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ImPLANT-STL Installation and User Guide
ImPLANT-STL Installation and User Guide
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ImPLANT-STL Installation and User Guide
Revision Sheet
Contents Page
Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8:1
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:1
System Errors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:1
Licensing Errors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:1
Parameter Setting Errors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:1
File Access Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:2
Data Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:2
Data Processing Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:2
Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:1
1 Introduction
STL format provides an approximation of a curved surface model, with accuracy and level of
detail controlled through a tolerance setting. ImPLANT-STL maps this format onto AVEVA
3D primitives. Hence a 100% accurate translation of the source model into PDMS or
Outfitting geometry cannot be guaranteed.
1.1 General
AVEVA ImPLANT-STL is a standalone program for translating stereolithography (STL) files,
that have been generated from non-AVEVA Mechanical CAD systems, into macro files that
can be input to AVEVA PDMS or AVEVA Marine Outfitting.
ImPLANT-STL is available for Windows XP and Windows 7.
To operate, AVEVA software must be able to access the AVEVA Licensing System, which
should be installed on either the Server, on your workstation, or on a networked workstation.
Note: Although the disk may contain several AVEVA products, you will only be able to use
the items that are licensed to you.
Note: If Solid Polyhedra are used (see below) the macro file will not load in a version of
DESIGN that is not solid polyhedra enabled (PDMS 11.3 and older).
The ‘unicode macro’ option must only be used with a version of DESIGN compatible with
utf-8 macro files (12.1.SP1 and above).
Testing your ImPLANT- explains the test procedure to be carried out after installation.
STL Installation
2 Installing ImPLANT-STL
Note: If the installer detects an existing ImPLANT-STL installation, it will display a set of
options for modifying/repairing/removing these existing files in place of the standard
installation options.
3.1 General
The following test procedure should be carried out after installing AVEVA ImPLANT-STL to
make sure that the installation is complete and correct. The test material is stored in the
subdirectory test. This comprises a single .stl file called slide_gate1.stl.
Start > All Programs > AVEVA Plant > Design > ImPLANT-STL 1.5 >
IMPLANT-STL or
Start > All Programs > AVEVA Marine > Design > ImPLANT-STL 1.5 >
IMPLANT-STL
STEP 2 On the User Interface enter or select, using the browser, the name of the test
STL file - typically:
C:\AVEVA\Plant\Design\ImPLANT-STL1.5\test\slide_gate1.stl or
C:\AVEVA\Marine\Design\ImPLANT-STL1.5\test\slide_gate1.stl
STEP 3 On the User Interface set the STL Mode field to Binary.
STEP 4 On the User Interface, click on the Create button to start the translation
process. If the installation has been successful the following messages similar
to the following are displayed:
This will create a DESIGN macro file called slide_gate1.mac in the test directory (if this
directory is writable - if it is not you can choose another output location).
Taking this analogy a step further, a cube within a CAD system is defined by its eight
vertices. The surface of the same cube in STL format is represented by 12 triangles, two for
each of the six faces of the cube, each triangle having three vertices, totalling 36 vertices.
This represents a 450% increase in data needed to define the cube.
Shapes within a CAD system more complex than a cube result in even greater data
increase factors. It can therefore be seen that STL files can be very large in terms of data
volume or file size. This has two main effects:
• Large STL files may take several hours to map into DESIGN.
• Highly detailed models in PDMS/Outfitting may drag down the performance of the
computer and will be slow to manipulate.
It is very important that the detail in the source CAD file used to generate the STL file and
the amount of detail required in the PDMS/Outfitting Model should be considered very
carefully.
It is impossible to give any definite instructions as to what should be done as there are too
many possible combinations of source CAD systems and PDMS/Outfitting DESIGN model
uses to define parameters for. The most suitable combination of parameters and settings is
best determined by trial and error, however, the following guidelines may be useful:
• control the quantity of STL data
• control the quality of STL data
• control the DESIGN model
• review and improve the DESIGN model.
recommended that source models are healed in their originating Mechanical CAD System
prior to the data being exported in STL format. Where the Mechanical CAD System does not
have this facility, another application such as CADfix may be used to provide the healing
function and to carry out the export to STL format.
The STL format is an approximation of a curved surface model, the accuracy and level of
detail of which may be controlled through tolerance setting. A balance must be struck
between too great and too low tolerance settings. This can be done by reviewing and where
necessary improving the model created.
• Too great a tolerance setting may result in errors in the STL file.
