The ultimate 3D modeling product design and development tool.™

Cobalt’s 3D modeling offers the most advanced feature set for the fastest and most flexible design tools ever. Developed especially for industrial designers, mechanical engineers and inventors, Cobalt offers professional power, ease of use and a tool set with parametrics on-demand.

  • Unique Working Environment featuring Organic Workflow™
  • Unified Associative, Dimensionally-constrained Parametric Drawing & Modeling Tools
  • Holistically Integrated Tool Palette for Wireframe, Surfaces & Solids
  • Vellum Drafting Assistant™ for Intelligent Snaps and Alignments in X,Y & Z
  • Unique Hybrid Mac/Windows, Office/Home Licensing
  • Complete Set of Precision Import/Export Translators Including ACIS SAT, Parasolid, IGES, STEP, DXF, DWG, EPS, AI, and more
  • 2D/3D PDF Export and 2D Import
  • Full Support 3D Printing
  • Class-A, NURBS Surface Modeling
  • True Solid Modeling
  • Surface Analysis
  • Full Photo-realistic Rendering & Camera-based Animation
  • Design Explorer™ History Tree
  • Associative 2D View Generation with Auxiliary, Section, and Detail Views
  • True Associative Dimensioning
  • Bill of Materials
  • License optionally includes Graphite™ v10 in Plus price.
  • Dimensionally Constrained & Equation-driven Parametrics
  • Associative Assembly Tools
  • Object & Assembly Properties (CG, Volume, Weight, etc.)
  • Mold Tools including Core, Cavity, Rib, and Lip
  • Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T)
  • 149,000 3D Mechanical Parts Library

3D Modeling Power & Flexibility

Luc Heiligenstein designed this sports watch using both Ashlar-Vellum drafting and 3D modeling software.

With Cobalt you can just extrude in any direction to get a product shape very quickly. It’s as flexible as modeling clay. Unlike other design software, you don’t have to calculate everything using parametrics, create a detailed assembly and add all the dimensions just to get something to show the client for interim approval.

Read more about Luc’s success using Cobalt 3D modeling.

General Features

  • Direct, Associative or Dimensionally Constrained 3D Modeling
  • ACIS Modeling Kernel from Spatial
  • 16 Place Floating Point Accuracy
  • Hybrid Mac/Windows, Office/Home License
  • 65,000 Hierarchical Layers
  • Unlimited Colors
  • Unlimited Number of Objects and Drawing Size
  • Single File Holds Drawings, Models, Assemblies, etc.
  • Direct Multi-sheet 2D PDF Creation and Import
  • 3D PDF Export

Architectural Features

  • Smart Walls
  • Doors
  • Windows

Object and Assembly Properties

  • Material
  • Center of Gravity
  • Volume
  • Weight
  • Density
  • Moments of Inertia
  • Principal
  • Axis

Assembly Tools

  • Associative Connect
  • Associative Mate
  • Associative Align
  • Associative Insert

Combine Mechanical and Industrial Design

Dave Kindlon motion picture product engineer for XTD Research used Cobalt’s powerful set of tools to design and create all of Sonny, the robot.

Cobalt was able to handle both the mechanical and ID aspects of our project in one integrated package. I can’t think of another product that has such a nice combo of industrial and mechanical design.

Learn how Dave used Cobalt 3D modeling to create Sonny for the movie I, Robot.

User Interface

  • Updated, Intuitive Vellum® Interface
  • Drafting Assistant™ for Automatic Snaps and Alignments
  • Smart Cursor Changes Shape Indicating Active Tool and Operations
  • Strokes and Short Cuts Provide Instant Access to Commands
  • Tear-off and Auto-hide Palettes
  • Dockable Tools and Palettes
  • Palettes can be Flipped Vertically or Horizontally
  • Resizable Dialog Boxes
  • Status Line to Specify Object Parameters
  • Message Line Provides Tool Instructions and Options
  • World and User-defined Coordinate Systems
  • All Data Entry Fields can Perform Numeric Calculations
  • TrackBall for View Selection and Dynamic or Step Rotation
  • Show/Hide Palette
  • Selection Mask for Easier Selection of Specific Entity Types, Layers, Colors
  • Grid (User Definable)
  • Object Editor
  • Design Explorer™ Layer Tree
  • Design Explorer™ History Tree
  • History Manager
  • Support for SpaceMouse Device on Mac and Windows
  • Easy Update Installer

Object Management Tools

  • Design Explorer™:
    • Layer Tree
    • History Tree
  • Object Properties Dialog
  • Show/Hide Palette

