CAD

CAD
data quality
Martin Horwood,
Lead Engineer,
CAD Capability
Development, Airbus
UK, and Sanjay
Kulkarni, Project
Manager, Infosys
Technologies,explain
how to ensure that
CAD data is of the
highest quality.
Deadline for design is yesterday and
time to market is tomorrow...
In product design CAD data quality plays
a major role in achieving the target date
in the limited time for product life cycle
development.
Ensuring the quality of CAD data is
necessary for data to be used within the
product development process chain. A
clean set of CAD data saves time and
money in digital mock-up (DMU), CNC
machining and data exchange etc. This
also enables data to be saved and
viewed at the same standard and should
allow more efficient concurrent working.
Poor quality CAD models can cause
problems in such a way that models
cannot be used in downstream
processes or repaired without a major
rework. On average, the big industries
spend about 100,000 hours per year in
order to correct problems associated
with CAD data quality. This makes it
necessary to ensure compliance through
the use of tools and processes to check
CAD models to ensure that the models
comply with a required data quality
standard. By the systematic use of check
tools, faults can be detected early in the
design stage, the workload for model
repair can be reduced and the efficiency
of the design process is increased.
Lack of training;
Oversight.
To account for these factors, the use of
checklists and automated data quality
check tools is to be mandatory prior to
storing the data in the database. The use
of a checklist is a manual and tedious
process, which is useful for checking the
dimensions, but not for checking the
geometric integrity of the model, nor
compliance to standards.
Advantages of automated check
tools
Automated check tools save time and can
be used to investigate both geometry and
model structure integrity in the CAD
model file. Geometric checks include
surface quality, mini segments, gap
checks and point continuity etc. Part
standard conformity checks include
checking layers, naming, solid updates
etc. The checks will ensure that all data
being stored in the vault will be of the
same quality level irrespective of the
designer working on the part.
Improved concurrent working with
organisations increasingly adapting global
delivery model, which leverages the
benefits of offshore outsourcing, it is
important for data to be saved and viewed
at the same quality standards throughout
the company and supply chain, and that
the data is up-to-date at any given time.
Consistency in the DMU A clean
model stored in the database reduces the
access time and helps in contributing to a
good quality DMU.
Enables DMU to be used as
Master/Reference for engineering
design.
Eliminate delays in supply to
downstream applications/departments etc.
Minimise data exchange Unwanted
construction references (standalone
www.ied.org.uk
Factors affecting data quality
Defective data can be attributed to a
number of factors. A few of them are
listed below:
Improper modelling practices;
Lack of communication of methods;
Non conformance to generic
methodologies;
Neglecting the enforcement of quality
standards;
Time pressures to complete the work;
Too many data translations;
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CAD
Image 1: Non continuous edge.
elements) can be automatically removed
and layering conventions validated. This
standardised data format would reduce
the size of the model which can now be
moved faster through the data exchange
process.
Reduces time for correction, clean up
and rework The quality checks on the
data are to be done concurrently with the
modelling/design activity in order to
reduce the rework for model correction at
the time of storing data to the database.
If errors are detected late in the
modelling/design stage, an increased
workload results from the required
corrections.
Reduces the difficulties encountered
during rapid prototyping, NC code
generation and tool design. A model with
no geometry (surface) errors will be a
good starting point for the manufacturing
process.
Reduced data size, resulting in less
required storage space, easy handling and
use of the data.
Image 2: Overlapping surface.
Improved machine performance Clean
and reduced data size models can be
activated in the CAD system in less time
thus improving the system performance.
Some examples of the geometry errors,
which are difficult to get by manual check,
are easily detected by a checktool (see
images 1-3).
Image 3: Tiny edge.
discretion of the designer or the company
policy to use this data for subsequent
work.
Integration of quality checktool
with the database.
Data must be checked for errors before
storing in database and if no errors are
detected only then should data be
checked-in. It must be automatically
verified during the check-in process that a
report file exists for the model and there
are no errors or warnings, which will affect
the down stream process. Additionally, it
is important to verify the following points:
The latest version of the model is
checked and the same is stored in the
database;
The model is checked using latest
version of the check profile;
Report file has not been tampered with.
Models without a valid check must be
rejected.
A check profile is a set of standard rules
against which the model is checked.
Legacy data
Whenever legacy data (older versions of
CAD or different CAD software) is to be
used, it is necessary that the original
model itself has been through a quality
check process. The conversion process for
the transfer of such data into the current
software might result in a loss of
elements. Concessions may need to be
made as regards to the data quality. If an
automated tool is used to check the
quality of data, there is every possibility of
it passing quality check, though the data
might be incomplete.
When automating checking of
converted legacy data, it is at the
A definition of quality
CAD data quality plays an important part in today's modern
design environment, where the emphasis is on front loading
the design effort in order to accelerate the design process and
minimise iterations and maximise optimisation and innovation.
The focus must always be on virtual simulation of the complete
design in order to understand the complex integration tasks.
With data arriving into the digital mock-up from a globally
dispersed design community, including industrial partners,
suppliers and sub-contractors, it is imperative that the CAD data
is of the right quality in order for it to serve any useful purpose.
Just as in the real world where the component being
assembled into an aircraft, for example, must have undergone
stringent quality checks and approvals, then so must the CAD
data that is to make up the DMU.
CAD data quality falls into two main categories: Conformance
to pre-defined standards and geometric integrity, failure in either
of the categories will cause the DMU to be inaccurate and not
fulfil its task, leading to expensive reworks in real life.
expected to meet. This is so that every designer knows what to
expect and look for when viewing the data or DMU. Failure to
respect standards may lead to some data not being visible or
interpreted wrongly, other cases may lead to downstream
processes or drawing creation failing. It is important that
everyone (worldwide) knows the standard and adheres to it.
Education of this is important. Once methods are set, they need
to be widely communicated, checked and updated.
2. Geometric integrity
No less important is the actual geometric quality of the CAD
data, where bad modelling practices or corner cutting leads to
imperfections in the topology of the part. This in turn has knock
on effects wherever the part is replicated or used. Most
common is surfaces that have small gaps, or faces that do not
intersect. Faults in the topology can also be caused if the data
has been imported from another CAD system, via a translation,
where the other system will have incompatible tolerances.
Companies and organisations are now beginning to recognise
the cost and impact to their businesses if the data quality
requirements are not met, and so are dictating that we put great
importance on getting this quality right.
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1. Conformance to standards
All companies define standards to which their CAD data is
engineering designer May/June 2005

CAD
launched automatically and the report file
is generated.
The check tool can be run in batch
mode for a set of models. Third parties or
bureaus can also be used to ease the
workload of checking.
Other advantages of good quality
CAD data.
Increase importance of DMU, up-to-
date and correct;
Increase concurrency, hence parallel
processing of data. This leads to shorter
product development time;
Eliminates poor quality rippling into
down stream processes. For example in
production, delivery to final assembly line
etc.
The use of CAD data in the engineering
industries is extensive. The overriding
concern within the engineering
community is minimising overheads whilst
maintaining quality. This is done through
several different methods in procurement,
production and design. The quality of CAD
data is important for all these areas as it
impacts them in different ways.
Not all the work can be automated
though and the human checker is still
required for some checks. There needs to
be a balance between man and machine.
The checking tool should be intregal to the
checking process in such a way that it is
not abused by the users.
It is the requirement of the current time
and of industry to integrate the CAD
software, automatic check tool and PDM
system into one package for seamless
flow of design data from concept to
market.
Figure 1.
Figure 2.
Different check profiles can be prepared
for various projects and the status of the
model. A typical project will have
scheme, inwork and release profiles.
During the checking process of a
model, the profile can be selected
automatically (model type profile)
depending on the part number.
The general concept is shown in Figure
1. The check tool can be launched from
CAD software or externally. Internal
designers should launch the check tools
manually. The check results are stored in
a report file. During the check-in process
in the database this report file is analysed
by the script in order to decide if model
can be accepted. The report file can be
linked to the model or deleted after the
model is stored in the database.
It is very important that, the process for
the internal designer is kept manual. This
saves clogging the database with
substandard quality models. When the
designer fixes the errors, he will be
aware of the corrections made. The
errors will not be repeated in subsequent
models.
product lifecycle the components are
designed in one country, manufactured in
another and assembled/tested
somewhere else. Figure 1 shows the
process to be followed for the supplier
with a direct database access link.
A drop server or a supplier portal can
be used for the suppliers without access
to the database server. Web based
applications can be interfaced with the
report checker and the drop server to
check-in the correct data. (see Figure 2.)
The latest revision of the check profile
can be made available on drop server for
the suppliers. When a profile is updated
different actions have to be taken
depending upon the severity of the
change. For major revision changes it will
be impossible to accept a model checked
with an old profile revision. However, for
minor updates a limited amount of time
can be made available where models
checked with both the profiles are
accepted. Synchronisation has to take
place between check profile deployment
and new models generated.
It is not always necessary that the
supplier has to have the check tool. The
check tool can be embedded in the drop
server whenever any part is checked-in to
the drop server. The check tool is
About the authors
Martin Horwood is a lead engineer at
Airbus UK with over 15 years experience
in CAD/PDM. He is currently responsible
for CAD capability at Airbus UK, covering
all aspects of methods development and
application of the use of CAD
techniques. Martin is also part of the
transnational Airbus team, harmonising
methods and processes across the
whole Airbus company.
Sanjay Kulkarni is a project manager at
Infosys Technologies, Bangalore, India.
He has wide experience in the area of
product design in different domains.
Currently he is working at Airbus UK as a
consultant. The article depicts his
personal views and not of Infosys
Technologies.
www.ied.org.uk
Integration with external suppliers.
The external supplier is an extended arm
of the design organisation. In a typical
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