The webinar focuses on the conversion and display of 3D data for technical illustrations, highlighting the importance of suitable file formats and quality output. It emphasizes using correct software to repurpose 3D data, discussing various formats like cgm, svg, and x3d, as well as the challenges and benefits of 3D information in technical publications. This session is part of a series aiming to enhance the understanding and application of technical illustration standards.

1. Talking Technical Illustration
Episode 1 – 3D Data
October 8th 2020
11am Eastern Time, USA
Presenter:
David Manock, VP Sales & Marketing
Panelist:
Don Larson, CEO
Welcome to the Webinar
We will begin shortly
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2. Webinar: Housekeeping
• If you’re experienced problems when joining the webinar,
please use the questions function to communicate
• We will unmute a delegate when you click the hand button
• Computer Audio is the recommended option
• Associated materials are available in the Handouts section,
drag and drop to download to your computer, at anytime
• Post your questions or comments during the webinar
using the panel
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Larson Software Technology
• Based in Houston, Texas, USA – New Location
• Founded in 1984, graphic technology experts for 30 years
• We develop powerful, innovative graphics software and toolkits,
based on open standards
• Promoted CGM usage, by providing a free CGM & TIFF viewer,
replaced by a subscription version available online
• The Larson online store is now open, the address:
• www.cgmlarson.com/store
• Developer of the first HTML5 CGM viewer, no plug in!
• Member of the CGM Open Foundation
• Larson technology simplifies the graphics workflow for Technical
Publications Professionals, Engineers, Geologists, and Geophysicists
• www.cgmlarson.com www.svglarson.com

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Agenda
• Introduction to the event and format
• Topics:
• Converting 3D data to 2D
• File formats – Import and Export
• Conversion software
• Conversion Quality
• Conclusions
• Deploying and Displaying 3D data
• File formats – Export
• Illustration types
• Viewing – Open and Proprietary
• Summary
• Next webinar announcement

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Terminology – File formats
STEP - File:
is a widely used data exchange form of STEP. ISO 10303 can
represent 3D objects in Computer-aided design (CAD) and
related information. Due to its ASCII structure, a STEP-file is
easy to read, with typically one instance per line.
CGM: Computer Graphics Metafile
an ISO (International Organization for
Standardization) standard for vector
and composite vector/raster picture
definition since 1987.
X3D
an ISO-ratified, royalty-free open
standards XML file format and run-time
architecture communicating 3D scenes
and objects.
IGES: Initial Graphics Exchange Specification
is a vendor-neutral file format that allows
the digital exchange of information
among computer-aided design systems.

6. Introduction
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• First event in a series, the continuation will be gauged on success
• There is no forum to our knowledge for technical illustration
• Technical Illustration has some very specific requirements
• In todays webinar, we will discuss the current use of 3D data in technical
illustration
• Focus on conversion and display
• Please ask questions or make comments at any time, the format is fluid,
raise hand if you want to talk live

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Converting 3D data to 2D

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3D – Source Data
• The ability to reuse 3D data is increasing
• 3D data is readily available from CAD systems:
• CATIA
• CREO
• Solidworks
• Inventor
• Etc.
• The main challenge is choosing the most suitable file format for
repurposing the data for a technical publications end-user
• Repurpose could mean convert to 2D, or use the 3D data to
provide useful graphical information

9. 2D target formats
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• CGM – A 2D graphics format with a long history of publishing quality graphics in
different environments
• The WebCGM profile was developed to deliver Vector Graphics on the Web
• Visit CGM Open for more information www.cgmopen.org
• SVG - Objective to deliver high quality vector graphics for the Web
• The development of SVG was influenced by other submissions to the W3C (World Wide Web
Consortium)
• VML - Vector Markup Language (Microsoft)
• PGML - Precision Graphics Markup Language (Postscript)
• The final decision was to base SVG on XML
• More information on the origins:
• Secret Origin of SVG

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2D target formats (2)
• In the specifications driven environment CGM is the primary
format
• SVG has grown into another significant 2D file format
• CAD systems do not tend to support the export of CGM and SVG
• If they do the quality of the data can be questionable
• The quality of the graphics can cause issues downstream
• The impact could be the editing or the display of the graphic
• In conclusion a specifically designed conversion
software will be the best solution

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3D – Data Exchange File Formats
• The major two open CAD data exchange formats are STEP and
IGES
• STEP and IGES are data rich CAD formats and can provide the
best results especially when converting the 3D data to 2D
• The other option for data exchange are native CAD formats
• Support for native formats can provide the optimum data exchange
scenario
• However, STEP is great alternative
• POLL

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3D Conversion software available?
• Converting 3D to 2D can be performed using various software
• Specialist solutions
• VizEx Edit 3D
• The CAD system itself, access to use the software could be a
challenge
• Output quality could be an issue
• 3D Viewers, provide good tools to manipulate the model
• Output formats maybe limited and poor quality

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Quality of 2D output?
• The quality of the 2D output can have impacts
• Image formats not a good choice, TIFF, JPEG etc.
• Don’t lose the vectors
• Revision of the illustration could be difficult with poor quality
output
• Polylines
• File size
• File size could be an issue!

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Conversion conclusions
• Using the correct and cost-effective software
• Saves time and money
• Software functions required to complete the illustration
• Annotations
• Hotspots
• Quality is important
• Easy to edit and revise
• Smaller file size
• If you’re working to standard specifications e.g. S1000D
• Ability to save in the correct format e.g. CGM

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Deploying and Displaying 3D data

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Using 3D data in technical publications
• This topic raises many questions
• What is the benefit to the end user of 3D information?
• What type of technical information lends itself to 3D delivery?
• Maintenance and repair
• Operator instructions
• Spare Part Illustrations
• Assembly / Disassembly
• What is the cost to create the 3D information?
• Is the hardware and software available to deliver the information effectively?
• What file format should we use?

