Design

No Clear CAD Translator

December marks JT data format’s three-year anniversary as an officially published International Organization for Standardization (IOS) specification. So how is it faring in terms of adoption?

Pretty well, according to information from last-year’s JT International Conference, held in Tokyo. The JT Open Program boasts more than 100 members from engineering software users and vendors including Autodesk, Caterpillar, Daimler, and Intel who have banded to support JT as a common language for 3D data.

Because CAD data that originate in different vendor’s software systems don’t “talk” to each other, users looking to exchange or share data created within different systems need a method to translate their data. The exchange of models across CAD environments today usually relies either on use of proprietary exchange formats like IGES, Parasolid XT, or JT Open or on use of intermediary neutral formats, notably STEP.

But JT Open isn’t sweeping the 3D data industry as a standard conversion format. No file format, including STEP and IGES, stands apart from the other in terms of consistent adoption. Meanwhile, users remain frustrated by lack of one clear industry standard.

The JT Open interoperability format is a lightweight data format from Siemens PLM with which users can view and share digital 3D product information across the CAD and product lifecycle management (PLM) software systems that support the standard. This allows companies to send 3D visualization data to suppliers and partners more quickly than sending associated CAD files.

Siemens PLM uses its JT Open 3D file exchange format across all its internal systems. The open standard is increasingly being adopted by Siemens PLM users, including aerospace manufacturers. Still, no one CAD translation standard has emerged.
Siemens PLM uses its JT Open 3D file exchange format across all its internal systems. The open standard is increasingly being adopted by Siemens PLM users, including aerospace manufacturers. Still, no one CAD translation standard has emerged.

The 2014 conference featured a review of successful project by scientists and engineers at the University of Darmstadt in Germany, who used JT Open to ready large modeling files for 3D printing, thus doing away with the need to convert models to stereolithography files before printing.

Chuck Grindstaff, Siemens PLM chief technology officer said his software company continues its work to make JT open the global standard for lightweight 3D data across the industry.

The standard is already supported across all Siemens PLM Software and has been adopted as long-term data archival format across all Siemens. Collaboration using JT allows companies to send 3D visualization data to suppliers and partners much more easily than sending the associated “heavy” CAD files, he said.

Earlier this year, Barb Schmitz recapped in this blog a SolidSmack survey that looked at the top five most annoying things in CAD, as reported by their readers. Getting 3D data from one CAD app to another clocked in at number one.

As SolidSmack writer Adam OHern’s said in his write up of survey results:

“Right out of the gate, this one came as a bit of a shock. Sure, file transfer is irritating, but the most annoying thing in CAD? Surprisingly, this one comes out as the clear winner for causing users to want to “gouge out [their] eyeballs in a raging fury.”

In terms of CAD interoperability and a clear open standard, little has changed since the dawn of CAD programs themselves, let alone since the SolidSmack survey. It seems that CAD users must continue their call for one clear, easy-to-use standard. Let’s hope that goal isn’t unfounded.