| Robert Lipman 2004-07-20, 10:51 pm |
| A new FASTER version (5.0) of the CIS/2 to VRML Translator is available.
The new feature is an option to "Generate plain VRML" (VRML File tab).
This type of VRML displays much, much faster (up to 95%) than VRML
generated by previous versions of the translator or than with the
feature turned off.
The speed up is best seen with large detailed models. On our fastest
PC, a 136MB CIS/2 file with over 78,000 parts and 100,000 bolts was
translated in about 6 minutes and the resulting VRML model displayed in
less than 2 minutes.
Models that were too large to display can be easily visualized. If your
computer was too slow to show the VRML models, it should be able to
display them now. If you had to set the option to ignore the web and
flange thicknesses, you won't have to anymore. If you weren't
translating bolts, holes, and welds because the models were too large,
you should be able to now.
The new VRML files are also compatible with any VRML plugin and other
CAD programs, translators, and viewers that can import VRML files. A
universal CAD file translator can be used to generate many different
file formats including VRML 1.0 and 3D Studio Max. This capability
makes it possible to integrate the VRML models with many other
applications. It has already been shown how a CIS/2 VRML model can be
imported into a 4D CAD application.
You can download the Windows version of the translator for free at:
http://ciks.cbt.nist.gov/cgi-bin/ctv/ctv_request.cgi or if you're a
current user of the translator, then in the translator, go to Help menu
-> Check for Upgrade. The online version of the translator has not been
upgraded.
CIS/2 (CIMsteel Integration Standards) is the product model and data
exchange format for structural steel project information. It has been
adopted by the AISC for their Electronic Data Interchange initiative.
CIS/2 has been implemented by many steel analysis, design, detailing,
and fabrication software packages. For more information about CIS/2, go
to: http://cic.nist.gov/vrml/cis2.html http://www.aisc.org/cis2
http://www.cis2.org/ http://www.coa.gatech.edu/~aisc/
VRML is the Virtual Reality Modeling Language, a standard method to view
3D models on the web with freely available plugins:
http://www.web3d.org/
Many example VRML structures, including the AISC connection sculpture,
are available at: http://cic.nist.gov/vrml/cis2.html
Screenshot of the translator: http://cic.nist.gov/vrml/cis/CTV.jpg
I would appreciate any feedback and suggestions about the CIS/2 to VRML
Translator.
Thanks,
Robert Lipman
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
Computer Integrated Building Processes Group
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8630
Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20899-8630
(301) 975-3829 robert.lipman@nist.gov http://cic.nist.gov/lipman/
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