Ashlar-Vellum's interface, designed in 1988 by Dr. Martin Newell and Dan Fitzpatrick, featured an automated Drafting Assistant that found useful points in the geometry and allowed the artist to quickly connect to locations like the "midpoint" or "tangent".
It integrates parametric wireframe, freeform surfacing, feature-based solid modeling and photo-realistic rendering all using the Vellum interface.
Xenon's set of tools within the Vellum interface provides integrated 2D/3D sketching, concept development, design visualization, photorealistic rendering, and engineering drawings.
Argon's hybrid solid and surface modeling capabilities provide flexibility in shape design combined with data accuracy.
Argon is Ashlar-Vellum's entry-level product in their Designer Elements line of 3D modeling and CAD software on Mac and Windows.
A feature of Xenon and Cobalt, associativity increases productivity of design iterations by automatically updating all related objects when changes are made to the defining geometry.
It facilitates changes to a model because features can be selected and edited instead of portions deleted and rebuilt, as is required with programs that do not contain history.
Found in Ashlar-Vellum's Cobalt and Graphite software, parametrics drive the shape of a design by mathematical equations and relationships.
After leaving Xerox PARC, Dr. Newell realized his vision of a "heads up" CAD interface, where the user was free to focus on designing without distractions from the application.