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General survey

CADCAM General Survey : Various Links

CAD interface tools and contributions

Exchange File format

We mean here ASCII file format (files you can read with any text editor). Exchange means that there is not too much data lost in the transfer.

 

IGES very widely used internationally

How to recognize the various exchange format

How to convert a CAD file

Translating tools and Services

Unisurf

VDA

STEP the more up to date

SET French standard or aerospace and automotive industry

PDES used in USA

Other File format

Numerical Commands Codes It is the standard language used to drive numerical command.

Internet File Format

SVG Scalable Vector Graphics allows viewing 2D objects inside an internet browser.

VML Vector Markup Language,allows viewing 2D objects inside an internet browser.

Graphic Standard

Java 3D

OpenGL is a portable application programming interface (API) for 3D graphics.

Popular Proprietary File format

HPGL is initially for plotters of Hewlett-Packard. Because all CAD systems support plotters it becomes a simple way to send data from CAD systems to 2D systems like word processors or imaging tools.

DXF is initially for Autocad of Autodesk. Both the fact that it is simple and that many CAD vendors want to compete with Autodesk turn it into a de facto standard.

Translating tools and Services

Object Embedding

OLE for Design and Modeling Based on the idea and the interface of OLE2 Object Linking and Embedding it should be possible to allow assembly of parts of multiples systems without transferring the data. This is the idea beneath OLE for Design and Modeling launched by Intergraph.

Standard Programming Interface

CAM*I AIS was a project running in the 198x to define a common interface for modeling on all CAD systems. This initiative did not succeed but many ideas survives in new standards.

SDAI is the programming counterpart of the file exchange of STEP. SDAI is described in part 22. It is accessible with C++ in a nice way.

OLE for design and manufacturing is now extended to give a programmatic interface for windows based CAD systems. This is a COM interfacing.

AIT AIT is an initiative to use CORBA and STEP.

look at Software Components Models for a discussion of the various models from the software viewpoint.

Standard Part Library

Joining CAD standards and mechanical standards is the work done on standard parts like screw or nibbles. This work is done under the number ISO13584 An important reference site on CADLIB-PLIB is on the site of the LISI initiator of this project (in French).

DIN66304 .PLIB is also a follow up of the german DIN66304.

Theory for exchange, input and output.

CADCAM used in the CADCAM field.