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To achieve desired results in a fast and easy way the input data should be prepared properly.
Well designed 3D components (within 3D assemblies) containing all the required and useful information could prevent necessity of manual editing in Step 2 and so simplify the data processing in Smap3D PCFExport significantly.
In addition to correct geometry and all the file and occurrence properties and attributes, 3D components can contain various coordinate systems which can be recognized and processed by Smap3D PCFExport.
All the coordinate system described
below can be indexed, i.e. an index (integer value recommended) can be
added to the coordinate system name. The name and index should be separated
with underscore (e.g. CO_ORDS_2).
Since the names of coordinate
systems and features are often very similar and could be mistaken, all
the features (CAD and PCF) in the following text are held in italics.
These coordinate systems are necessary for the components to get used by Smap3D Piping (see details here).
Based on OUTPUT_POINT Smap3D PCFExport can get following features:
Position
for END-POINT,
BRANCH-POINT and CENTRE-POINT
Direction
for END-POINT and BRANCH-POINT.
The X-axis of OUTPUT_POINT
coordinate system determines the
direction.
SN
(Sequence Number)
for END-POINT and BRANCH-POINT.
The number is obtained from the coordinate
systems index (in case there is no Piping stream in the component
file).
End Treatment
for END-POINT
and BRANCH-POINT.
If there is neither Piping stream nor ISO_CONNECTION property
present in the component file, End
Treatment can be determined from the coordinate system name as
follows:
If there is no End Treatment
information in the coordinate system name End Treatment is set
to Butt weld.
This coordinate system should be included especially for non-symmetric components.
Symmetrical components does not require such a coordinate system since the CENTRE-POINT feature can be computed correctly from its END-POINTs.
Since there is just one coordination system (or more precisely a pair
of coordinate systems) required for a finishing component (blind flange,
cap, etc.) to work correctly with Smap3D
Piping there might be information missing for further processing.
This situation can be solved using the Blind flange/cap default size setting
(see PCF
Options for details) or preferably by adding a TAPPING_POINT
coordinate system to the component.
Its base point should be positioned at the end of the 3D geometry opposite to the INPUT_POINT.
Orientation is arbitrary. See details on finishing components here.
Both spellings TAPPING_POINT
and TAPING_POINT are acceptable.
This special coordinate system can be recognized by Smap3D
PCFExport in case it is positioned on a pipeline
path 
or when it is included in a
component recognized by another coordinate system positioned on a pipeline
path.
In combination with proper custom properties (and their values) the CO_ORDS coordinate system can represent various components and special elements such as supports, split points, etc.
Examples:
A Support component within a Piping assembly
should fulfill following criteria:
appropriate solid body (not necessary for Smap3D
PCFExport)
CO_ORDS coordinate system placed with its base
point or better with its X-axis on the pipeline path of the supported
pipe
custom property SKEY with proper value
A Split point (a point where the drawing
should be split when divided into more drawings) component should contain
the following features:
CO_ORDS coordinate system placed with its base
point on a pipeline path
custom property ComponentType with value of ISO_SPLIT_POINT
A split point can be also created using a component containing SPLIT_POINT coordinate system (placed with its base point on a pipeline path).
Such a component must also have the custom property ComponentType with the value of ISO_SPLIT_POINT.
There must also exist an output mapping of the SPLIT_POINT (CAD feature) to CO_ORDS (PCF feature).
For
proper function split point must be placed between components (or pipes)
not inside them!
A spindle direction of a valve is computed from the positions of CENTRE-POINT (if CENTRE_POINT coordinate system is missing, it is computed in the middle of a line between the end points) and SPINDLE_DIRECTION.
X-axis of the SPINDLE_DIRECTION coordinate system should point in the desired spindle direction.
Alternatively, custom property of the same name and value of UP, DOWN, NORTH, EAST, SOUTH, WEST sets the direction.
WINDOW_DIRECTION
Direction of an instrument's dial, display, etc.
The direction is computed from the positions of CENTRE-POINT (if CENTRE_POINT coordinate system is missing, it is computed in the middle of a line between the end points) and WINDOW_DIRECTION.
The spatial orientation (rotation) of the WINDOW_DIRECTION has no effect.
SLIP_PLATE_TAIL_DIRECTION
Direction of the remaining (not used) part of spectacle blind flange (blind or through opening).
The direction is computed from the positions of CENTRE-POINT (if CENTRE_POINT coordinate system is missing, it is computed in the middle of a line between the end points) and SLIP_PLATE_TAIL_DIRECTION.
The spatial orientation (rotation) of the SLIP_PLATE_TAIL_DIRECTION has no effect.
The direction of a support is defined by the position of its SUPPORT_DIRECTION relative to CO_ORDS coordinate system.
The spatial orientation (rotation) of the SUPPORT_DIRECTION has no effect.
Alternatively, custom property of the same name and value of UP, DOWN, NORTH, EAST, SOUTH, WEST sets the direction.
These coordinate systems have no hard-coded usage, but since they can be recognized by Smap3D PCFExport (in case they are positioned on a pipeline path or included in a component recognized in an other way) they can be further processed (e.g. renamed or mapped to some PCF data).
Once a component is recognized by Smap3D PCFExport (typically, due to a coordinate system positioned on a pipeline path), its future representation can be specified in detail via its content - attributes, occurrence properties and file properties.
These are displayed as features in Step 2.
Some of the significant features are described below.
It does not matter if they are obtained from the file property, by manual editing, or via feature overrides.
Generally, any file property
within a component recognized by Smap3D
PCFExport can have an influence on resulting
PCF file in case it is mapped to some PCF feature (see Output
mappings).
Defines SKEY (Symbol Key) for the component.
Defines component's category, i.e. where the component is assembled with other components.
Supported values are FABRICATION, ERECTION, and OFFSHORE.
Typically gaskets and bolts
(fasteners) should have ERECTION category set automatically (e.g. via
feature overrides).
See also category influence
on welds.
This custom property defines the component's detail sketch.
File name of a file containing the sketch should be set as the property value.
This property affects (with priority of file property) the ComponentType feature.
Supported values are available here.
Presence of this property and its value can determine End Treatment of the components endpoints.
End Treatment can be obtained from the following sources (ordered from
the highest priority to the lowest priority):
user defined - value edited by a user in Step
2
ISO_CONNECTION_n - defines
specific End
Treatment for the endpoint with SN (Sequence Number) N
ISO_CONNECTION - defines
End Treatment
common for all the component's endpoints
CSInfo - custom properties containing information incidental
to specific coordinate
systems
Piping stream - information within the component
This property defines specific Gender for the endpoint with SN (Sequence Number) N.
MALE or FEMALE can be set as a valid value.
Using this custom property it is possible to assign Diameter for all the component END-POINTs and BRANCH-POINTs.
When the property name contains an index (ISO_NOMINALDIAMETER_n), diameter is set only for the END-POINT or BRANCH-POINT with SN (Sequence Number) matching the index.
Units of the entered values
should match the units selected as Bore units in PCF
options.
These properties provide offset to the model origin.
The values specify the offset in meters.
If a pipeline path (!) has this property, all the relevant welds take SKEY from its value.
Setting weld SKEY in this way
overrides the Default weld SKEY
setting.
A message (property value) can be set for all the welds related to the pipeline path with this property.
Using this property an arbitrary text (value) can be added for the respective component.
If there are several CAD features
mapped to the MESSAGE (PCF) feature (see Output
Mappings for details) the resulting message will
contain all the available values.
If it is a custom property of a valve part, it defines SKEY (or symbol respectively) for the valve spindle.