstand dynamic forces without having to complete expensive real-world testing. This extension analyzes static and dynamic forces including gravity and friction to provide insights on performance and reliability.
  • Behavioral Modeling: Speed up the design process by streamlining the iterative steps required for balancing products. When conflicts occur, this extension helps engineers determine the trade-offs that need to be made to prioritize performance, cost, or quality.
  • Interactive Surface Design: Capture the outlines and curves used in free-form models and convert them using tangency and curvature to maintain the design concept across multiple planes. Users maintain complete control over how surfaces connect and have high surface quality using reflection points to pinpoint and eliminate flaws.
  • Mold Machining: Simplify your design process for low-volume or one-off production runs. Easily handle complex designs and automatically recalculate machine paths based on design changes.
  • Expert Moldbase: Begin work using a 2D model and easily convert it into a 3D model
  • Prismatic and Multi-Surfaces Milling: Increase machine productivity by optimizing the designs of NC Milling tooling and factory equipment.
  • Advanced Assembly: Easily simplify the most complex assemblies with tools that enable controlled collaboration. Utilize configurations and skeleton models to share designs efficiently across teams.
  • Piping and Cabling: Quickly determine the best piping and cabling routes for your products to reduce assembly costs, improve quality, and simplify maintenance.

Ready to Improve Your Products with Creo Parametric and Creo Extensions?

Every organization can benefit from the advanced tools available through the Creo extensions and the Creo Parametric platform. The current product offerings are designed to provide organizations with the tools they need at the most cost-effective price points. Contact us to help you determine which Creo package and extensions would best fit your organization.