Display and Visualization

  • Scene Display Modes:
    • Flat Shaded
    • Gouraud
    • Gouraud w/Edges
    • Phong
    • Phong w/Edges
    • Hidden Line Dimmed
    • Hidden Line Removed
    • Photo-realistic
  • Scene Display Options:
    • Anti-alias
    • ZBuffer Curves
    • Clip at Eye Point
    • Transparency
    • Reflected Environment
  • Real-time Object Display Options:
    • Display Iso Lines
    • Silhouettes
    • Transparency
    • Direction
    • Curvature Comb
    • Surface Analysis Display (Gaussian, Mean, Min/Max, Zebra, Normals, Curvature, Draft)
    • Object Display Resolution (Coarse, Medium, Fine, Very Fine, Super Fine)
    • User Definable Object Colors
  • Adjustable Perspective
  • Infinite Pan and Zoom
  • Section Profiles and Cutaway View in the Edit Window
  • Real-time 3D Display:
    • Curves
    • Surfaces
    • Solids
    • Meshes
    • Text
    • Bitmaps
    • Dimensions

Accelerate Your Capabilities

These cam shafts and engine assembly were designed by Kelley Robert, Racing Engine Components.

It is a real trick designing a high performance motorcycle exhaust system. This is where Cobalt really comes into its own. Cobalt makes me better than I am.

Read more about Kelley’s winning motorcycle engines modeled in Cobalt.

Dimensionally Constrained Parametric Sketches

  • On-demand:
    • Automatic Inference
    • Manual Creation
  • Can be Used to Create Wireframe, Surfaces & Solids
  • Equation-driven:
    • Dimensional
    • Conditional
  • Geometric Relationship-driven Including:
    • Parallel to Sketch X or Y Axis
    • Coincident (Endpoint, Midpoint, Vertex, Quadrant, Center)
    • Tangent
    • Parallel
    • Perpendicular
    • Concentric
    • Symmetric
    • Equal
    • Co-linear
    • Offset Distance
  • Animation of Incremental Dimensional Variations

Associative Parametrics

  • Parametric Sketch-driven:
    • Direct Input
    • Dimensional
    • Geometric
  • Modify:
    • Wireframe Creation
    • Surface Creation
    • Solids Creation
    • Mesh Creation
    • Surface Edits
    • Solid Edits
    • Mesh Edits
    • Solid Features

General Transform Tools

  • Move
  • Copy Along Path
  • Rectangular Array Duplicate
  • Feature Array
  • Rotate
  • Polar Array Duplicate
  • Scale (Uniform or Differential)
  • Mirror
  • Align

Wireframe Creation Tools

  • Point
  • Points on Curve
  • Points on Surface
  • Line
  • Mid-point Line
  • Connected Line
  • Arc
  • Circle
  • Ellipse
  • Conic
  • Rectangle
  • Polygon
  • Arbitrary Polygon
  • Star Polygon
  • Sketch Spline
  • Through-point Spline
  • Vector Spline
  • Bezier Spline
  • Helix
  • Spiral

Image Handling Options for 2D Raster Images

  • Transparency
  • Independent Corner Adjustment
  • Used as Infinite Plane
  • Fit to Profile
  • Link to Profile

Easy, Elegant Splines

Product designer François Charron uses Cobalt to design products with consumer appeal such as this irrigation system and remote control key fob.

Independent 2D/3D Drawing Creation

  • Predefined and Customizable Layouts
  • Complete Professional Drafting Available
  • Create 2D/3D Drawings w/o Building Models
  • Stored in Same File as Model

Wireframe Editing Tools

  • Fillet
  • Chamfer
  • Trim
  • Relimit/Extend
  • Break
  • Offset
  • Join
  • Extrude
  • Revolve
  • Project to Plane
  • Extract Edge of Surface or Solid
  • Increase Order
  • Fair Spline
  • Add/Remove Spline Points
  • Modify Spline Slope
  • Curve by Intersection of Plane and a Curve, Surface, or Solid
  • Project Curve onto Surface/Solid
  • Intersect Two Curves
  • Create Points by Intersecting Surfaces or Solids

