About 3D Annotations in Authorable and Graphic Mode

  The Authorable and Graphic mode lets you import or export annotations with their attributes and semantic representation according to the Recommended Practices for the Representation and the Presentation of Product Manufacturing Information (PMI).

Under Tools > Options > Compatibility > STEP

  • Set the 3D Annotations option to Authorable and Graphic under Export export 3D Annotations in that mode (Requires Application Protocol option to 242 ed1),
  • For import, select the 3D annotations option under Import.

The following topics are discussed:

See also Annotation Validation Properties for FTA.
Check the license requirements for STEP!
 

Export 

General Process

All the FTA annotations are exported as STEP AP242 PMI graphic presentation entities and, when it is possible, as STEP AP242 PMI semantic representation entities.
These entities are linked together using STEP draughting_model_item_association entities (DMIA).

The FTA semantic annotations which have an invalid status are exported only as STEP AP242 PMI graphic presentation entities.

All the FTA semantic annotations with valid statuses are exported as STEP AP242 PMI semantic representation entities.
The features listed below are the exceptions, which are not supported or whose some semantic is missing as documented in the CAx-IF Recommended Practices
for the Representation and the Presentation of Product Manufacturing Information (PMI) - Version 4.0, October 13, 2014

Below are listed unsupported features.

ISO 5459:2011 Unsupported Features

Datum Features Established from Thread Features
  • They are not supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI.
  • They are exported only as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities.
  • The datums and datum systems made of such datum features are not exported as STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities.
  • The geometrical tolerances that use these datums or datum systems are not be exported as STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities.
Projected Datum Modifier
  • It is not supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI.
  • Datum systems made of datums having a projected datum modifier are exported only as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities.
  • The geometrical tolerances that use these datum systems are not be exported as STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities.
Common Datum Definition using Parenthesis
  • It is not supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI.
  • Datum systems made of these common datums are exported only as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities.
  • The geometrical tolerances that use these datum systems are not be exported as STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities.
Contacting Feature [CF]
  • It is partially supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI. The recommended practices define what STEP entities have to be used for [CF] modifier applied to datum but do not define how to manage the contacting feature geometry.
  • Datums and datum systems made of datums having a contacting feature modifier are exported as STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities and as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities. But the import of such STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities results in invalid datum features because missing the definition of the contacting feature geometry.
  • All the imported datums and datum systems using these invalid datum features are invalid
  • All the imported geometrical tolerances using these invalid datums or invalid datum systems are invalid.
Point Situation Feature [PT]
  • It is partially supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI. The recommended practices define what STEP entities have to be used for [PT] modifier applied to datum but do not define how to manage the point situation feature geometry.
  • Datums and datum systems made of datums having a point situation feature modifier are exported as STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities and as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities. But the import of such STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities results in invalid datum features because missing the definition of the point situation feature geometry.
  • All the imported geometrical tolerances using these invalid datums or invalid datum systems are invalid.
Straight Line Situation Feature [SL]
  • It is partially supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI. The recommended practices define what STEP entities have to be used for [SL] modifier applied to datum but do not define how to manage the straight line situation feature geometry.
  • Datums and datum systems made of datums having a straight line situation feature modifier are exported as STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities and as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities. But the import of such STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities results in invalid datum features because missing the definition of the straight line situation feature geometry.
  • All the imported geometrical tolerances using these invalid datums or invalid datum systems are invalid.
Plane Situation Feature [PL]
  • It is partially supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI. The recommended practices define what STEP entities have to be used for [PL] modifier applied to datum but do not define how to manage the plane situation feature geometry.
  • Datums and datum systems made of datums having a plane situation feature modifier are exported as STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities and as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities. But the import of such STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities results in invalid datum features because missing the definition of the plane situation feature geometry.
  • All the imported geometrical tolerances using these invalid datums or invalid datum systems are invalid.

ISO 1101:2012 Unsupported Features

Median Feature Modifier
  • It is not supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI.
  • Geometrical tolerances using a median feature modifier are exported as STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities and as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities, but the import of such STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities results in geometrical tolerances that do not use the median feature modifier.
Intersection Planes
  • They are not supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI.
  • They are exported only as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities.
Orientation Planes
  • They are not supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI.
  • They are exported only as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities.
Collection Planes
  • They are not supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI.
  • Geometrical tolerances using collection planes are exported as STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities and as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities, but the import of such STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities results in geometrical tolerances that do not use collection plane indicators.
Direction features
  • They are not supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI.
  • Geometrical tolerances using direction features are exported as STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities and as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities, but the import of such STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities results in geometrical tolerances that do not use direction features indicators.