• Too low a tolerance setting may result in the STL translation operation failing, eg where
holes are located close to the edge of a solid.
If the model is visually acceptable but is slow to manipulate it should be checked to see if
there are any areas where geometry can be remodelled more efficiently using fewer
primitives. Viewing the model in wireline mode will effectively display areas that are densely
packed with POHE primitives, ie areas where it has not been possible for ImPLANT-STL to
generate a more efficient representation based on primitives.
Figure 4:4. Solid Model with Holes Smaller than 40 mm Diameter Removed
Figures 4-6 to 4-8 are examples of a Model generated from a CATIA source file.
5 Using ImPLANT-STL
The default ImPLANT-STL dialog box is shown in Figure 5-1 and comprises the following
sections/fields and buttons:
Default locations If checked, the locations of the macro file and the Report File will
checkbox automatically be set to being at the same location as the input STL
File. Note the when this option is checked, the user is no longer
allowed to select or modify Locations for either the Macro or
Report files manually.
Default filenames If checked, the filenames of the Macro file and the Report file will
checkbox automatically become the same as the input STL file but with .mac
and .log extensions, respectively. Note the when this option is
checked, the user is no longer allowed to select or modify
Filenames for either the Macro or Report files manually.
Select STL file this field is used to specify the full path and filename of the
STL file to be translated.
STL Mode this field is used to specify the format of the STL file, ASCII
or Binary. ASCII is the default value of this field.
Destination Section
PDMS Macro File This field is split into two sections; the Location and
Filename. If a location is not a valid the last valid location
will automatically replace the location that was entered.
(This macro file is compatible with outfitting, as well as
PDMS)
Report File Again, this section has separate location/file sections and is
used to select where ImPLANT-STL should create its' log
file and the name of the file.
The Input File, PDMS Macro File and Report File sections also contain browser buttons
( ). This is to enable you to browse and select file locations and names. This
may be a simpler way to specify a particular location and filename where the full path and
filename is a complex string.
Holes this field is used to set how the ImPLANT-STL program deals
with holes. The options are:
On the default value for this field. Where the program finds holes
in objects in the STL file, corresponding negative primitives
(holes) are generated in the MAC file.
Off when this option is selected, where the program finds holes in
objects in the STL file, these are all ignored and no holes are
generated in the MAC file.
<Diameter> when this option is selected, you are able to specify the
maximum size of hole that is to be translated as a hole.
Where the program finds holes in objects in the STL file with
a diameter smaller than the value entered, these are ignored
and corresponding holes are not generated in the MAC file.
Where the program finds holes in objects in the STL file with
a diameter equal to or greater than the value entered,
corresponding holes are generated in the MAC file.
Note: Within an STL file there is no concept of units. During the translation process the
ImPLANT-STL program maintains the physical relationships of objects in the STL
file, resultant primitives in the MAC file are therefore of the same relative size and
use mm for all distances. If the units used in the originating program, from which
the STL file was generated, are known, the Scale factor field can be used to scale
up or down the resultant MAC file objects.
Create button Clicking on this button initiates the translation process within
the ImPLANT-STL program.
Exit button Clicking on this button closes the user interface and
terminates the ImPLANT-STL program.
Output Summary This is the area to the right of the setup window and is used
for displaying messages and status reports when translating
a file
Hide Output Summary Use this button to show/hide the Output Summary display
When More >> is selected, additional fields become available to the user in the PDMS
Model section:
Min. sides per cylinder this field is used to specify the minimum number of sides
required in order for the program to recognise and map a
cylinder. The program determines that an object is a cylinder
by inference, it actually detects a cylinder as an extrusion
having a circular profile. The circular profile is mapped by
intersecting vertices, and the value set in this field
represents the minimum number of intersecting vertices that
the program is required to use to map a circular profile.
Compressed Geometry this field is used to set how the ImPLANT-STL program is to
deal with coplanar faces. The options are:
On the default value for this field. With this option selected the
program combines coplanar faces with shared edges into
bigger faces. It also maps geometric solids into PDMS
primitives. This option produces the smallest resultant MAC
file.
Off when off, the program does not combine coplanar faces with
shared edges into bigger faces and does not map geometric
solids into primitives. This option produces a much larger
MAC file than the when Compressed Geometry is switched
on.
Wrapper this field is used to set how the program is to treat objects
with internal parts. The options are:
Off the default value for this field. With this option selected the
program does not perform the wrapping operation.
