Utilizing Adobe 3D Technology, 3D PDF took third place for “Coolest New Apps at AU 2012”.

Adobe® Acrobat® is a universal standard across all platforms of business, and Acrobat® XI Pro offers the most up-to-date cool tools for AEC stakeholders. With 3DA’s hottest new development to date with use of Adobe® 3D PDF Technology; allowing users to share information more securely from Autodesk® Revit®. 3DA System’s PRC supports PDF-based documentation workflows and can also be used as an independent, 3D visualization file format. By using PRC, documents can be created that are interoperable with Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) and Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) applications. PRC supports documentation requirements for design reviews, as well as distribution of detailed design documentation to supply chains. In addition, its use can help support regulatory mandates which require the use of open standards.

 

The benefits of using PRC in AEC documentation

 

Specifically, PRC supports the following data forms:

 

•      Allows storage of large CAD files in a highly compressible form that is a fraction of the original size. The complete product structure of the parts defined by the CAD system is contained in a PRC file.

•      Can represent Product Manufacturing Information (PMI), which includes Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) and Functional Tolerancing and Annotation (FT&A).

•      Allows geometry use in CAD, CAM, and CAE applications. The geometry can be stored in either a tessellated or precise form.

 

The PRC specification is currently published by 3DA for Autodesk® Revit®, and its development as a formal standard will help extend its functionality for use within 3D documentation AEC workflows. This current release of PRC to ISO supports Adobe’s commitment to open standards, and follows the release of PDF to ISO (ISO 32000). PRC is currently used in 3D documentation workflows for several large industries, including architecture, aerospace, and automotive. The manufacturing industry has come to rely on PDF for the exchange of manufacturing documentation, distribution of service and parts manuals, and capture and submission of regulatory documentation.

 

3DA has open new opportunities because it will broaden adoption and acceptance of PRC, accelerate new solutions for development, and ensure greater interoperability among PDF implementations for 3D-enabled AEC workflows. A PRC file is a sequential binary file, written in a portable way. PRC files can be constructed to contain only a visual representation of a 3D model that consists of polygons, or it can be constructed to retain more accurate model geometry. PRC can be compressed to various levels during conversion to decrease file size.

 

3DA’s Converter for Revit use PRC to store 3D data

 

Most of the main constructs of CAD system formats are supported by the PRC format:

 

•      Assembly and part relationships among 3D entities

•      Precise geometry representation (B-Rep)