Intergraph Reader

Supported Entities

Entities supported by the Intergraph reader.
Systems
The following systems, listed in hierarchical order, are supported and created as assemblies or components, when @CreationType = TreeOfComponents.
  • Generic systems. One assembly is created for each generic system.
    • Root systems. One assembly is created for each root system.
      • Plate systems. One component is created for each plate system.
      • Stiffener systems. By default one or more components (depending on the properties you created) are created for each stiffener child geometry; this behavior can be changed based on the ini option @CreateMultipleComponentsForStiffeners.
      • ER systems. Same as stiffener systems.
    • Bracket systems. One assembly is created for each bracket system.
      • Bracket system child. One component is created for each bracket child.
      • Stiffener systems
    • Beam systems. Same as stiffener systems.
    • Member systems. By default one component is created for each member part; this behavior can change based on the ini option @CreateMultipleComponentsForLinearMembers.
When @CreationType is “Parts”, a corresponding tree is created but no assembly entities are created, parts are created instead. The components are also created.

When @CreationType is “BOM Only”, a corresponding tree is created with parts as in the previous case, but no components are actually created.

Compartments
By default, no compartments are imported. To import compartments, the @ImportCompartments or @ImportIGESCompartments ini options should be set.
Topological Properties
By default no topological properties are created; this behavior can change based on the ini option @ImportTopologicalProperties.
Plate Geometries
The following plate geometries are supported and created:
  • Planar
  • Curved
  • External (supported just in IGES format)
Stiffener/ER/Beam Systems Cross Section
The following stiffer/ER/beam system cross sections are supported and created:
  • Flat bar
  • Angle
  • TBar
  • IBar
  • Channel
  • Round
  • Rectangle
Linear Members
The only member parts that are imported have a straight NURBS as a contour 3D, and a cross section of type round.
Materials and Properties
By default, materials and properties are created for the Nastran solver; a different solver can be selected with the ini option @Solver.
The following properties are created:
  • For each plate system and bracket child system, a PSHELL property is created.
  • For stiffener/beam/ER system children, the behavior depends on the analysis type (global or local analysis, see “GUI Options”):
    • Local analysis: By default, a component and a PROD property are created for each ER system child, a component and a PSHELL property are created for each web and flange of stiffener/beam system children.
    • Global analysis: By default, a component and a PROD property are created for each stiffener/beam/ER system child; if it is longitudinal, then a PBAR property is also created.
By default these properties are assigned to the corresponding components; this behavior can be changed by using the ini option @AssignPropertiesToComponents.
When @CreationType is “Parts” the thickness (assigned to the PSHELL property) is also assigned to the part.
Materials are created for plate systems, bracket, stiffener, beam, and ER children; for the Nastran solver, the material created is of type MAT1.
When @CreationType is “Parts” the material is also assigned to the part.

Import Options

The Intergraph reader uses the intergraph_reader.ini file.
@AssignPropertiesToComponents
Value Description
on Assign properties to the corresponding component (for components which have more than one property, properties are not assigned).
off Do not assign properties to components (default).
@BodyIdAsMetadata
Value Description
on Assign body identifier as metadata.

BODY_ID
off Do not assign body identifier as metadata (default).
@CleanupTol
Value Description
double A negative value (default) indicates to use the auto cleanup tolerance. A value greater than the calculated auto cleanup tolerance indicates to use that specific tolerance. Refer to the CAD Cleanup Tolerance.
@CreateMetadataForStiffenerNormals
Value Description
on Attach some metadata with information about normals to stiffener/beam/ER systems.

START NORMAL, START POINT, END NORMAL, END POINT, MOUNTING RULE
off Do not attach metadata with information about normals to stiffeners/beam/ER systems (default).
@CreateMultipleComponentsForLinearMembers
Value Description
on Create one component for each member part (default).
off Group member parts belonging to the same member system based on thickness and diameter, that is, just one component is created for each set of data.
@CreateMultipleComponentsForStiffeners
Value Description
on Create one or more components for each stiffener/beam/ER geometry (one for each property; that is, if we have flange and web, then two different properties and components are created) (default).
off Group stiffener/beam/ER geometries belonging to the same root stiffener/beam/ER system based on their properties (that is, just one component is created for each set of property data).
@CreationType
Value Description
Parts Generate a full part-based hierarchy.
BOMOnly Generate an empty part-based hierarchy.
TreeOfComponents Generate an assemblies/components based hierarchy.
PackIntoSinglePart Consolidate hierarchy into a single part.
@DoNotMergeEdges
Value Description
on Preserve the original geometry edges, instead of merging them together during the import cleanup phase.
off Merge edges together during the import cleanup phase (default).
@ImportCompartments
Value Description
on Import both compartments in the IGES files, and compartments defined by “Faces”. The former by importing the geometry, the latter just by creating a metadata; also reference planes are created, because they can be referenced by compartments.
off Do not import any compartments (default).
@ImportIGESCompartments
Value Description
on Import compartments in the IGES files.
off Do not import any compartments in the IGES files (default).
@ImportPlateSystemMetadata
Value Description
on Create physical properties assigned in the XML to plate systems and bracket children as metadata.
off Do not import physical properties assigned in the XML to plate systems and bracket children (default).
@ImportStiffenerMidSurfaces
Value Description
on Create stiffener/beam/ER midsurfaces (instead of solid geometry) in both global and local analysis; also create landing curves in Global Analysis.
off Create stiffener/beam/ER solid geometry in local analysis, and landing curves in Global Analysis (default).
@ImportTopologicalProperties
Value Description
on Create reference planes and sketch contours, and attach metadata to the systems which own these properties (see Intergraph Metadata Suppport).
off Do not import topological property (default).
@LegacyHierarchyAsMetadata
Value Description
on Generate metadata with the original CAD hierarchy within the part.

LEGACY_HIERARCHY
off Do not generate metadata with the original CAD hierarchy within the part (default).
@MetadataPrefix
Value Description
string The string is prefixed to all metadata names. No prefix is used by default.

See CAD Metadata Naming for more details.
@PropertyName
Value Description
string Name of the properties created in HyperMesh. It can contain “special” strings that will be replaced with their meaning: <COMPONENT_NAME> is the name of the component to which the property is associated, <PROPERTY_CARD_NAME> is the name of the property card. Default is <COMPONENT_NAME>
@ScaleFactor
Value Description
double Define the model scaling factor during import.

Default is 1.0.
@Solver
Value Description
string Use to choose the solver for which materials and properties are created; currently this string can be “nastran” or “ansys”; the default solver is Nastran.
@SplitComponents
Value Description
Part Generate part-based component (only allowed value if CreationType=Parts).
General Keep component as in CAD (only allowed value if CreationType=TreeOfComponents).
@StiffenerJustCurves
Value Description
on Create only landing curves for stiffeners.
off Create the complete stiffener geometry (default).
@TargetUnits
Value Description
CAD units Keep the units of the CAD files (default for GUI).
MKS [m kg N s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
MMKS [mm kg N s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
MPA [mm t N s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
CGS [cm g dyn s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
MMKNMS [mm kg kN ms] Convert to the corresponding units system.
MMGNMS [mm g N ms] Convert to the corresponding units system.
IPS Std [in pounds lbf s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
IPS Grav [in slinch lbf s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
FPS Std [ft pounds lbf s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
FPS Grav [ft slug lbf s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
Scale factor Apply the corresponding scale factor (default for no GUI to allow supporting legacy scripts).

Supported Metadata

Metadata generated from the Intergraph reader.
BODY_ID
Type Entities Description
string
  • points
  • lines
  • surfs
 Identifier of the CAD body containing the entity.

Generated when @BodyIDAsMetadata=on
BRACKET SUPPORT
Type Entities Description
string assems

Created for each bracket system and associated to the bracket system assembly.

Its value is "Name = <name_1> ID = <id_1>; Name = <name_2> ID = <id_2>; …; Name = <name_n> ID = <id_n>”, where <name_1>, <name_2>, … <name_n> are the support names and <id_1>, <id_2>, …<id_n> are the support ids.
COMPARTMENT <name>
Type Entities Description
string assems

Created for each compartment which has a child of type “Faces” and is attached to the generic system assembly to which the compartment belongs to.

