Export Ply Data

The Export Ply Data options let you customize ply data export for Composites Manufacturing Preparation. The options are described below, with the mention of where to find them (DXF Settings, IGES2D Settings, IGES3D Settings).

This page discusses:

File Name Pattern (DXF, IGES2D, IGES3D)

Defines the name of the exported file using key words:

  • %PARTFILENAME%
  • %PARTNUMBER%
  • %PLYGROUP%
  • %SEQUENCE%
  • %PLY%
  • %CUTPIECE%
  • %PLYORCUTPIECE%
  • %MATERIALID%
  • %MATERIALNAME%
  • %DIRECTIONNAME%
  • %DIRECTIONVALUE%

For complete customization, other constant characters can be inserted between the key words. All characters are supported except /, \, ", :, *, ?, <, >, |, ° and any other character that is not supported in file names by Microsoft Windows.

Warning: If special characters are found in the values corresponding to the key word, they are replaced by “_“ e.g. 0/90 becomes 0_90.

Export Mode (DXF, IGES2D, IGES3D)

Select the desired option:

One file per entity (ply or sub-ply)
Generates one file for each ply or cut-piece.
One file per material
Exports all plies or cut-pieces of the same material in one single file.

By default, One file per material is not selected.

One file per ply (all sub-plies)
Generates one file for each ply and exports all the geometries of its cut-pieces, if any, to that file.

By default, One file per entity (ply or sub-ply) is selected.

Entities to Export (DXF, IGES2D)

Defines the entities to export (Strategy Point, Rosette, Annotation)

By default, Rosette and Annotation are selected.

Annotation Pattern (DXF, IGES2D)

Customizes the annotations added to the flatten shape, using the same key words as for the file name:

  • %PARTFILENAME%
  • %PARTNUMBER%
  • %PLYGROUP%
  • %SEQUENCE%
  • %PLY%
  • %CUTPIECE%
  • %PLYORCUTPIECE%
  • %MATERIALID%
  • %MATERIALNAME%
  • %DIRECTIONNAME%
  • %DIRECTIONVALUE%

Any other character can be added to the key words.

Tip: Add a carriage return to write the annotation on several lines.

Text Font for Stacking Preview (DXF, IGES2D)

Defines the font family and size used exclusively for the stacking preview.

When exporting to DXF/DWG, the font defined as default in the Drafting standard applies. This is not necessarily the one you use for the preview. Contact your administrator to learn which default font is used, and possibly change it in the standard.

By default, Arial (True Type) 3.5 mm is selected.

Text Position (DXF, IGES2D)

Manages the text position:

  • By default, the annotation is placed at the seed point (or a computed central point) location and written horizontally i.e. along the x axis of the drawing view. Therefore, in some cases, the text does not completely fit in the flatten shape of the ply.
  • Compute text position attempts to keep the annotation inside the shape, at the anchor location and horizontally (Anchor), or at the anchor location and along a direction (Anchor and direction).

By default, Compute text position is selected.

Layer Options (DXF)

Export each category in a separated DXF layer
Exports the information of each category in a different layer. Otherwise, several categories can be exported in the same layer.

By default, Export each category in a separated DXF layer is selected.

Keep in export
Defines how the layers are driven, by their Number or by their Name

You can modify the number of the layer and its color.

By default, Number is selected.

Colors in DXF Export
Defines the colors used in DXF.
  • 3D colors: Colors used to display the flatten geometry in the graphic area. They are set by the material orientation in the ply or cut-piece.
  • Layer colors: Colors used to categorize flatten body elements.
  • Black and white: The flatten geometry is exported in black.

By default, 3D colors is selected.

DXF Generation Preference

Defines how some elements are generated in the DXF export file. By default, 3D Curves are exported to DXF using lines, arcs and splines whenever possible. Since cutting machines do not manage arcs and splines well, following options are proposed:

Do not create spline in DXF export
Prevents the creation of spline while exporting to DXF. Only affect splines, arcs can still be created.
Use polyline instead of arc when connectivity issue may occur
Select this check box for arcs with a very large radius reaching the DXF precision limit that may lead to connectivity issues, not managed by the cutting machine.

Although it reduces the precision on the rest of the curve, replacing the arc by a polyline ensures connectivity. The precision remains accurate enough for the cutting machine.

Generate closed polyline for closed contour
Replaces closed contours by one closed polyline. Splines and arcs are converted into polylines and included in the polyline. If the contour is not closed, default export applies.

By default, these check boxes are not selected.

IGES 3D Contour Options

Take thickness update into account
Elevates the contours of the plies or cut-pieces by taking the thickness of the underlying ply into account:
  • On full stacking: Takes the sum of the thicknesses of all the plies below the ply to elevate into account. To be used if the reference surface of the ply is not at the true location in space.
  • On ply group only: Takes the sum of the thicknesses of the plies below the ply to elevate, and that belong to its plies group, into account.

By default, Take thickness update into account is not selected.