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StudioTools products can File>Export>Polygons as either triangles or quads. When triangles are exported, they can be exported as Object-Separated or not. StudioTools can import and export Alias Object-Separated Triangle files. The default extension used by StudioTools for these files is '.tri'. Several organizations use these files for Visualization purposes. In the StudioTools menu, this file type is abbreviated as Alias Obj-Sep Tri.
Note: The '.tri' file created when exporting STL files from StudioTools products is NOT an Alias Object Separated Triangle file.
The Alias Pix Image file format is a common image format used on Silicon Graphics computers, especially those running software from Alias Systems.
The compressed proprietary file format used by StudioTools products. Programmers can access wire files via the Alias Systems OpenModel library. Supported entities include surfaces, curves, and poly(gon) sets.
A loosely defined de facto ASCII text file standard for point data. It is defined only as each text line that contains point data contains 3 numbers (XYZ). It is preferred that text lines that do not contain XYZ data start with the # sign character.
A 3D scanner whose proprietary format is supported by StudioTools. ATOS stands for Advanced Topometric Optical Sensor. GOM stands for Gesellschaft fur Optische MeBtechnik mbH.
The CATIA - Alias Interoperability file format. CATIA is a widespread CAD program used by most of the world's automotive companies. It is developed by Dassault Systemes of France and marketed in North America by IBM. The CAI file format is a specialized STEP format designed to enable enhanced data communication between Studio and CATIA.
A nebulous term for 3D geometric point data that usually indicates that the data is sampled densely and that it was not produced by traditional coordinate measuring machines, but rather by an optical scanning device. The term "cloud data" originated about 1990. Cloud data can come in many forms (scan-lines, grids, scribble lines, etc.), in many formats (vendor-specific from dozens of vendors, IGES, VDA, ASCII XYZ), and in many sizes (a kilobyte to a gigabyte).
A device for digitizing 3D points from physical shapes using a touch-probe. Often has a huge granite block as a base.
A 3D laser scanner vendor based in Monterey, CA. Known for several different types of scanners including the famous Whole Body Scanner.
Design Exchange Specification. A simple line format only, DES is commonly used at General Motors and its body-related suppliers. Supported by Alias Systems, this format was developed when mainframes were common. Polylines in DES format require less disk space than the same data in IGES format.
Deviation vectors are a special type of StudioTools geometry that are generated and displayed when compare functions are executed. Deviation vectors can be drawn at any length by modifying the deviation factor. The default deviation factor is one.
Digibotics is a 3D scanner that is capable of generating STL files directly from 3D objects that fit on an 18 inch turntable.
The Drawing eXchange Format from AutoDesk is a verbose ASCII geometry format capable of representing lines, simply defined surfaces, and polygons (3D faces). This format is very well-accepted, especially in PC software.
Electro-Optical Instrumentation Systems, Inc. - a white light moire scanner vendor. Sensor head mounts on a CMM or Faro arm.
The EVGeo file format is a simple portable binary file format with ASCII entity tags. It supports clouds, lines, curves, polygons, and surfaces for StudioTools only. These files allow users to save work in progress on view meshes (see View Mesh below).
An EVScript file is an ASCII text script file that allows you to replay most StudioTools functions after running a given session. It is not intended as a programming or a scripting language, but rather as a simple way to log and transmit EV commands.
A 3D laser scanner vendor. The Hyscan unit mounts on a CMM (see Coordinate Measuring Machine).
The Initial Graphics Exchange Specification, with versions through 5.3. A verbose text format for geometry, first adopted in 1981, when mainframe computers were prevalent. It is still the most portable format, and the most likely to be readable by other systems. The STEP standard is supposed to replace IGES, but it is not yet as widespread as IGES.
An SGI file format for surfaces and polygons.
The JPEG image compression scheme is used in JPEG/JFIF image format files. JPEG images are used on PC's and Unix systems and are used in HTML documents. PNG files are compatible with JPEG files.
A vendor of 3D laser scanners. The scanner head is often mounted on a Faro arm.
In StudioTools, curves are usually drawn as lines. A line is a B-Spline curve of degree 1 with N-1 spans for N points and N+2 non-uniformly spaced knots. There is no computational benefit from representing lines as B-Splines, so StudioTools represents them as a simple array of points.
StudioTools can control a slave copy of StudioTools on a remote computer over a low bandwidth network connection. 'rcp' (unix remote copy) and 'rsh' (unix remote shell) must be supported on local and remote systems.
An optical touch probe from Image Guided Technologies.
Polhemus recently introduced a hand-held scanner that can output 3D meshes in OBJ or DXF file formats directly.
In StudioTools, a polygon is either a 4-sided quadrilateral (such as a rectangle) or a 3-sided triangle.
SDRC I-DEAS is used at Ford, Mazda, Nissan, and Renault as well as in many other industries. Alias Systems provides a Direct Connect Interface (DCI) that plugs into SDRC to allow I-DEAS to generate Alias wire files that Studio and StudioTools can read.
A 3D laser scanner vendor that mounts CyberOptics probes on CNC tools.
An international standard for the exchange of geometric product definitions. STEP formats that are relevant to StudioTools are AP203 (general mechanical CAD) and AP214 (automotive CAD).
A 3D optical measurement system vendor with several different optical measurement products.
SGI-RGB is a common image format used on Silicon Graphics computers.
The STL format is the de facto file format for triangles in the rapid prototyping arena. It is also often the best file-transfer mechanism for polygon information in general. This format was introduced by 3D Systems, Inc. to provide an interface to their stereo lithography machines.
The Unigraphics Facet file, also known as a Unigraphics Pattern file. It is very, very similar to STL files and Alias Object-Separated Triangle files. It contains only triangles and does not change from release to release.
The Unigraphics Part file. This is the binary proprietary primary preferred format for all UG data. It changes from release to release. It is similar to an Alias wire file and an SDRC model file. It contains surface and solid information.
A 3D Solid/Hybrid Modeling system used by GM and many aerospace organizations.
VDA-FS is a German/European text file standard for the communication of geometry. The format is able to represent point sets, polylines, curves, and surfaces. StudioTools considers VDA point sets as a cloud data format. VDA stands for Verband der Autobilindustrie e.V, which is the German Automobile Manufacturers Association.
StudioTools can export VRML 1.0 files. StudioTools does not currently import VRML 1.0/2.0 files. VRML files contain polygon information that is often textured. VRML files use the .wrl extension.
Polygonal meshes derived from cloud data as viewed from a particular viewing direction. View meshes have lower memory requirements than some of the other alternatives for deriving meshes from clouds.
A voxel mesh is a view-independent polygon mesh that is computed with the assistance of a memory intensive voxel gridded data structure. Just as a pixel is a small square element that pictures are made of, a voxel is a small cubicle element that 3D volumes are made of.
The Wavefront OBJ file is a well accepted file, which can represent polygons and curve and surface data. StudioTools writes an OBJ file with v/Vertex and f/Facet commands only. StudioTools can read many types of OBJ files, but it processes only their v/Vertex and f/Facet commands.
A 3D scanner vendor that sells several different types of 3D scanning equipment. Their software is capable of generating OBJ files.