Introduction to the Intact API

Intact is a web API for physics. At the moment, we support structural mechanics (think bridges and load-bearing mechanical parts). Our mission is to bring physics to any designer, engineer, or maker on the internet. To do that, we need your feedback! Always feel free to email us.

You can use our API to create simulation scenarios.

Authentication

To authorize, use this code:

# With shell, you can just pass the correct header with each request
curl "api_endpoint_here"
  -H "Authorization: Token token=abc1234"

Make sure to replace abc1234 with your API key.

Intact uses API keys to allow access to the API. You can register a new API key by sending us a message.

Intact expects for the API key to be included in all API requests to the server in a header that looks like the following:

Authorization: Token token=abc1234

Data Model

Our data model for geometric data consists of:

• Model families: designs that are related together as a design study, which contains references to many...
• Assemblies: an assembly is a composite geometric model, which have many simulations and are made up of one or more instances of...
• Components: a single geometric model.

For now we're focusing on delivering value on a single-assembly level (i.e. we don't really leverage the abstraction of a model family yet). Eventually we will develop sampling procedures across an entire design study, but for now we're focusing on delivering seamless interoperability and full automation of physics.

Models

List model families

curl "https://intact.design/api/models"
  -H "Authorization: Token token=abc1234"

The above command returns JSON structured like this:

[
  {
    "id": 1,
    "title": "Design 1",
    "metadata": {...},
    "unit": "m",
    "created_at": "2018-02-08T00:37:10.938Z",
    "models": {...}
  },
  {
    ....
  }
]

This endpoint retrieves all model families for your user.

Simulations

Create design study

curl "https://intact.design/api/models/{id}/model.json"
  -d {
      "loads": [
      {
        "force": {
          "direction": [
            0,
            0,
            1
          ],
          "magnitude": 100
        },
        "selector": {
          "cells": [
            [0, 1, 2]
          ],
          "positions": [
            [0, 1, 2],
            [2, 3, 4],
            [4, 5, 6]
          ]
        },
      }
    ],
    "restraints": [
      {
        "selector": {
          "cells": [
            [0, 1, 2]
          ],
          "positions": [
            [0, -1, 2],
            [-2, 3, -4],
            [-4, -5, 6]
          ]
        }
      }
    ],
    "units": "m",
    "model": "https://s3.aws.com/path/to/model.stl",
    "material": "ABS"
  }
  -X POST
  -H "Authorization: Token token=abc1234"
  -H "Content-Type: application/json"

Body Parameters

This method returns an id and a tokenized URL that you can use to find the simulation status as follows.

Find simulation status

curl "https://intact.design/api/simulations/TOKEN/status"
  -H "Authorization: Token token=abc1234"

The above command returns JSON structured like this:

{
  "status": "Completed|Failed|Queued"
}

This endpoint retrieves simulation status for a submitted simulation.

Errors

The Intact API uses the following error codes: