Neutral input data files - Intergraph I-Convert - Help - Hexagon

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I-Convert Version
2019 R1 (8.1)

You can translate material data described using any of the following Neutral data file formats into a Smart Isometrics-supported format.

Alias Data Format

Although the intention is to allow the simplest possible translation, it is necessary for the Neutral file interface to observe certain rules. These rules reflect the way that the material system works. First, I-Convert needs to know the configuration of each component. There are 14 standard configuration codes.

For more information, see the Smart Isometrics Material Editor Help.

The Schema file allows the use of this configuration code. To assign the correct configuration, the software uses the Isogen SKEY as the key in a lookup table. Therefore, the SKEY must be supplied for each component in the Neutral file. To be clear, it is not necessary for the Neutral data file to contain the configuration code.

Second, it is a key assumption that ItemCode plus (a maximum of) three bores uniquely defines a component. If it does not, the software modifies the supplied item code to make it unique.

Alias data is the minimum necessary to define the 3D geometry of components; therefore, it is highly unlikely that any source system will not contain the data required by the software. The format of the Neutral data file is flexible so that it is acceptable to put out all available data, since the schema defines the mapping.

Minimum data requirements for creating Smart Isometrics specifications

Item

Note

ItemCode

Code for the component. A string that defines the component, such as PA5BX. It can contain any characters except a space.

  • The combined length of the ItemCode and Description fields should not exceed 200 characters.

  • The name of the field is not important as it is defined in the Schema File Format.

ISOGEN SKEY

The Isogen symbol key

Description

Text containing a description of the material, such as PIPE, CS API 5L SML, GRD B, X-STG. The name of the field is not important as it is defined in the schema file.

ComponentType

Text string used to classify the type of material in the terms of the originating system. The ComponentType is used in the schema to define the location of dimension data. The name used for the field is defined in the schema file.

Nominal Sizes

A series of fields or data items, such as size_1 4, size_2 2, which define the bore (nominal size) properties of the material.

  • The fields may have any name, as the schema file maps them to the appropriate fields.

  • The bores can be expressed in mm or inch, but all bores must be in the same units

Fitting/Leg lengths

A series of fields or data items which define the dimensions of  the material. Examples include the following:

  • dim_1 152.4

  • dim_2 152.4

  • The fields can have any name, as the schema file maps them to the appropriate fields.

  • The dimensions must be in mm.

  • For pipe, only provide a value for the outside diameter.

Optional data

Flanged components - If you supply bolt item code and quantity fields, the software uses them to create a bolting table in the specification.

Data file format

The data file must be in valid XML format. The XML file contains a series of material elements, as shown in the following example. Each element has a set of attributes. The names and format of the attributes are mapped to the required fields in the schema.

<I-CONVERT-NEUTRAL>

<MATERIAL

TYPE=”Pipe”

COMMODITYCODE=”PA5BXS”

DESC= “PIPE, CS API 5L SML, GRD B, X-STG”

NSIZE=”4”

OD = “101.2”

SKEY=”PIPE” >

</MATERIAL>

<MATERIAL TYPE=”Flange”

COMMODITYCODE =”FWN150”

DESC=”FLANGE, 150# WELD NECK”

NSIZE_1=”4”

LENGTH=”80.4”

SKEY=”FLWN”

BOLT-CODE=”BSB80” QTY=”4”>

</MATERIAL>

</I-CONVERT-NEUTRAL>

Schema file format

The Schema file is also written in XML. For each CPT_TYPE element, the Schema file defines the mapping between the Neutral file data and the Alias data. In some cases, because one component type can have more than one configuration, the CPT_TYPE field is insufficient. For example, a valve can be an inline type with a single length and bore as well as an angle valve, which has an angle configuration, two leg lengths and two bores. In this case, the Schema file must have entries for both.

The Schema file is usually be created by Alias, working with the supplier of the Neutral file data.

The following is an example of a basic Schema file.

<I-CONVERT-NEUTRAL-SCHEMA>

<!—The ALL element defines general mapping that applies to all component types – in particular it maps the field names used in the neutral file to the required fields used in the Alias data set ->

<ALL BORE-UNITS=”MM”

ITEMCODE=”COMMODITYCODE”

DESCRIPTION=”DESC”

CPT_TYPE=”TYPE”

SKEY=”SKEY”

BOLT-ITEM-CODE=”BOLT-CODE”

BOLT-QUANTITY=”QTY”> </ALL>

<!—A Map Element maps a component type data to Alias fields ->

<MAP CPT-TYPE=”Flange”

DIMA=”Length”

BOREA= “NSIZE_1” > </MAP>

<!—A Configuration may optionally be specified ->

<MAP CPT-TYPE=”Valve”

CONFIGURATION=”205”

DIMA=”BodyLength”

BOREA=”NSIZE_1”> </MAP>

<!—Angle valves ->

<MAP CPT-TYPE=”Valve”

CONFIGURATION=”200”

DIMA=”Leg_Len_1”

DIMB=”Leg_Len_2”

BOREA=”NSIZE_1”

BOREB=”NSIZE_2” > </MAP>

<!—Can also define calculated fields ->

<MAP CPT-TYPE=”Olet”

CONFIGURATION=”201”

DIMA=”CALC Length + 0.5 * NSIZE_1”

BOREA=”main_bore”

BOREB=”leg_bore”> </MAP>

</I-CONVERT-NEUTRAL-SCHEMA>

Other specification tables

The process described in this document only defines the physical material data. Additional information is required to fully define an appropriate specification. This additional data is stored in a series of tables, each of which is a text file.

If the necessary information is supplied with flanged components, I-Convert can create the Bolt table. For more information, see the Optional Data section.

To fully define the specification, you must create the remaining specification tables, the Spec file (.spn), the Default Choice table (.cho), the Connectivity table (.con), and the Implied Material table (.iml), in the correct format. You can use Smart Isometrics Material Editor to do this.