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MAE 455 Computer-Aided Design and Drafting

CAD Data Formats
Transferring data from one system
to another!
MAE 455 Computer-Aided Design and Drafting
Exchanging Data between
Systems
Conventional Method Neutral File Method
Figure from: K. Lee, Principles of CAD/CAM/CAE Systems, Addison-Wesley, 1999
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MAE 455 Computer-Aided Design and Drafting
Neutral File Formats
2D wireframe drawing:
DFX
DWG
3D surface model:
IGES
VRML
B-Rep solid model
STEP
IGES
Solid with history:
none!
Other product life-cycle data
STEP
MAE 455 Computer-Aided Design and Drafting
Data Translation Problems
1. Different representation of same data
e.g. Circular_Arc_Rep1: x
c
, y
c
, R,
1
,
2
Circular_Arc_Rep2: x
c
, y
c
, x
1
, y
1
, x
2
, x
2
2. Incomplete Mappings
e.g. one system only uses lines and arcs, other system uses only
NURBS curves
3. Systems have different tolerances for
computations Can result in missing faces
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MAE 455 Computer-Aided Design and Drafting
DXF format
This format is for 2D Drawings
Introduced for users of AutoCAD, it is a text
(ASCII) file that can be read and modified
in a text editor.
Because of the popularity of AutoCAD it
has become a de-facto standard.
MAE 455 Computer-Aided Design and Drafting
Initial Graphics Exchange
Specification (IGES)
This format is for drawings, surface models,
and solid model data.
It was developed in 1979 by a Committee
of large companies, under contract from
the U.S. Air Force.
It can be in text or binary format.
Not as good as STEP for solids.
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MAE 455 Computer-Aided Design and Drafting
STandard for the Exchange of
Product data (STEP)
General standard that applies to all product
life-cycle data.
History:
1983 The Product Data Exchange Standard (PDES) is
started in the U.S.
1984 STEP is started by the International Organization
for Standardization (ISO).
1985 PDES joins STEP.
Now STEP is expected to become the primary standard
for the U.S. armed forces and U.S. companies.
MAE 455 Computer-Aided Design and Drafting
STandard for the Exchange of
Product data (STEP)
Parts 203 and 214 of STEP (ISO-10303)
are for (B-Rep) solid models.
The format looks like:
ISO-10303-21;
HEADER;
FILE_DESCRIPTION((''),'2;1');
FILE_NAME('/home/mefac/bettig/sdrc/dogbone.stp','2001-12-11T21:04:35',('User'),('SDRC'),'I-DEAS Master Series
8','UNIX','Yes');
FILE_SCHEMA(('AUTOMOTIVE_DESIGN { 1 2 10303 214 -1 1 5 3 }'));
ENDSEC;
DATA;
#10=(NAMED_UNIT(*)PLANE_ANGLE_UNIT()SI_UNIT($,.RADIAN.));
#11=DIMENSIONAL_EXPONENTS(0.0,0.0,0.0,0.0,0.0,0.0,0.0);

#1359=CARTESIAN_POINT('V36',(530.600000000000591,8.600000000000874,
5.785214E-13));
#1360=VERTEX_POINT('V36',#1359);
Header info. start
Part info. start
Object #, type
and parameters