X3D CAD

X3D CAD Working Group

The X3D CAD Working Group is now entering its third generation of development effort. Following many years of steady progress by Web3D members, we transitioned our efforts to the Web3D Public X3D Wiki in 2011. Further productive work continues steadily, guided by the CAD Working Group Strategy.

Our current activities include:

• Consolidating, reporting and linking past achievements with CAD Geometry Component in X3D
• Continuing implementation of the X3D Compressed Binary Encoding (CBE) for reduced file size and faster loading performance
• Continuing the implementation and evaluation of Boundary Representations (B-REPS) in X3D
• Considering the use of Macro-Parametric Translation for conversion of many CAD formats into X3D
• Building a set of example models to confirm correct operation and encourage the evolution of best practices

Working group co-chairs are:

• Don Brutzman, Naval Postgraduate School USA
• Hyokwang Lee, PartDB and Web3D Korea Chapter
• Marc Petit, Electricite de France (EDF)

Please check out the X3D CAD People page where we summarize our interests. New participants are welcome.

Resources

• The X3D CAD Component summary slideset describes current and planned capabilities
• CAD Example Scenes are being added as part of the XD Basic Examples Archive
• Current X3D specification status is recorded at CAD Component changes for X3D v3.3 (members only), and X3D CAD Component modifications have been submitted to ISO
• Survey report TC184 Visualization Requirements for X3D CAD evaluates X3D suitability for CAD
  • Corresponding ISO response ISO TC184/SC4 Comparison Report evaluating COLLADA, X3D, 3D XML, JT, and U3D
• Prior work, still continuing: Boundary Representations (B-REPS)
  • X3D-BREP project status
  • X3D-BREP_Draft_specification
• Work in progress: X3D CAD Macro-Parametric Approach for Translation
• STEP-NC WebGL Demo A summary of the relation between a recently developed WebGL application for CAD/CAM content and X3D.
• X3D_NURBS A list of links and notes useful to NURBS users and implementers in X3D.
• E-mail list for Web3D CAD working group members: cad@web3d.org with subscription page
  • with old archives prior to March 2009 and new archives
• Members-only wiki
• X3D CAD Howto - Work just started, please contribute

Events and Meetings

We hold teleconferences every other week at alternating times for Korea-USA and Korea-Europe discussion:

• Korea-USA : 17:00 PDT 2nd Wednesday (09:00 KST 2nd Thursday)
  • Next meeting : July 18 Wed 18:30 PDT (July 19 Thu 10:30 KST)
• Korea-Europe : 08:00 UTC last Thursday (10:00 FST, 17:00 KST)
  • Next meeting : July 19 Fri 08:00 UTC

Meeting minutes:

• Teleconference 27 June 2012 Korea-USA
• Teleconference 29 June 2012 Korea-Europe

Several Web3D presentations at SIGGRAPH 2011 covered CAD topics:

• Lee, Hyokwang (PartDB): CAD to X3D Conversion with CAD Assembly Structure
• Keil, Jens (Fraunhofer): Extending X3D for AR/MR Apps includes multiple slides (6 7 14-19 24-25 29-31 38 51) demonstrating industrial CAD applications of Augmented Reality

Web3D and SIGGRAPH 2012

• CAD Working Group meeting : Friday 3 August 10:00-13:00 PDT at Hilton Checkers Hotel
  • Web3D Working Group meetings at SIGGRAPH 2012
• CAD BoF : Tuesday 7 August 11:00 AM - 12:00 Noon
  • CAD BoF 2012

Next Steps and Future Work

• X3D Binary Compression Capabilities and Plans describes work in progress. Performance results are dramatic. Some further efforts are needed to ensure compliance and conformance by each implementation.
• Update this wiki to include all aspects of a working group charter.
• Design a cool logo, both in 2D and 3D! A special prize will be awarded to whoever wins working-group approval for their design.