The <name> field is the name of the compartment; the value is “Faces = <id_1> <id_2>… <id_n> Compartment father = <id>”, where <id_1>, <id_2>…<id_n> are the ids of the faces, and <id> is the id of the compartment father if it exists (there could be a hierarchy of compartments).

Generated when @ImportCompartments = on.
END NORMAL
Type Entities Description
string comps

Created for ER systems in any case, and also for stiffener/beam systems in Global Analysis.

Its value is the normal direction of the stiffener at the landing curve end point.

Generated when @CreateMetadataForStiffenerNormals = on.
END POINT
Type Entities Description
string comps

Created for ER systems in any case, and also for stiffener/beam systems in Global Analysis.

Its value is the normal direction of the stiffener at the landing curve end point.

Generated when @CreateMetadataForStiffenerNormals = on.
LEGACY_HIERARCHY
Type Entities Description
string
  • points
  • lines
  • surfs
 Hierarchy of an entity within a part.

Generated when @LegacyHierarchyAsMetadata=on
MODELUNIT
Type Entities Description
integer
  • comps
  • parts
 Model units specified in the CAD file.
  • 6 = meters

This is always generated.
MOUNTING RULE
Type Entities Description
string comps

Created for ER systems in any case, and also for stiffener/beam systems in Global Analysis.

Its value is the mounting rule value as found in the XML.

Generated when @CreateMetadataForStiffenerNormals = on.
<name>
Type Entities Description

double

string

 assems

The attributes that are in the XML under “Details” are attached to the main ship assembly.

The <name> field is the attribute name and the double/string is the value of the attribute.

double

string

 comps
Physical Properties
Physical properties assigned in the XML to plate systems and bracket child are created as metadata.
The <name> field is the property name and the double/string is the property value.
Generated when @ ImportPlateSystemMetadata = on.
Molder Properties
Molded properties assigned in the XML to plate systems and bracket child are created as metadata.
The <name> field is the property name and the double/string is the property value.
NamingCategory
Type Entities Description
string

assems

comps

 Generated for root system assemblies, bracket system assemblies, stiffener/beam/ER components, and member part components. Its value is the the XML field NamingCategory -> LongDesc.
OBJECT TYPE
Type Entities Description
string

assems

comps

 Generated for root system assemblies, bracket system assemblies, and stiffener/beam/ER components. Its value can be:
  • RootSystem
  • BracketSystem
  • RootStiffenerSystem
  • RootBeamSystem
  • RootERSystem
PLANE NAME
Type Entities Description
string surfaces

Created for reference planes. Its value is the name of the reference plane as found in the XML.

Generated when @ImportTopologicalProperties = on or @ ImportCompartments = on.
REFERENCE PLANE <n>
Type Entities Description
string assems

Created for root systems, for each XML child of type TopologicalProperties -> Boundaries -> RefPlane (the number <n> is just the index of the child).

Its value is the value of this field.

Generated when @ImportTopologicalProperties = on.
REFERENCE STRUCTURE <n>
Type Entities Description
string assems

Created for root systems, for each XML child of type TopologicalProperties -> Boundaries -> ReferenceStruct (the number <n> is the index of the child).

Its value is the value of this field.

Generated when @ImportTopologicalProperties = on.
RootSystemID
Type Entities Description
string assems Generated for root system assemblies. Its value is the XML field OID.
START NORMAL
Type Entities Description
string comps

Created for ER systems in any case, and also for stiffener/beam systems in Global Analysis.

Its value is the normal direction of the stiffener at the landing curve start point.

Generated when @CreateMetadataForStiffenerNormals = on.
START POINT
Type Entities Description
string comps

Created for ER systems in any case, and also for stiffener/beam systems in Global Analysis.

Its value is the landing curve start point.

Generated when @CreateMetadataForStiffenerNormals = on.
STIFFENER TYPE
Type Entities Description
string comps

Created for each stiffener/beam/ER system component.

Its value is the XML field Molded -> Type.
XSECTION DATA
Type Entities Description
string comps

Created for ER systems and member parts in any case, and also for stiffener/beam systems in Global Analysis.

Its value contains the xsection geometrical data (different for each xsection type) in the form “<data name 1> = <data_value 1>  <data name 2> = <data value 2>… <data name n> = <data value n>”.