Adobe Solutions for Manufacturing

Reducing Costs and Speeding Review Cycles

2009-10-20T21:53:05Z

Like most successful innovators, Victor Company of Japan, Limited (JVC) has created created innovative and segment leading products through close collaboration between JVC and its hundreds of parts suppliers. JVC has realized substantial benefits, such as:

Reduced document exchange cycles from as long as 20 days to 1 day
Improved accuracy and timeliness of input from reviewers
Eliminated errors from manual data entry by automating data capture
Shortened product time to market with accelerated document exchange
Increased competitiveness of manufacturers

To learn about how JVC was able to achieve these improvements, continue reading below.

]]> Full Story

Tutorial - Using Flash as a 3D Material

2009-09-23T15:21:58Z

The Adobe Flash platform was integrated into the Acrobat product family with version 9 and this enabled a lot of very cool, cutting edge features like portfolios and dependable/flawless video playback in the free Adobe Reader. The collaboration tools were integrated with the video content as well enabling anyone to comment directly on a specific frame of a movie using the 2D commenting tools. In addition to all this, the engineering team also added the ability to use Flash content as a 3D material which opens a whole new world of possibilities for 3D content inside of PDF.

If you are interested in understanding how this works, there is a two part tutorial on AcrobatUsers.com you'll want to watch. Here's part one and here's part two.

Adobe Founders to receive National Medal of Technology and Innovation

2009-09-18T14:11:24Z

John Warnock and Chuck Geschke will each receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President Obama at a White House ceremony next Wednesday.

Here's an excerpt from a White House press release:

"The National Medal of Technology and Innovation has its roots in a 1980 statute and is administered for the White House by the U.S. Department of Commerce's U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The award recognizes individuals or companies for their outstanding contributions to the promotion of technology for the improvement of the economic, environmental, or social well-being of the United States. Nominees are selected by a distinguished independent committee representing both the private and public sectors.

From the White House press release:

"These scientists, engineers and inventors are national icons, embodying the very best of American ingenuity and inspiring a new generation of thinkers and innovators," President Obama said. "Their extraordinary achievements strengthen our nation every day--not just intellectually and technologically but also economically, by helping create new industries and opportunities that others before them could never have imagined."

The Adobe founders are being acknowledged "for their pioneering contributions that spurred the desktop publishing revolution and for changing the way people create and engage with information and entertainment across multiple mediums including print, Web and video."

Wohler's Associates discuss uses for 3D PDF

2009-09-15T13:32:01Z

Terry Wohler's group covers the manufacturing industry and publishes an exhaustive annual report on the current state of the industry. He attended the Collaboration and Interoperability Conference last May in Estes Park and sat in on Chris Senesac's presentation on how Boeing Rotorcraft Systems has deployed 3D PDF for multiple use cases. He was so surprised at learning that PDF can now contain precise geometry suitable for fabrication along with PMI, 2D drawings and associated technical documentation that he wrote an entry in his blog, Wohler's Talk. It's worth a read and you can find the entry here.

Sample PDFs with Interactive 3D Content

2009-09-04T15:36:04Z

The Adobe website has been undergoing lots and lots of revisions over the last few months and we're happy to report that one of the most requested resources is back: Sample 3D PDFs! You can find them here.

They are great way to see what's possible when you use Acrobat Pro Extended or LiveCycle to create PDFs with 3D content and of course, all you need is the free Adobe Reader to view and interact with the PDFs.

If you are interested in PDF Portfolios, you'll want to take at look at the Supplier Collaboration Sample. Anyone interested in seeing how 3D can be combined with interactive forms should take a look at the Work Instruction Samples like the Quality Control Checklist or the .Brake Assembly Checklist.

PDF-PRC and ISO 10303 (aka STEP)

2009-08-26T20:14:32Z

Yesterday's announcement about PRC moving its way towards ISO certification generated a lot of excitement and some very good questions. Most notable were 1) Does the PRC format Adobe is releasing include the 'exact geometry' definition and 2) if so, does that inclusion of the exact geometry put PRC at odds with ISO 10303 (STEP)?

The short answers are 'yes' and 'not really'. Read on to get the details...

]]> The PRC format Adobe introduced in Acrobat 9 accommodates both precise B-rep and surface tessellation data as well as product structure, Product Manufacturing Information (PMI) and metadata. PDF was released to the ISO process prior to Acrobat 9, and as such the PDF ISO 32000:1 specification does not include the PRC format right now and technically speaking PRC is an Adobe proprietary extension to ISO 32000. We publish the PRC Specification on our website and anyone can read/write it using the spec. As noted in the announcement yesterday by AIIM, Adobe released PRC to ISO and it has been accepted for the standardization process. This will likely take about 2-3 years and become part of ISO 32000:2. The entire PRC format was released to AIIM/ISO, i.e., 'Yes, the PRC ISO candidate does include topology and exact geometry'.

Which brings us to, "Doesn't that mean PRC competes with STEP?". We don't see PRC replacing the need for STEP today, and if STEP continues to evolve to include other information like design construction history and parametric relationships, there will be even larger gaps between STEP and PRC in the future. As noted in the press release by AIIM, the PRC working group will be coordinating with the STEP ISO technical committee to ensure that there is conformance between the two specs where it makes sense. Given all that, we see very different use cases for PRC and STEP most notably around

Design re-use : STEP is more appropriate for pulling data into a CAD system and making modifications, and although there are now direct B-Rep modeling systems that enable using PRC this way, use of STEP will provide much higher fidelity.
Visualization : PRC targets this use case squarely while STEP ignores it.
Technical Publications like process planning, work instructions, repair operations : PRC is better for this we think as it is lighter weight and includes visualization information.
Interrogation of precise geometry for downstream processes : This is the one where there is likely be some overlap as CAM and CAE applications often only need/want the B-REP data and PMI. Today PRC meets these requirements as does STEP AP 203 E2.
Archival and Retrieval : here the two formats are complimentary due to the non-overlapping use cases above. We are actually seeing more and more companies archiving 3D PDF along with native CAD and STEP datasets.

Toward Truly Open Standards

2009-08-25T16:06:27Z

You may already be aware that PDF is indeed the ISO standard for engineering documentation. To learn more about ISO 32000-1 click here. Recently we received some exciting news about extending ISO certification to 3D content within the PDF format.

As you may know, PDF can extract 3D content from a wide variety of CAD and visualization formats for inclusion and interaction within a PDF container. The formats used internally to the PDF are U3D and PRC. Read on to learn more about PRC and how it is being embraced by the standards community.

]]> AIIM (www.aiim.org) has just announced the initiation of a new standards activity to standardize the Adobe Systems Incorporated PRC (Product Representation Compact) specification as an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard.

Here are some key facts you should know :

The PRC project will specify a file format for creating different representations of 3D models. PRC is optimized to store, load, and display various kinds of 3D data, particularly from CAM and CAE applications, and enables precise geometry with great compression. PRC is intended to support documentation requirements for design reviews, as well as distribution of detailed design documentation to supply chains. This standard will help support regulatory mandates requiring the use of open standards.
PRC is being released to ISO by Adobe. This release is Similar to the release of PDF to ISO; PDF is now an ISO standard (ISO 32000) which is developed and maintained by ISO.
AIIM is forming a working group to develop and maintain PRC file format
Working group participants include: Boeing, Adobe, Bentley Systems, General Dynamics, Mental Images, PFS Corporation, TechSoft3D, Transcendata, and others.
A liaison has been established between TC 171 WG7 (PDF/E and PRC) and TC 184 (STEP).

At Adobe, we feel that standardization of the open PRC format will provide customers worldwide with a truly open standard for 3D content. Here is why this is important:

PRC provides detailed and accurate CAD visualization data and makes it easier to distribute 3D content downstream.
This is an open 3D file format, not affiliated with a specific CAD/PLM application.

Some other things you may be interested in include:

It is the first 3D CAD visualization format to go through ISO standardization
This is in line with Adobe’s long history of supporting industry standards and releasing formats to ISO. This includes ISO 32000, PDF/X (printing), PDF/E (engineering) and PDF/A (archiving).
This will make it easier to include 3D content in documentation work flows, particularly for manufacturing.
The PRC format complements STEP.
The ISO working group will be responsible for all future development and maintenance of PRC, and Adobe will continue to participate as one of the organizations on the working group.
The PRC working group is working closely with ECMA TC43 (U3D) to incorporate industry requirements.

To read the AIIM press release for more information, click here. To read frequently asked questions, click here.

Manufacturing jumpstarting the US Economy

2009-08-21T13:02:31Z

Two articles caught my attention this morning that I thought were worth mentioning. The first one cites a report by the Federal Reserve Bank in Philadelphia that shows manufacturing activity unexpectedly expanding in the Philly area for the first time in over a year. The second article focuses on how manufacturing is the unexpected bright spot in the US economy right now with encouraging signs in (surprise!) the automotive sector. While the signs are encouraging both articles cite substantial risks to a sustained uptick.

Very encouraging nonetheless...

Kubotek to License Adobe 3D Technology

2009-08-06T19:03:36Z

Exciting news from one of our ISV partners, Kubotek, who announced today they are integrating Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro Extended into their product line. OEM licensing and consulting services will be provided by Techsoft 3D, our reseller for the Acrobat SDK. The full press release can be found here.

Shared Reviews for Product Development Collaboration

2009-07-28T19:15:00Z

How many of you have purchased CAD and visualization tools so downstream users, including external suppliers, can work with your designs? Have you had to purchase and deploy multiple solutions due to interoperability issues? How many of you have had to punch holes through your firewall to allow access to partners and suppliers. How many of you have had to limit design reviews and approval due to the cost and complexity of orchestrating collaborative activities? What do you do when 2D requirements and specifications need to accompany your designs? There is a better way. It’s is called a Shared Review. Let me show you how it works.

]]> The most important take-away from what I am about to show you is that PDF is anything but a static document. A second take-away I that the Adobe Reader does a great deal more than you may know. There are numerous features that can be “switched on” by the PDF author. Those features include 3D measurement, sectioning, rendering styles and much, much more. Today we will concentrate on some of the review and commenting features.

Let’s get started. I decided to use a SolidWorks assembly for this example. I could have chosen virtually any data format, such as MS Office and 2D or 3D CAD formats. In this case, there are several configurations within the CAD assembly. I want to use one of those as the basis for the review. Below is the dialog that helps me select the one I want. I’m going to select the “4-Head Motion” configuration. If I wish, I could also import more than one of the configurations using 3D Reviewer, but in this case I only want my team to evaluate one option.

Here is what the configuration looks like when converted to PDF:

Now, let’s get to the collaborative review process. I have several options, including Acrobat Connect Pro for synchronous web-conferencing if I choose. Today, however I want to take the review off line and enable the entire team to see one another’s comments. Many customers I talk to use email and native file formats for reviews. There is so much functionality in the Adobe Reader that I can rely upon. It is much more efficient to use PDF. Besides, I have the additional benefit of eliminating the problem of dealing with the problem of multiple formats and applications.

Notice below that I have started to add some comment to the PDF that I wish the team to address. Of course, they will likely have some of their own comments and questions. I am going to start a shared review with the team. I start by going to the Comment pull-down and select “Send for Shared Review”.

The Shared Review will post a copy of the PDF on a shared site, perhaps a folder in a shared directory, a SharePoint site or possibly on Acrobat.com. Everyone in the review will have the ability to participate in the review and will be able to interact with everyone’s comments and work with the 3D content, in case they need to analyze the design.

Next I am presented with a wizard to lead me through the process. Notice that I have selected Acrobat.com for this example, but I have lots of options as I said.

Did you read the dialog box? If not, go back and read it. I can distribute, Comment and Collect using any of the approaches I outlined above. Let’s click “next”.

The wizard has linked to my email client. I have selected the team members to be a part of this review. Next I’ll select “Send”.

Look at what happens:

A new ribbon has appeared that allows me to check for new comments and check for new comments. In just this way, all team members can add comments of their own, reply to mine and aggregate comments to a copy of the PDF if they choose. Not only that, but everyone can track reviews.

Here is what the Tracker looks like:

I know you can’t read everything, so let explain. From here, I can see all of the reviews and forms data collection activities I am involved with. The review I just started is highlighted in the left panel of the screen. For this review I can see the status, access level, deadline, who has accessed and commented. If I wish, I can add reviewers, change the deadline, end the review and start a new review with the same reviewers. When I click “View Comments” I will be taken back to the previous view where I can add additional comments and so forth, as I explained. I can aggregate comments if I choose so I can have a record of what everyone contributed.

There is more to cover, but I don’t want to overwhelm you. The most important things to remember are that the PDF is a dynamic “container” for rich content like the 3D file we included, and of course the comments we have been working with. The oter team members needed nothing more than the free Adobe Reader to participate in this powerful review. Only Adobe Acrobat and Livecycle products can unlock the very powerful Reader features you have learned a little about.

Hopefully I have given you some ideas about how to improve collaboration, reduce expenses and improve efficiency in this brief article.

See you next time.

How to create 3D markups in 3D Reviewer?

2009-05-19T21:01:59Z

There is a 3D markup creation tool in 3D Reviewer that sometimes can be quite useful and complementary to the 3D commenting tool available in Acrobat. In this article we will guide you through the basic steps to create and edit 3D markups then publish them to PDF.

