CAD Data Integration

CAD Data Integration#

For many machine builders and engineering companies, CAD data is a central part of the Digital Twin. While the Asset Administration Shell (AAS) provides a standardized framework for Digital Twins, many organizations in this domain lack deep IT expertise to integrate CAD models effectively. BaSyx addresses this challenge by making CAD data integration simple, standardized, and directly usable inside the AAS ecosystem.

As per AAS specification, all files (including CAD files) are represented as SubmodelElements of the type File. BaSyx implements this according to Part 1 of the AAS specification leveraging the meta model implementation provided by Eclipse AAS4J. In addition, BaSyx offers the standardized /attachment endpoints for easy file upload and download according to the AAS specification Part 2.

CAD Support in BaSyx#

BaSyx goes beyond the basic AAS specification by providing specialized support for CAD files. This includes:

  • Visualization Panel in BaSyx AAS Web UI: The BaSyx AAS Web UI includes a dedicated visualization panel that can render CAD files directly within the browser. This panel supports common CAD formats such as STL, OBJ and glTF, allowing users to visualize 3D models without needing specialized software. Other file formats are supported as well, but not visualized.

    ../../../_images/cad_visualization_panel.png

    Visualization of a CAD model in the BaSyx AAS Web UI Visualization Panel.#

  • Easy Integration: The integration of CAD files into the AAS is straightforward. Users can upload CAD files via the /attachment endpoint. Uploaded files are automatically linked to the corresponding File SubmodelElement. But don’t worry, the BaSyx AAS Web UI supports this endpoint out of the box, so you can upload CAD files directly via the web interface.

  • Standardized Access: Once integrated, CAD files can be accessed and managed using standard AAS operations, making it easy to incorporate them into broader Digital Twin applications. This also includes downloading the files via the /attachment endpoint. THe BaSyx Web UI offers aconvenient download button for this purpose.

Note

An example setup can be found in the Examples on GitHub. Feel free to try it out yourself!

Example Workflow#

  1. Create or select an AAS Submodel in the BaSyx AAS Web UI

  2. Add a File Submodel Element for the CAD file

    ../../../_images/add_sme.png

    Adding a Submodel Element.#

    ../../../_images/add_file_sme.png

    Adding a File Submodel Element.#

  3. Upload a CAD file via the AAS Editor (drag & drop or file selection)

    ../../../_images/cad_upload.png

    Uploading a CAD file.#

  4. Preview the model in the Web UI (if supported format)

  5. Distribute or share the CAD file through the AAS interfaces (attachment endpoints)

    ../../../_images/cad_download.png

    Downloading a CAD file.#

  6. Share the AAS including the CAD file using the standardized AASX file format by downloading the AAS

    ../../../_images/aas_download.png

    Downloading an AAS including the CAD file.#

Warning

Some content types may not be recognized automatically by the browser when uploading CAD files. In this case, you can manually set the content type in the AAS Editor after uploading the file. Those are the most common content types for CAD files:

File Extension

Content Type

.stl

application/sla

.obj

application/obj

.gltf

model/gltf+json

.step/.stp

model/step

Changing the content type

Real-World application scenarios#

Of course, adding CAD files into file SubmodelElements is only the last step of a complete digital twin solution leveraging the AAS for CAD data. Typical real-world scenarios would include those files as part of standardized submodel templates by the IDTA (Industrial Digital Twin Association). Examples are:

  • Handover Documentation (IDTA 02004): Machine builders can include CAD files in handover documentation submodels, allowing for a standardized way to provide information or documentation for an asset.

  • Provision of 3D Models (IDTA 02026-1-0): Providing 3D models of machinery or components for maintenance, repair, or training purposes, including relevant metadata to find and use the models effectively.

Additional Resources#

For more information about file integrations with BaSyx: