Andy Chinn Business Development Manager TranscenData Europe Ltd arctranscendata.com

1. Andy Chinn Business Development Manager TranscenData Europe Ltd arc@transcendata.com

2. Slide 2 Presentation Outline ITI TranscenData introduction Requirements for effective STEP based interoperability Obstacles to achieving effective STEP based interoperability Examples Strategies and Solutions Standards Verification Validation Automation Conclusions

3. Slide 3 ITI (International TechneGroup Incorporated) Background Founded in 1983 by Dr. Jason Lemon(one of the SDRC founders) 35 years data interoperability experience Global Presence North America, Europe, Asia ITI TranscenData Product data integration & interoperability business Products and solutions for CAD/CAM/CAE/PDM system integration Our interoperability objective - Usable data that is fit for purpose

4. Slide 4 ITI TranscenData Experience

5. Slide 5 TranscenData Customers

6. Slide 6 Engineering Data Interoperability CAD interoperability continues to cost industry Billions of Euros Situation is improving all the time and many success stories The STEP standard (ISO 10303) is now widely adopted for supply chain data exchange, system and application integration STEP continues to evolve - AP203 Edition 2 STEP is especially prominent in the aerospace and defense Requirements exist over and above those of basic CAD interoperability Certified data delivery (government and military) Long term archive Quality standards But still plenty of failures and problems to overcome Continually looking for improvements Automatic and fully validated STEP based interoperability process

7. Slide 7 STEP Translation Space-Time Continuum

8. Slide 8 STEP Based Interoperability Process What could possibly go wrong?

9. Slide 9 What Could Possibly Go Wrong? Invalid or incompatible geometry exported to STEP Errors importing models downstream Incomplete models or invalid solids Geometry in STEP file unsuitable for downstream applications Unrealistic conditions can not be meshed Unrealistic features can not be manufactured Geometry changes during export from native CAD to STEP Unacceptable, unintentional and undocumented changes Geometry changes during STEP import into downstream CAD Unacceptable, unintentional and undocumented changes

10. Slide 10 Causes of the Problems Important to note that STEP is not at fault Dependency on CAD systems and translators Dependency on the definitions of entities within complex CAD models and assemblies Topology and geometry Features Shape and form Different tolerances Different complexities Different entities supported Handling of assemblies Use of coordinate systems Requirements of downstream application

11. Slide 11 Example - Unrealistic Features Short Edges, Sliver Faces and Sharp Vertex Angles Valid CAD model but unusable in FEA and may cause downstream failures

12. Slide 12 Example - Unrealistic Features Short Edges, Sliver Faces and Sharp Vertex Angles Valid CAD model but unusable in FEA and may cause downstream failures

13. Slide 13 Example - Complexity of Geometry Overly Complex Geometry Definitions May be fine in the source CAD system Potential problems Large models Excessive run times Poor CAE/CAM processes Downstream import or application failures

14. Slide 14 Example - Translator Bugs

15. Slide 15 Example - Translator Bugs

16. Slide 16 Example - Poor Modeling or CAD Errors

17. Slide 17 Different Views of CAD Model Quality

18. Slide 18 Interoperability Issues and Design Variance

19. Slide 19 Improving Interoperability Start upstream at the source of the CAD data Standards - Implement quality standards and design practices Implement Product Data Quality (PDQ) into model generation Design out potential issues at source Determine and eliminate bad practices and methodologies Verification - Deploy upstream model quality testing Verify models to find problems before they propagate Repair - Address issues as part of the translation process CAD model repair and healing technology Communication Producers of CAD need to understand downstream requirements

20. Slide 20 Standards - International Quality Initiatives �Product Data Quality (PDQ) Guidelines for the Global Automotive Industry� Strategic Automotive Standards Industry Group (SASIG) Product Data Quality team Collaboration of international automotive groups AIAG, VDA, JAMA, GALIA, ODETTE, FCAI, AUSDEC TranscenData technical experts are major contributors/reviewers Documented and classified problems and standards Document D-15 published by AIAG July 2001 (www.aiag.org) Extension of existing standards e.g. VDA 4955 V1 70 BREP geometry and topology quality criteria Surfaces, Curves Models, Solids, Shells, Faces, Edge Loops and Edges