]]> Start by opening a new model in 3D Reviewer, and create a new configuration of your choice. We will use this configuration to save the 3D markups we are about to create.

Next, select the 3D Markup tool from the menu by going to 'Tools>3D Markup'.

A new dialog box will open up like the one below. Type in the text of your markup in the upper box, then click on the part of your choice in the viewport, where you want to attach this 3D Markup, and finally move the mouse where you would like to place the 3D markup and click in the background. Closing the dialog box will save the 3D markup to the current active configuration.

First, you will notice that the 3D markup stays persistent as you rotate your model and will always display parallel to the screen. Second, if you click on the 'Initial configuration', then click again on the 'New configuration', you will notice that the 3D markup has been saved only to the 'New configuration". Finally, note that you can access these markups directly from the model tree under the Annotations>Mark-up node.

If you need to edit the markup, you can do so by clicking on the markup in the viewport or in the model tree, then right-click and select Edit to change the text or Edit Markup Font to change its appearance. You also have the option to select Move, if you would like to change the placement of the markup.

There are a few additional things we would like to teach you now, that are not available using the 3D Comment tool in Acrobat. For instance, you can add multiple anchor points to a 3D markup and you can also create multi-segments leader lines in order to better control the placement of the markup. Here are the steps to follow for trying out these two options:

Click on the 3D Markup icon to open the 3D Markup dialog box
Type in the text of your markup in the upper box
Click on a part to attach the markup to the desired anchor point
Move the mouse to the location where you want to place the markup
Click in the background to place the markup
(the 3D Markup dialog box should remain open)
Right-Click in the background to access the context menu options
Select Add Geometry, then click on another part of your model to place the second anchor point
Right-Click again to access the context menu options
Select Add Bend Point, then click in the background to place the first segment of the leader line
Select Add Bend Point again, then click in the background to place the second segment of the leader line
Finally, click on another part of your model to place the third anchor point

When you are done creating multiple configurations with different sets of 3D markups in each one of them, you can publish the result to PDF by simply choosing File>Export and setting 'Save as type' to 'PDF Files (.pdf)'.

If you would like to see it in action, please click on the image below to check out the video:

One great use of this 3D markup tool in 3D Reviewer is for creating work instructions or operation steps for job orders performed on a workshop floor for assembling or repairing a product. Each configuration can constitute one operation step where specific parts are visible and 3D markups are attached to selected parts with a particular instruction describing the course of actions to complete the step.

Pierre Tager, Acrobat Product Manager

How to create views in 3D Reviewer?

2009-05-18T22:24:16Z

It is very easy to create custom views in 3D Reviewer using the 'Add Configuration' tool and publish them to PDF. The creation of views in 3D Reviewer offers more advanced features than what is available in Acrobat such as creating exploded views for instance. We will discuss in this article a few tips to remember when using the 'Add Configuration' tool and share with you a quick video showing the creation of different types of views and how to publish the result in PDF.

]]> After opening your model in 3D Reviewer, open the model tree to the left of the viewport window to get access to the Configurations tree. Then click on the + sign to the left of the Configurations node and you will find one default configuration already created called 'Initial configuration'.

First thing to remember with configurations is that the latest state of the viewport will be the one saved for the current active configuration. The active configuration is the one highlighted in bold in the Configurations tree.

To create a new configuration, simply right-click on the Configurations node and select Add Configuration, then type a name for the new configuration entry created.

Next thing to remember with configurations is how to lock them, so that their state is not altered anymore while manipulating the model in the viewport. Once you have finished setting the viewpoint, parts positions, background, etc... and want to save the current state of the viewport, right-click on the current active configuration and select 'Lock configuration'. If you need to edit the configuration again, you can simply right-click again on the configuration, select 'Unlock configuration' and then modify the viewport as desired before you lock it again.

Finally, if you need to re-order the configurations, you simply click on the configuration name, then hold and drag the mouse up or down to change the position of a configuration in the list.

If you want to see it in action, please check out the video below which also includes a quick tutorial on how to create exploded views and publish them directly to PDF.

Pierre Tager, Acrobat Product Manager

More 3D Reviewer Features

2009-04-19T14:54:56Z

In this article, I will review some additional features of 3D Reviewer. I will address physical properties and compare features (not necessarily in that order). We will start today by opening a PDF I created some time ago. This PDF contains two versions of a design. These two CAD files were imported into 3D Reviewer and “merged” into a single model tree, so I can easily toggle between the two or display both if I want to. The file was then saved to PDF using techniques I outlined in previous articles. Click below to take a look at the designs and features I will be showing.