ASME Y14.5-2009 Unsupported Features

Datum Features Established from Thread Features
  • They are not supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI.
  • They are exported only as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities.
  • The datums and datum systems made of such datum features are not exported as STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities.
  • The geometrical tolerances that use these datums or datum systems are not be exported as STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities.

ISO and ASME Unsupported Features

Thread Dimensions
  • They are not supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI.
  • They are exported only as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities.
Chamfer Dimensions
  • They are not supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI.
  • They are exported only as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities.

Non Semantic Features

Non Semantic Dimensions
  • Non semantic dimensions with a valid status, with the exception of coordinate dimensions, are exported as STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities and as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities.
  • Non semantic dimensions with a invalid status are exported only as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities.
Non Semantic Coordinate Dimensions
  • FTA provides only non semantic coordinate dimensions.
  • They are not supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI.
  • They are exported only as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities.
Non Semantic Datum Features and Datum Targets
  • Non semantic datum features and datum targets with a valid status and attached to geometric elements are exported as STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities and as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities.
  • Non semantic datum features and datum targets with a invalid status or not attached to geometric elements are exported only as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities.
Non Semantic Geometrical Tolerances
They are exported only as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities.
Non Semantic Roughness (Surface Texture Symbols)
  • They are not supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI.
  • They are exported only as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities.
Non Semantic Weld Symbols
  • They are not supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI.
  • They are exported only as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities.
NOA Annotations
  • They are not defined in Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing standards (they are not semantic).
  • They are not supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI.
  • They are exported only as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities.
Non Semantic Notes and Flag Notes
  • They are not supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI.
  • Valid notes and flag notes are exported as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities and as STEP texts. Graphic Presentation entities and STEP texts are linked by draughting_model_item_association.
  • Invalid notes and flag notes are exported only as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities.

Repetitive Annotations

All types of 3D Annotations (semantic or not) except datum features, datum targets, datums and datum systems can be applied separately several times to different geometrical features.

  • Repetitive annotations are not supported by the version 4.0 of the recommended practices as semantic PMI.
  • They are exported only as STEP AP242 PMI Graphic Presentation entities.

Import

The whole content of the STEP file is taken into account:

  • PMI graphic presentation entities are imported as result annotations belonging to a result annotation set.
  • STEP AP242 Semantic Representation PMI (following the version 4.0 of the recommended practices) are imported into 3D Annotations (3D Tolerancing & Annotation).
  • STEP AP242 PMI Semantic Representation entities that cannot be imported as semantic annotations (3D Tolerancing & Annotation) are imported as non-semantic author-able 3D Annotations.
  • If the file contains both Graphic and Semantic PMI Representations, they are imported into the created Annotation Set Result and an Annotation Set.
    The annotations imported in the Annotation Set are also found in the Annotation Set Result.
    To review the Annotation Set, hide or delete the Annotation Set Result.
    The graphic representation of semantic PMI can differ from the original graphic representation.

  • STEP texts (notes and flag notes annotations based on STEP UDA mechanism) are imported as authorable 3D Annotations belonging to an Annotation Set.
  • An author-able 3D Tolerancing & Annotation view is created for each Annotation Plane.
  • If the PMI Semantic Representation entities are linked to PMI Graphic Presentation entities ( draughting_model_item_association entities - DMIA), the presentation of the authorable 3D Annotation features is defined from the presentation of their corresponding PMI Graphic Presentation entities.
  • The position in the view, leaders or dimension lines attached to the geometry, and other presentation characteristics of the author-able 3D Tolerancing & Annotation annotation are generated according to the default standard parameters and user preferences. This behavior also applies to the STEP texts (notes and flag notes annotations).
  • The position in the view, leaders or dimension lines attachment to the geometry and other presentation characteristics of the authorable 3D Annotation is generated according the default standard parameters and user preferences.

The import of following STEP AP242 PMI semantic representation entities result in invalid FTA datum features (datums, datum systems, and geometrical tolerances using them):

  • Contacting feature
  • Point situation feature
  • Straight line situation feature
  • Plane situation feature

The import of following STEP AP242 PMI semantic representation entities result in 3D Tolerancing & Annotation geometrical tolerances which do not use the corresponding modifiers:

  • Median feature modifier
  • Collection planes
  • Direction features

Compatibility

Some compatibility rules apply.

The STEP files with graphic presentation PMI created prior to V5-6R2017 can be read in V5-6R2018  and the PMI are imported as light PMI.

The STEP files created in V5-6R2018 with semantic presentation can be read in any former V5 versions and only the graphic presentation PMI are considered.