21. Slide 21 Standards - STEP Community & Model Quality ISO 10303 Part 59 �Quality of Product Shape Data� Extend STEP to capture native geometric quality data Based on SASIG PDQ specification Proposed by Japan at 2004 ISO meeting Working draft delivered at Autumn 2005 ISO meeting CD ballot and technical review in Autumn 2006 Targeting completion in 2008 for AP203 Edition 2 (?) ITI project work with LOTAR Part 110 Pilot Project Derivation of rules for geometry quality suitable for LTDR Assessing CAD model features and the impact on receiving systems Statistical correlation study with over 5000 STEP imports and exports Multiple CAD systems and translations Get it right �now� for the �future�

22. Slide 22 Verification of CAD Models Verify native CAD model for downstream use before STEP export Assess the model looking for geometrical and topological issues that can impact the interoperability process Ensure model is in best condition for STEP based interoperability Suitable for different receiving CAD system and downstream applications Achieve best condition for archival and long term retrieval

23. Slide 23 Example - Design for CAE and Manufacturing Simulation approved the design based on analysis results Manufacturing produced initial parts from native CAD model All parts failed during final pre production testing Caused last-minute schedule delay and retooling

24. Slide 24 Example - Design for CAE and Manufacturing

25. Slide 25 Repair - Address Issues During Translation Automatic repair of CAD models as part of the translation process to remove issues that are not easily dealt with in CAD, e.g.: �Seamless� face splitting for CAE systems Degenerate or discontinuous surface definitions Usually for downstream CAE applications

26. Slide 26 Are the Native CAD and STEP Model Identical? Is the exported model a true and accurate representation of the original part file? Of course it is! Has the model changed during the export process? Of course it hasn�t! Can you to give the customer documentation to certify that the source CAD and exported STEP models are identical? Where do I sign? How can you be 100% certain without Validating the translation process and the STEP file?

27. Slide 27 Example - Geometry Lost in STEP for LTA

28. Slide 28 Example - Shape Change During STEP Export

29. Slide 29 Example - Shape Change During STEP Export

30. Slide 30 Example - STEP Translation Validation

31. Slide 31 Position Change on STEP Assembly Import

32. Slide 32 Position Change on STEP Assembly Import

33. Slide 33 Part Re-size During STEP Assembly Import

34. Slide 34 STEP Imports Differently in Different Systems

35. Slide 35 Validation of STEP Files is Essential Comprehensive and precise validation of models that have been exported to STEP and imported into another CAD system is essential for effective STEP based interoperability Validate that the STEP file is a true and accurate representation Could be for exchange today to customers, suppliers and partners Could be for long term archival and retrieval in 50 years Validation process and software requirements Needs to be accurate, reliable and repeatable Needs to support certified data delivery in aerospace Should be suitable for process automation and PLM integration Facilitate the storage of all validation property data in the STEP file creating a self-validating STEP file for LTDR Independent of proprietary commercial software

36. Slide 36 Geometric Validation Properties (GVP) PDES/ProSTEP CAX Implementers Forum recommended practices for STEP model validation using mass properties Developed in 1998 and supported by most STEP translation vendors Extended in 2001 to include assembly part/instance GVP Geometric Validation Properties (GVP) defined in STEP models Model (solids and/or surfaces) volume, area and centroid Each solid�s volume, area and centroid Each open shell�s area and centroid Each assembly component�s centroid Is this GVP validation sufficient? Incorrect validation failure (false negatives) Accuracy differences between CAD system mass property algorithms Incorrect validation pass (false positives) Localized, significant geometric deviations may be overlooked by GVP