]]> The Compare Feature

Let’s start by opening Acrobat Pro Extended. 3D Reviewer can be launched separately from Acrobat, or opened by right clicking on any 3D window and selecting “Edit in 3D Reviewer”. This time I decided to show the resulting PDF first.

Here is our “new” design. Since I have two versions in this file, I simply use show/hide controls to move between the two versions. Notice the ridges on the side of the bottle.

And here is the original model:

No ridges on this one, but I wonder if that is the only difference. I want to find out. Let’s right click on the 3D widow and select “Edit in 3D Reviewer”. Now, we will select the compare feature as shown below:

I simply selected “Compare” from the tools pull down menu. Notice I have hidden everything but the bottle, since I know that the lid and filter are the same. The differences are in the bottle itself. Next I will select Bottle V1 from the model tree as the “old model”. Then I select V2 as the new model (the order really does not matter. It’s the differences we are interested in. Here is the other model:

At this point, I can adjust the detection limit if I want but, I’ll leave that as is and just click “Compute”. After a few seconds, I can look at the results. In this case I have chosen to show just what is changed. How many times would you have liked to compare two designs; particularly when you don’t really know what or if anything has changed? Look at this:

Pretty cool, huh? Notice I could have displayed new, old or unchanged. Outstanding capability!

Physical properties

While we are here, let’s also compute the physical properties for our new bottle design. Perhaps we want to know if the volume has changed.

I have circled the physical properties icon for you. This time I clicked on the icon to get to the tool I wanted, but you can find it on the tools pull down too. Let’s just click on “Compute” to see what we get. Here is the area calculation:

And here is the volume calculation we were looking for. The volume and mass are both computed (density = 1.0 for this particular example).

And then the center of gravity is also available:

I can save all of these results if I want, but I’ll let you experiment with that, now that you know how to use these features.

Good luck with your work with Acrobat and 3D Reviewer.

3D Reviewer – “A Moving Experience”

2009-04-09T15:49:54Z

Acrobat Pro Extended is a very robust rich “product suite”. In addition to Acrobat, Pro Extended includes Livecycle Designer for forms design, Adobe Presenter for training and 3D reviewer, a robust 3D tool set. In this article, I will review some of the features of 3D Reviewer. I will address features such as moving parts and sub-assemblies (hence the title), configurations, call-outs and export. These will help you do more with 3D PDFs.

Click below to learn about these features.

]]> Let’s start by opening 3D Reviewer. 3D Reviewer can be launched separately from Acrobat Pro Extended, or opened by right clicking on any 3D window and selecting “Edit in 3D Reviewer”. Here is what the 3D Reviewer user interface looks like:

Now, I know this is a little hard to see in this image, but don’t worry, I will help you navigate. I imported this phone assembly as a precise, b-rep model by simply dragging the assembly onto the scene graph much the same way as I might do in Acrobat Pro Extended. Let’s look at the model tree.

As you see, we have the model tree expanded a bit. Notice some of the parts such as the front cover, lens, and so forth. In a little while we are going to work with those parts. Also notice that there are configurations that can be saved. Let’s start there. Configurations are similar to views. They allow saving “states” of the model. We will start by locking the initial configuration, as shown below. In this case, I have simply expanded “configuration”, selected the initial configuration and simply right clicked on it.

Then I clicked on “lock configuration”. Now I will be able to return to that configuration whenever I wish.

For our next step, we will add a configuration by right clicking again or by selecting the add configurations icon from the toolbar. The icon is the litle symbol with the plus sign underneath. The two symbols to the right with arrows underneath can be used to page forward and backward through configurations you save.

I renamed this configuration “Repositioned Parts”. Now I will move some of the sub-assemblies around. Here is how:

I start by selection the sub-assembly I want to move. I can select the parts from the 3D annotation or the model tree. I’ll move the front cover first.

Now I will choose the technique I want to use to move the front cover. I have selected the move tools icon. The move tools are hidden behind the icon showing two boxes and and arrow pointing from one to the other.

A dialog box pops up showing me options for moving parts. I have several methods available to me to move the parts. They include point-to-point, along axis, rotate around axis , move from axis to axis, move with coordinates, rotate with angles and mirror. I will select “along axis”. I have moved the part along the z-axis and clicked apply. I will leave it to you to experiment with all of the other methods.

Now lets lock that configuration and add another. I’ll call this one “add some more”. This time I will use the drag and drop tool to move the back cover. Let’s try it. The drag and drop tool icon is next to the move tools icon, and looks like a little coordinate system with some arrows. Of course, you can also select from the tools pull down menu.

Now I will drag and drop by selecting the axis….

Notice that I could have rotated the parts, chosen any axis and easily positioned everything as needed. Let’s do one more thing. I’ll add a callout to the part we just moved.

Here is how I can do that:

Select the rear cover and then click on the 3D Mark Up icon. Notice I can select various attributes fom the part file and add them to the mark up.

I just click “OK” a couple of times and I’m all set. Let’s lock this last confirguration. Here’s our 3D mark up:

Now that we have created these configurations, lets export this file. I am going to export as a PDF. All I need to do is select file -> export, chose PDF as the file type, click save and I’m done. There are some options I could have chosen at this point to select the “contents” of the PDF. In my case, I selected “PRC B-rep plus Tesselation” and left the other option settings alone. Below is the PDF we created, complete with all of the views, which are the same as the configurations we created earlier.

Here is the result showing the PDF open in Acrobat:

Let’s stop here. Next time we will explore some more 3D Reviewer features.

More on Interoperability

2009-03-25T15:15:58Z

In today’s challenging economic climate, manufacturing firms are very focused upon finding and correcting inefficiencies. One of the major concerns is the need for interoperability. Multiple proprietary formats and applications in the CAD world alone, costs manufacturers billions every year. Concurrent engineering is one of the principle drivers for brining quality, new products to market swiftly. But, concurrency can come with a high price tag, so often too many processes are serial, leading to revenue loses. While there is no overarching remedy, there are certainly a number of steps companies can take to reduce cost both internally and across their supply-chain.

Read on to learn how Adobe can help you NOW.

]]> One of the most important challenges in bringing new products to market is sharing information in appropriate formats across the entire, extended enterprise. When sharing data cross-functionally, outside of engineering, use of specialized CAD and visualization applications is often not efficient. Let’s discuss some remedies:

Move to PDF as the international ISO standard “container” to deliver 2D and 3D information
Convert almost any 2D or 3D format to PDF for collaboration
Use Acrobat Pro Extended to Export precise or tessellated geometry

ISO Standard Container

Adobe® PDF eliminates the need to support multiple visualization file formats; it can be used in strict accordance with industry standards, such as PDF/A (ISO 19005) for long-term retention and archiving, and PDF/E (ISO 24517) for the reliable exchange of engineering information (including support for embedded 3D). In addition, PDF supports Universal 3D (U3D), an open and extensible file format for sharing and viewing interactive 3D designs.

Convert Almost Any Format to PDF

When you select “Create PDF from File” you are greeted with a long list of supported files. You can convert almost any major CAD format to PDF.

For a complete list of supported formats, click Acrobat 9 Pro Extended Supported 3D Formats .

PDF enables visualization, more secure collaboration, CAD data exchange, and data publishing across the entire product lifecycle. The ubiquitous PDF format directly supports 3D model-based definition, providing the flexibility to retain either precise 3D CAD geometry or a lightweight representation of 3D CAD designs. And unlike most other formats, PDF can also be used to combine 2D and 3D CAD data with other critical project content, such as interactive forms, bills of materials, and general office documents, into a single PDF file. Product Manufacturing Information such as Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing, text, and annotations can also be shared in PDF—all in a universal and highly compact file—which means manufacturers can rely on PDF to deliver any kind of information to the widest possible audience, both inside and outside the enterprise.

Use PDF files to share product data with anyone who uses free Adobe Reader® software. Users of Adobe Reader 9 can more securely view and interact with product data and documents, reducing the need for separate CAD applications or viewers. They can interact with designs in three dimensions: rotating, zooming, measuring, and cross-sectioning for greater understanding and streamlined productivity. Your team can also work collaboratively in Reader—marking up 3D designs, saving 3D views, and adding comments.

Export Geometry

Precise and tessellated geometry can be exported from PDF for additional interoperability. For example, models can be exported for use in inspection of machining operations or as input to other CAD applications or STP for 3D digital printing. The options are STEP, IGES, Parasolid, VRML and STP:

You also have lots of control over how results are produced. See below:

As you can see, you can save solids to surface or solid models. Faceted models can be saved to wireframe or faceted, and analytics can be saved to NURBs or analytics. The bottom line is you can go from almost any format, to a wide variety of formats, with a great deal of control over what is shared.

Check it out!