Plotting and Conversion

This chapter covers plotting SI Mechanical drawings and converting between various versions of SI Mechanical. Because of the range of plotting and conversion requirements, this information is meant primarily as a guide.

Plotting With SI Mechanical

This section provides general information on using a plotter to output SI Mechanical drawings. If you have questions about operating your plotter, contact its manufacturer.

Pen Assignments

Drawings created with SI Mechanical can be plotted on blank sheets or on preformatted vellum. The colors of entities in the drawing are used to control pen numbers. Only two pen widths are required to do a standard drawing. The following table shows the suggested pen width assignments:
Pen widths
Line weightPen width
Fine0.35mm (.014 inches)
Bold0.70mm (.028 inches)
The following table shows the recommended pen assignments based on the standard colors used by SI Mechanical:
Pen assignments
Layer color Pen number Line weight
Red1Fine
Yellow1Fine
Green1Fine
Cyan2Bold
Blue1Fine
Magenta1Fine
White2Bold

Plotting on Blank Sheets

The easiest way to plot a drawing in SI Mechanical is to plot the entire drawing, including the format. If you want an accurately scaled plot and your plotter can't draw to the edges of a sheet, you must use a sheet size that is larger than the format. You can trim off the excess paper after plotting.

As an example, you might want to plot an ISO A1size drawing that was setup at 1/2 scale. The finished size of an A1 size drawing is 841mm x 594mm. Assuming the plotter cannot plot to the edge of the sheet, you can use a slightly larger blank sheet or the next size up such as an A0.

The actual size sheet that you must use depends on your plotter. Given the preceding example, you'd plot the drawing limits at a scale of 1 plotted unit to 2 drawing units, using the standard pen assignments.

If SETUP was applied to the drawing with TILEMODE set to 0 then you will usually plot at a scale of 1 plotted unit to 1 drawing unit regardless of the scale that you chose during drawing set up.

Plotting on Preformatted Sheets

You can plot on a preformatted sheet that conforms to the formats in SI Mechanical. This method requires careful alignment of the paper in the plotter. The advantage is that it can save plotting time. When done correctly, all drawing text lines up with the title block.
  1. Determine how close the plotter can get to the lower left corner of the sheet.
    1. Plot a point at the 0,0 plotter origin on a blank sheet.
    2. Measure the X distance to the left edge of the sheet.
    3. Measure the Y distance to the bottom of the sheet.
  2. Insert a preformatted sheet into the plotter (note the exact alignment). You get the most consistent and desirable results if you take special care at this point in the procedure.
  3. If you have a parts list or revision block in the drawing, change it from the FMT layer to a new layer.
  4. Turn off the FMT layer in the drawing.
  5. Plot the drawing using a window. The lower left corner of the window is based on the X and Y measurements from the last plotted sheet, divided by the scale that was selected during the SETUP command (always use 1 if SETUP was done with TILEMODE set to 0). Assume that the measurements that you took are 20mm in the X direction and 25mm in the Y direction. To plot a 1/2 scale drawing, your window starts at 40,50. The upper right corner of the window encompasses as much of the drawing as possible.
Note: If you have a consistent problem with misalignment of text in the title block when you plot, adjust your X and Y measurements accordingly.

Converting Between Versions

Converting From Version 4.X

Drawings created with SI Mechanical 4.X will convert to 5.X drawings when they are first loaded. The following information applies:
  1. The new DPVAR variables will be added to the drawing. Any old and unused DPVAR variables from version 4.X will be ignored by version 5.X. Settings from some older variables will be transferred to any applicable new variables.
  2. Some items that were created with the HARDWARE command will be converted to a new type when they are edited. The HDWTRANS table is a conversion table that includes the reference between the old type and the new type.
  3. All items that were created with the HARDWARE, HOLE, and SHAFT commands will be converted to the current setting of the ITEMDSPL DPVAR variable when they are edited.
  4. Geometric tolerancing symbols that were created with the GEODIM command will be updated to the new standard when they are edited.

Converting To Version 4.X

Drawings created with SI Mechanical 5.X can be used with version 4.X under the following conditions and exceptions:
  1. You should run the RFDPVAR command to automatically add any older DPVAR variables to the drawing. The new and unused DPVAR variables from version 5.X will be ignored.
  2. Items created with the HARDWARE, HOLE, and SHAFT commands will change views when edited. You must specify the correct view in the dialogue box.
  3. Some items that were created with the HARDWARE command are not in the 4.X databases and cannot be edited or labeled.
  4. Geometric tolerancing symbols that were created with the GEODIM command must be exploded to edit them.

Converting From Version 3.X

Drawings created with ANSI Mechanical 3.X are handled with the same conditions as drawings created with SI Mechanical 4.X.

