Direct Modeling
Direct modeling is a CAD authoring paradigm in which geometry is edited by pushing, pulling, and reshaping faces and edges directly, without an intervening feature tree or constraint network. SpaceClaim and CoCreate were canonical pure-direct systems; today direct editing is more often a mode within a hybrid kernel rather than a separate product. Direct modeling shines for concept design, multi-CAD cleanup, simulation prep, and editing geometry whose history is unavailable.
Why it matters
Direct modeling is the answer when "regenerate the part" is not the question — when you have a step file from a supplier, a one-off simulation variant, or a quick concept that doesn't need to live in the change-control system. The PLM lifecycle implication is that direct edits often need re-parameterization before they can re-enter the controlled engineering pipeline, which is its own configuration risk.
Related concepts
External References
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Cite this definition
Finocchiaro, Michael. “Direct Modeling.” DemystifyingPLM PLM Glossary, 2026, https://www.demystifyingplm.com/glossary/direct-modeling