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End-User benefits
• Ability to view the components from any viewpoint
• Could this also be a distraction
• Improved recognition of component parts
• Spare Part Illustrations
• View parts being assembled or disassembled, animated?
• Saves time when performing complex procedures
• Quick viewer Demo
• Interaction with the 3D data AR and VR, training courses and
operator instructions
• https://www.vuzix.com/solutions/field-service

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What type of technical information = 3D
• Assembly instructions are very useful for inexperienced users
• https://biltapp.com/
• Spare Parts Illustrations have been used by for some time in 3D
• Difficult to calculate a Return on Investment over a traditional 2D
illustration
• The biggest benefit, when the maintainer must perform complex
procedures, where the cost of mistakes could be prohibitive
• You could also argue what would be the cost of using a video?

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What is the cost to author 3D data?
• The cost of the software and hardware
• How quickly will I see a return on the investment?
• Will it assist generating more revenue?
• The cost to train the technical illustrator?
• What is the software learning curve
• The cost to maintain and revise the information?
• Do I need to start again if there is a design change?
• The cost to deploy the information, a customer issue?
• Will the customer need to invest in new devices?

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3D Open File Formats
• There are many 3D formats, however the proprietary ones
should be excluded when dipalying information
• What formats are available:
• X3D
• X3D is a royalty-free ISO/IEC standard for declaratively representing
3D computer graphics using XML
• PRC
• PRC is a 3D file format that can be used to embed 3D data in a PDF
file. This highly compressed format facilitates the storage of
different representations of a 3D model.
• U3D
• Universal 3D is a compressed file format standard for 3D computer
graphics data.

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VRML?
• VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language, pronounced vermal or by its
initials, originally—before 1995—known as the Virtual Reality Markup
Language)
• Standard file format for representing 3-dimensional (3D) interactive
vector graphics,
• Designed with the internet in mind
• Requires a specific viewer install
• Superseded by X3D, conversion tools available

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X3D? - www.web3d.org
• An open format based on XML
• The ability to create a specific profile for the format
• Same idea as the TECH SVG profile
• An X3D schema will provide the ability validate files
• No plugin required to view in a web browser
• https://examples.x3dom.org/cadViewer/sceneGraphEngine/index.html
• https://examples.x3dom.org/CAD_Explosion/index.html
• Caveat:
• How do you author the X3D files?
• Add the interactivity, hotspots
• Connection to parts lists
• Animations, procedural, assembly, disassembly
• Do we use existing software and export to X3D?
• Work will be required to develop a 3D standards compliant solution

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3D - S1000D Authoring
• The Chapter provides basic guidelines for the use of 3D
interactive graphics
• The production of 3D content must be produced from
verified and authoritative engineering information
• 3D information usage is recommended where procedures are
complex, and users will benefit from the visualization
• The 3D graphics must contain appropriate warning's and
cautions when parts are removed
• 3.9.2.5 – Interactive 3D Content

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Conclusions Displaying 3D
• Will the user have to install a separate 3D viewer?
• Could be IT issues
• Use the correct file format, not proprietary
• Select a file format compatible with HTML5
• No viewer will need to be installed
• File size, is crucial, will affect the time to load 3D model
• Frustrated end users
• Is 3D the future of technical illustration?

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Summary
• We hope you enjoyed the new webinar format
• Please send comments on how it can be improved
• In 2 weeks we will present Episode 2
• Complying to technical illustration specifications = S1000D, ATA.
• Details to be released on Monday, 12th October
• We hope you can join us

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Back-up

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2D – Editing and Conversion - VizEx Edit
• VizEx Edit, native CGM editing
• Import and Export of SVG files, TECH SVG compliant
• Uses the TECH SVG profile for the export SVG files
• CGM, fully complying to international specifications, S1000D, ATA.
• Add hotspot’s manually or automatically
• Hotspots created in VizEx Edit preserved in the SVG
• View the interactive graphic in VizEx View HTML5
• http://www.cgmlarson.com/demos/jsViewer/table_cgm_example/index.html
• Or, view as SVG in a popular web browser

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3D – Conversion
• VizEx Edit 3D, imports STEP and IGES open file formats
• It can convert to the CGM format directly and save as SVG
• The 3D model can quickly and easily be manipulated to the required
viewpoint
• The 3D model can be exploded, parts moved and removed appropriately
• When the required viewpoint is achieved the user can perform a hidden
line removal
• The result, a quality 2D CGM illustration

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Demo

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VizEx Edit 3D - Benefits
• Easy reuse of CAD 3D data, independent of the engineering department
• Support of common open CAD formats STEP and IGES
• Intuitive tools enable the manipulation of the model to the required view
• Isolate assemblies or parts and work dependently of the main model
• Explode the model automatically, or manually to create spare part illustrations
• Convert to industry standard 2D format CGM, for standards compliance
• Quality 2D output enables the completion of the illustration in VizEx Edit
• Annotations
• Hotspots
• ETC.

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New 3D Technology – Product Development
• 3D Spare Part Illustration solution
• New functionality for VizEx Edit 3D – Version 2
• X3D export to X3D and VRML conversion software
• Import VRML Files
• X3D Viewing Capability
• As with CGM we want create an easy way to implement a 3D
viewing environment
• Supporting the X3D format
• Develop X3D Profile
• Develop specific technical illustration X3D Schema