Converting To Version 3.X

Drawings created with SI Mechanical 5.X can be used with version 3.X and AutoCAD R12 under the following conditions and exceptions:
  1. Drawings must first be saved as R12 drawings from within AutoCAD R13 before they are loaded into AutoCAD R12.
  2. You should run the RFDPVAR command to automatically add any older DPVAR variables to the drawing. The new and unused DPVAR variables from version 5.X will be ignored.
  3. Items created with the HARDWARE and HOLE commands will change views when edited. You must specify the correct view in the dialogue box.
  4. Some items that were created with the HARDWARE command are not in the 3.X databases and cannot be edited or labeled.
  5. Geometric tolerancing symbols that were created with the GEODIM command must be exploded to edit them.
  6. Part list blocks will have to be purged to use the APTLST, PTLST, or REVS command with version 3.X.

Converting From Version 2.X

Drawings created with ANSI Mechanical 2.X will convert to 5.X drawings when they are first loaded. The following information applies:
  1. The new DPVAR variables will be added to the drawing. Any old and unused DPVAR variables from version 2.X will be ignored by version 5.X.
  2. Items that were created with the HOLE command are converted to the new symbol format when they are edited.
  3. Geometric tolerancing symbols that were created with the GEODIM command will be updated to the new standard when they are edited.
  4. Version 2.X did not store default setup parameters. The first time that you change the format size or scale with the SETUP command, the default format parameters will show up incorrectly.

Converting To Version 2.X

Drawings created with SI Mechanical 5.X can be used with version 2.X and AutoCAD R11 under the following conditions and exceptions:
  1. Drawings must first be saved as R12 drawings from within AutoCAD R13 before they are loaded into AutoCAD R12.
  2. You should run the RFDPVAR command to automatically add any older DPVAR variables to the drawing. The new and unused DPVAR variables from version 5.X will be ignored.
  3. Items created with the HARDWARE and HOLE commands will change views when edited. You must specify the correct view in the dialogue box.
  4. Many items that were created with the HARDWARE command are not in the 2.X databases and cannot be edited or labeled.
  5. Items that were created with the HOLE command cannot be edited or labeled.
  6. Geometric tolerancing symbols that were created with the GEODIM command must be exploded to edit them.
  7. Welding symbols that have a stagger must be exploded to edit them.
  8. Revision and part list blocks will have to be purged to use the APTLST, PTLST, or REVS command.

Converting From Version 1.X

Drawings created with ANSI Mechanical 1.X can be used with version 5.X with the following exceptions:
  1. Symbols created with version 1.X using the GEODIM, WELDIM, and SURFDIM commands can only be edited with AutoCAD commands. SYMCHG and SYMUPD will not work on them.
  2. Version 1.X did not store default setup parameters. The first time that you change the format size or scale with the SETUP command, the default format parameters will show up incorrectly.

Converting To Version 1.X

Drawings created with SI Mechanical 5.X can be used with version 1.X and AutoCAD R10 under the following conditions:
  1. Drawings must first be saved as R12 drawings from within AutoCAD R13 before they are loaded into AutoCAD R12.
  2. Drawings created with AutoCAD R12 are not directly compatible with AutoCAD R10. You will have to use the DXFOUT command while in AutoCAD R12. The DXFIX routine is needed to make the DXF file compatible with AutoCAD R10.
  3. Symbols that were created with the GEODIM, HARDWARE, HOLE, SURFDIM, and WELDIM commands will lose the extended data and will have to be exploded to be edited.
  4. Revision and part list blocks will have to be purged to use the APTLST, PTLST, or REVS command.

IGES Compatibility

The GEODIM command uses the ASME Y14.5 1994 symbol set. No standard font supports the complete 1994 symbol set. GEODIM uses the GDTSYM bigfont file to display the symbols. SI Mechanical will append the GDTSYM font to any text style used to create geometric tolerancing symbols.

Geometric tolerancing symbols from SI Mechanical will transfer, but the symbols will not display correctly in the feature control frames. You will have to manually correct the symbol once the drawing has been transferred.

Block Compatibility

SI Mechanical has a feature that allows it to operate on drawings or items created by other applications or created using basic AutoCAD. A tag translation table allows SI Mechanical to recognize other attributes (see Tag Translation Table in the Customizing section of this manual).

The BLKCHK DPVAR variable is used to specify the name of a compatibility module that checks items edited with the SYMCHG or SYMUPD command. These modules are available to those upgrading to SI Mechanical from other AutoCAD third party applications.

Hardware Compatibility

A hardware type translation table allows SI Mechanical to convert an unknown hardware type to another type (see Hardware Translation Table in the Customizing section of this manual). The names of some hardware types have changed from earlier versions of SI Mechanical. The hardware translation table converts any old name to a new name when any old hardware item is selected.