Solid polyhedron This field is used to set how the program is to map solid
parts to PDMS/Outfitting. The options are:
Off With this option selected the program does not create solid
polyhedra but maps these parts to POHE/POGO.
Edge visibility This field is used to set the mode by which the program can
set edges to be visible or invisible. The options are:
On The default value for this field. With this option selected the
program sets all edges to be visible.
Off With this option selected the program sets all edges to be
invisible.
Angle > With this option selected you can set an angle by which the
program computes if an edge will become visible or invisible.
The default value is set to 60 degrees. If the angle is greater
than the angle between the normals of the two faces that
share an edge then the edge becomes invisible otherwise it
will become visible.
Create VOLM element This option allows the output primitives in the Macro file to
be created under a VOLM element rather than an EQUI
Unicode macro This option allows you to generate a macro file encoded as a
Unicode UTF-8 file. This must only be used with a PDMS/
Outfitting release that is compatible with such files: 12.1.SP1
and above.
<< Less clicking on this button removed the 'advanced' options from
the display.
Start > All Programs > AVEVA Plant > Design > ImPLANT-STL 1.5 >
IMPLANT-STL or
Start > All Programs > AVEVA Marine > Design > ImPLANT-STL 1.5 >
IMPLANT-STL
STEP 2 Enter or select, using the browser, the name of the STL file to be translated.
STEP 5 Repeat STEPS 2 to 4 for each STL file that is to be translated. Click the Exit
button to terminate the ImPLANT-STL program.
The above procedure will create one or more macro files suitable for input to DESIGN. Each
of the macro files will by default have the same root name as the associated originating STL
file, with the extension of .mac.
In addition, there will be also be a report file (log) created for each translation file operation.
Each of the report files will by default have the same root name as the associated originating
STL file, with the extension of .log.
All file names are validated by the ImPLANT-STL program prior to the translation operation
starting. You can rename the macro files and report files using Windows Explorer.
The options to be applied are included in the batch file in the form of command line
switches, where:
-b indicates that the input STL file is a binary file. If this switch
is not used the program uses the default value, in this case
ASCII.
-f <facet_limit> allows you to analyse files with more facets. If the option is
not used, ImPLANT-STL will use "uncompressed geometry"
for files with more than 4000 facets to reduce processing
time. If you to generate compressed geometry for more
complex files you can up the limit with this option.
-? Help.
Several STL input files may be processed at once if you create a batch file with a series of
ImPLANT-STL commands, or use the -d option.
STEP 1 Start up DESIGN and make sure that the database is at the appropriate
ZONE level.
$m <filename>
Large MAC files should be read into DESIGN by entering DESIGN in 'dev tty' mode and
entering the command 'trace off' before the read command.
Reading in the macro may take some time, especially with large files.
6 STL Input
The method of production of the STL files is an important factor in minimising the volume of
data that needs to be transferred. Applying the following factors will help to reduce the
volume of data:
• All curved parts are approximated as planar faces (triangles) in the process of being
exported to the STL file. All STL translator programs offer an approximation/tolerance
factor to achieve this. It is very important to control the number of triangles produced,
keeping these to the minimum to produce an acceptable model in DESIGN.
• All parts of the model that are not essential should be excluded from the transfer, in
particular any internal parts that will not be used in PDMS.
• Many features, such as chamfers, are not needed in PDMS and these also should be
excluded from the transfer.
7 Macro Output
7.1 General
The data output from ImPLANT-STL is presented in the form of a macro file that can be read
into DESIGN in order to create the corresponding primitives and associated hierarchy.
8 Reports
9 Error Messages
10 Limitations
Index
A L
AVEVA Licensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:2 Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:1
C M
Command Window Mode
running in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:2 batch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:6
Compatibility interactive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:6
with DESIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:2 Modes of Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:1
D O
DESIGN Model Output
Controlling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:3 Macro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:1
reviewing and improving . . . . . . . . . . 4:3
P
E
Process
Error Message controlling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:1
data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:2 translation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:1
file access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:2
licensing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:1 R
parameter setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:1
system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:1 Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8:1
Resultant Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:4
I Running Macro File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:8
ImPlant - STL S
using . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:1
Installation Solid Polyhedron
basic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:1 definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:2
NET Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:1 STL
test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3:1 input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6:1
STL Data
T
Test
runnning and checking . . . . . . . . . . . 3:1
U
Unicode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:8
macro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:6