Surface Creation Tools

  • Surface Primitives:
    • Sphere
    • Block
    • Cylinder
    • Pyramid
  • Infinite Plane
  • Lathe
  • Extruded Surface
  • Sweep:
    • In Place
    • Perpendicular
    • Ridged
  • Sweep Along One Rail:
    • Full Rail
    • To Entity
    • Between Rail Points
  • Sweep Along Two Rails:
    • With Maintain Height
  • Skin, Skin w/ Guide Curves
  • Tangent Loft
  • Cover Surface, Tangent Cover
  • Net Surface
  • Revolved Surface
  • Tube Surface
  • Offset Surface
  • Drafted/Extended Surface
  • Fillet Surface
  • Surface from Two Contours
  • Conic Surface from Sections & Guides

Surface Editing Tools

  • Freeform Deformation (Push/Pull Surface Points)
  • Deform to a Point, Factor, or Curves
  • Add/Subtract/Intersect Planar Surfaces
  • Join Surfaces
  • Trim/Untrim Surfaces
  • Match G1 and G2 Tangency
  • Insert Control Points
  • Elevate Degree
  • Rebuild Surfaces
  • Add, Remove, & Replace
  • Curves of Associative Surfaces
  • Imprint Profile Sketches for Surface Subdivisions

Solid Creation Tools

  • Solid Primitives:
    • Sphere
    • Slab
    • Block
    • Cylinder
    • Cone
    • Torus
    • Prism
    • Pyramid
    • Ellipsoid
  • Lathe Profile:
    • With Draft
    • Non-planar Profile
  • Extrude Profile:
    • Distance
    • Vector
    • To Entity
    • Mid Plane
    • Thin Wall
    • With Draft
    • Non-planar Profile
  • Skin, Skin w/ Guide Curves
  • Tangent Loft
  • Sweep Profile Along One Rail:
    • In Place
    • Perpendicular
    • Ridged
    • Full Rail
    • To Entity
    • Between Rail Points
    • With Draft
  • Sweep Profile Along Two Rails:
    • With Maintain Height
  • Pipe Solid
  • Thicken Surface into Solid
  • Stitch Surfaces into Solid

Solid Editing Tools

  • Boolean Add/Subtract/ Intersect Solids
  • Constant Blends:
    • Radial
    • Elliptical
    • Vertex
  • Variable Blends:
    • Linear
    • By Position
    • To Curve
    • To Fixed Width
    • To a Hold Line
  • Constant Chamfers:
    • By Length
    • Two Lengths
    • Length and Angle
    • Vertex
  • Variable Chamfers:
    • By Lengths
    • Four Lengths
    • Lengths and Angles
    • By Position
    • To Fixed Width
  • Holes:
    • With Bore
    • With Sink
    • To Depth
    • Through
    • First Blind
    • To Face
    • With Draft
  • Bosses:
    • With Specified Fillet
    • With Draft
  • Profile Cutout:
    • With Draft
  • Profile Protrude:
    • By Vector
    • To Face
    • With Draft
  • Split:
    • With Surfaces or Solids
  • Trim:
    • With Curves, Surfaces or Solids
  • Shell:
    • With Independent Face Offsets
    • With Core/Cavity Options
  • Parting Line:
    • With Draft
  • Local Operations:
    • Taper/Draft Face
    • Move Face/Edge
    • Offset Face
    • Remove Face
    • Replace Face
    • Match Face
    • Deform Face (By Factor, To Point, To Curves)
  • Bend Solids
  • Twist Solids
  • Stretch Solids
  • Lip:
    • With Add/Remove
  • Rib

3D Mechanical Parts Library

  • 149,000 Mechanical Parts
  • Standards included ANSI, BS, ISO, JIS, & NF
  • Includes:
    • Bearings
    • Bolts
    • Nuts
    • Pins
    • Rivets
    • Washers
    • Clevis Pins
    • Locknuts
    • Parallel Keys
    • Retention Rings
    • Seals
    • Sections

2D/3D Drawing Creation from Models

  • Associative 2D or 3D Views from 3D Wireframe, Surfaces, and Solids
  • Photo-renderings Accommodated in Views:
    • As Underlay
    • As Interleave
  • Associative Detail Views
  • Associative Section Views:
    • With Auto Hatching
  • Automatic Hidden Line
  • Predefined and Customizable Layouts
  • Automatic Labels:
    • View Name
    • Scale

PDF Integration

  • 3D Export
    • U3D-style 3D PDFs
  • 2D Export
    • Direct (Generates Non-tessellated Arcs)
    • Multi-sheet
    • Imbedded Exports Optional
    • PDF Large Size Export up to 200in × 200in (508cm × 508cm, including margins)
    • Page Size Independent of Print Size
  • 2D Import
    • Vector
    • Raster
    • Text

Precision Organic Shapes

Creation of organic shapes with precision manufacturing make Cobalt ideal for medical applications, including these carts designed by Glenn Polinsky for Modo, Inc.

2D/3D Drafting & Detailing

  • Available for Independent and Model-driven Drawings
  • Smart Dimension Tool Automatically Creates the Appropriate Dimensions
  • Dimensions:
    • Linear
    • Angular
    • Diametric
    • Radial
    • Spline Length
  • Standard and User-definable Tolerances and Settings:
    • ANSI
    • DIN
    • ISO
    • JIS
    • Dual
    • Architecture
    • Stacked Fraction
  • Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T)
  • Balloon and Callout Dimensions
  • Predefined and User Created Hatch Patterns with Area and Perimeter
  • Predefined Fill Patterns
  • Associative Bill of Materials
  • All Dimensions can be Associative, Dynamic, or Static

Photo-realistic Rendering

  • Drag and Drop Materials
  • Drag and Drop Decals (with Alpha Channel)
  • 3D Wireframe Interleave
  • Realistic Texture Maps and Procedural Textures:
    • Wood
    • Marble
    • Granite
    • Leather
    • Plastic
    • Glass
    • Metal
    • Brushed Metal
    • Automotive Paint
    • and more
  • Advanced Material Editor:
    • Color
    • Reflectance
    • Specular
    • Diffuse
    • Ambient
    • Roughness
    • Bump
    • Transparency
    • Refraction
    • Texture Orientation
    • and more
  • Interactive Materials Display
  • Environment Maps
  • Customizable Scene Presets
  • Editable Light Sources:
    • Spot
    • Bulb
    • Distant
  • Photo-realistic Sunlight (Location/Date/Time)
  • Photo-realistic Tube and Area Lights
  • Adjustable Hard and Soft Shadows
  • Visible Volumetric Light Effects
  • Sketch Effects
  • Fog Effects
  • Backgrounds
  • Raytracing with Anti-aliasing
  • Production Quality Resolution & Output (bmp, tga, tif, lwi, eps)
  • Multiprocessor Photo-realistic Rendering
  • User-defined Presets
  • Optionally Interleave Wireframe Geometry in Photo-realistically Rendered Stills and Animations

Camera-based Animation

  • Fly-by
  • Walk-through
  • Sunlight Timeline
  • QuickTime Object VR
  • QuickTime Panoramic VR
  • Direct Event Journal Recording and Playback
  • QuickTime Event Recording and Playback

Import/Export

  • ACIS SAT
  • PDF
    • 2D/3D Export
    • 3D Import
  • DWG/DXF
  • IGES
  • STEP
  • Pro/E (via SAT)
  • Parasolid X_T (Windows Only)
  • SolidWorks (via SAT)
  • Catia v4
  • 3D Studio (Import Only)
  • Rhino 3DM (Import Only)
  • Facet
  • STL
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • EPS (Export Only)
  • CGM
  • VRML
  • ShockWave 3D (Export Only)
  • Bitmap:
    • BMP (with Alpha Channel)
    • JPEG
    • PNG (with Alpha Channel)
    • PPM
    • XPM
    • XBM
    • GIF
  • PICT (Mac Only)
  • Spline (Import Only)
  • RAW Triangle (Export Only)
  • ASCII Text
  • Grid Surface (Import Only)
  • SIM (Kinetics Export)
  • Other Ashlar-Vellum Products

Localized User Interface

  • English US
  • English UK
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Portuguese
  • Russian (Windows only)
  • Swedish

Available Accessories

  • Graphite v10 (optionally included with Plus)
  • Kinetics™ for Motion Simulation
  • Cobalt Share™ for Viewing, Printing and Exporting at Client or Manufacturing Site (Free)
  • Vellum:environments™
  • Vellum:tracks™
  • Vellum:materials™
  • Vellum:decals™
  • Tutorials (Free)

System Requirements

  • Windows / macOS
  • Windows x64 10 / 11 (Intel and AMD)
  • macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) / 10.14 (Mojave) / 10.15 (Catalina) / 11 (Big Sur)* / 12 (Monterey)* / 13 (Ventura)* / 14 (Sonoma)*
  • OpenGL 3.3 compatible Video Card Required / Medium- to High-performance Graphics Subsystem Recommend
  • 2 GB RAM Required / 8 GB Recommended
  • 2 GB free hard drive space Required / 4+ GB SSD Recommended
  • High Speed Internet Connection

*Apple silicon is supported via Rosetta2 which is included free by Apple in macOS 11, 12, 13, and 14 for Apple silicon based Macs