37. Slide 37 Cloud of Points (CoPs) STEP Validation ITI TranscenData and Theorem proposed an extension to the basic GVP validation Formally accepted at CAx-IF meeting in March 2006 Precise validation by adding face sampling points, or Cloud of Points (CoPs), validation properties to a STEP file Smooth face sampling points (face interior and smooth edges) Sharp face sampling points (sharp or open edges) Validation by evaluating and comparing the position of the CoPs in models translated into different formats and systems ITI has productionised the only commercial product to fully support STEP CoPs validation

38. Slide 38 CoPs STEP Validation

39. Slide 39 Smooth sampling point deviation calculation Sharp sampling point deviation calculation Smooth and Sharp Sampling Points

40. Slide 40 Example of Smooth Sampling Points

41. Slide 41 Example of Sharp Sampling Points

42. Slide 42 CoPs Representation in STEP

43. Slide 43 STEP Developments for File Validation

44. Slide 44 CADIQ Product Summary Native CAD Interfaces (API) CATIA V5, NX, Pro/ENGINEER, SolidWorks CATIA V4, NX I-deas, CADDS 5i Parasolid, STEP, IGES Specialized User Interface Rapid review of diagnostic feedback Side-by-side viewing of quality or shape differences Quality Diagnostics Invalid geometry Unrealistic features Comparison Diagnostics Unacceptable changes Unintentional changes Undocumented changes Assembly Analysis CATIA V4 and V5, NX, SolidWorks, STEP, Parasolid

45. Slide 45 CADIQ STEP Validation Properties Module Precise validation of part models that have been exported to STEP and imported into another CAD system Design data delivery and Long-term archival More than a basic point cloud comparison Uses advanced complex face matching and topology change analysis Intelligent sampling point distribution User-configurable point distribution parameters Sharp sampling points to provide accurate validation of sharp edges Fewer sampling points and smaller STEP VP files Generate and add validation property data to any STEP file Removes dependence on properties in a separate, proprietary CADIQ file Commercially available for any major CAD system and any STEP translator from any vendor Based on several years commercial experience of translation validations with a sampling point methodology

46. Slide 46 CADIQ Sampling Point Distribution

47. Slide 47 CADIQ Sampling Point Distribution

48. Slide 48 CADIQ STEP Translation Validation

49. Slide 49 Validated and Certified STEP Data Delivery Verify native model for downstream reuse Validate that STEP export has equivalent quality and shape Validate that STEP import has equivalent quality and shape

50. Slide 50 Validated 3D Long Term Archive Process Verify native CAD model for downstream reuse Validate the STEP export has equivalent quality and shape and add validation properties to the STEP file Validate the STEP import has equivalent quality and shape

51. Slide 51 Verification and Validation for CAE and CAM

52. Slide 52 Different Validation Technologies

53. Slide 53

54. Slide 54 The Future - More Than Geometry Validation Collaboration Model Validation CAD to 3D PDF and JT Assembly Structure Validation Duplicate instances, interferences, narrow spaces and Structure changes Product Manufacturing Information (PMI) 3D geometric dimensions and tolerances (GD&T) Annotations (notes) and Model attributes ITI & LOTAR - Validation of 3D GD&T �Presentation as Polyline� Verify and Validate the 3D GD&T data in a STEP file Check syntax and conformance with the express schema Count the number of 3D GD&T entities in the STEP file Total 3D GD&T data per view, per category (type) and for the part Validate that the numbers of 3D GD&T are consistent with the new geometric validation properties (GVP) for 3D GD&T in the STEP file

55. Slide 55 Essentials for Effective STEP Interoperability Verification Upstream model verification is essential to fix problems before they fester Justify best practices and eliminate worst practices Ensure suitability of models for downstream processes Validation Precise validation of STEP files is essential to guarantee accurate and true representations during CAD model export and import Value of legacy data for design reuse Quality of design data for downstream reuse Integrity of design data for long term archive and retrieval Process Automation Robust and repeatable automatic process is required for efficient STEP interoperability Minimize unknown risk �What we do not know is most important