Talking Technical Illustration is a new bi-weekly webinar event, your host, David Manock, over 30 years industry experience. We will encourage interaction, Polls, Q & A, comments, share your views with the community. A great opportunity to communicate using the chat function, and we will open the participant microphone on request. Current topics: 3D Conversion, 3D file formats, 3D model display in technical documentation. We hope you can join the event and make a contribution.

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