PTC Creo

About this release

Creo is a parametric mechanical design system built for products that have to be manufactured, and it carries the whole process rather than just the modelling. A part starts as a dimensioned sketch, gains features in a history that stays editable, joins an assembly with real constraints, gets checked by simulation, produces drawings with proper tolerancing and ends as data a machine shop can work from.

The parametric model is the core discipline. Every feature knows what it was built from, dimensions can be driven by relations and equations, and a change to a governing dimension propagates through the part, the assembly and the drawings. Families of parts are generated from one model through a table, which is how a fastener range or a product line in several sizes is maintained without drawing each variant.

Assembly work scales to real products. Large assemblies load with simplified representations so a machine with thousands of components stays usable, interference detection and clearance checking run across the whole model, mechanism definition drives motion through joints, and design in context lets a part be shaped against the components it has to sit between.

Beyond modelling it reaches in several directions. Structural, thermal and modal simulation run against the model directly so problems are found before a prototype exists. Generative design proposes shapes from a load case and a set of constraints. Surfacing tools handle the shapes that feature based modelling cannot describe. Sheet metal, weldments, piping, cabling, mould design and manufacturing toolpaths are all covered, and the bundled help centre is a full reference rather than a shortcut to a website.

What it does

Parametric feature history

Every feature stays editable and a governing dimension change propagates through part, assembly and drawing.

Family tables

Generate whole ranges of related parts from one controlling model rather than drawing each variant.

Large assembly handling

Simplified representations, interference checks and clearance analysis on assemblies with thousands of components.

Integrated simulation

Structural, thermal and modal analysis run against the live model without exporting to a separate application.

Generative design

Propose shapes from load cases and constraints, then take the result forward as real geometry.

Manufacturing output

Sheet metal, weldments, mould design and machining toolpaths with tolerancing carried through to the drawing.

Changed in this version

• Faster regeneration on deep feature trees.
• Large assembly loading improved with better simplified representation handling.
• Simulation solver performance increased on multi core processors.
• Surfacing tools gain improved continuity control.
• Help centre content expanded and reorganised.

System requirements

Install order

1. Unpack the very large archive to a drive with ample free space.
2. Run the installer as an administrator and choose the components you need.
3. Install the help centre alongside the application if you want offline reference.
4. Start the application once and set the working directory before opening a model.

Worth knowing before you start

File details