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Manual

Manual

4.2.4.  LOD (Level of Detail)

Within architectural / BIM catalogs the topic LOD (Level of Detail) is especially important - parallel to the known „mechanical LOD’s“ high / medium / low for AEC / BIM an own system is existing with the schema 100 / 200 / 300 / 350 / 400 / 500 – this will be described further below. Beside LOD (=Level of Detail) often the terms “Level of Development” or “Level of information” (=LOI) occur in the BIM market. In the CADENAS catalogs these concepts were put together.

LOD control variables

  • When creating a new project, please use the template Template for 3D project with LOD

    as of V10 SP10 to V11 SP2

    as of V10 SP10 to V11 SP2

    or Template for 3D project with LOD (AEC – Z-axis on top) (default Architecture) / Template for 3D project with LOD (MEC – Y-axis on top) (default Mechanical).

    as of V11 SP3

    as of V11 SP3

    In doing so the LOD control variables are created in PARTdesigner „by default“ and later will be available in PARTdataManager.

  • If an existing project should be extended with the LOD control variables, please right-click on the project / folder in PARTproject and run the command Automation > Add LOD Variables. (By default, available in V11 or as of V10 SP10 after installation of a special plugin. Should you need this plugin, please write an e-mail to catalogs@cadenas.de.)

    In the following window you can select which LOD levels should be set up for mechanical or architectural target systems.

    Further below in this document you will find assistance if you are not yet familiar with the selection of LOD levels.

    [Note] Note

    Details on this can be found under Section 7.7.2.1.15.12, “ Add LOD Variables ”.

Via both ways in the project table, the two LOD control variables LODDEST and LODLEVEL will be available:

  • With the variable LODDEST at first the primary target market can be selected

  • Depending on this, the value range LODLEVEL will show the known levels high / medium / low from mechanical market or the stages 100-500 from the architectural branch (depending on how many stages were set up).

  • In the further creation process, the modeler has to connect the different detailed models with the corresponding LOD stage by himself. This will happen with known and existing eCAT features.

  • The LOD*** algorithms, which also will be added automatically in the project table, have to remain untouched.

[Note] Note

CADENAS has decided because of technical reasons to go for this new LOD concept (using value ranges). The “old” LOD functionality (button in the toolbar) will now longer be focussed and be removed in the software during next releases.

Definition of the LOD stages

The LOD definition is a very big knowledge and discussion ground. It is not target of this guideline to give an overload of information – instead of it a very simple instruction / imagination shall be given on how to set up the LOD levels for MEC / AEC.

AEC LOD 100
  • No 3D representation

  • Representation only via 2D drawing

  • Drawing format must be 2DB

AEC LOD 200
  • Representation as bounding box, e.g. cylinder or cuboid

AEC LOD 300 = MEC LOD Low
  • Representation as a simple 3D model, without internal geometry, negative solids or cosmetic elements (like e.g. labels)

  • Equals the typical, mechanical LOD Low

AEC LOD 350 = MEC LOD 350
  • Representation as medium-detailed 3D model, simple cut-bodies are allowed

  • No cosmetic elements or labels

  • Equals the typical, mechanical LOD Medium

AEC LOD 400 = MEC LOD High
  • Representation as high-detailed 3D model, cut-bodies and cosmetic elements are allowed

  • equals the typical, mechanical LOD High

AEC LOD 500 / 600 / 700
  • LOD stages higher than 400 are not specified from CADENAS yet

[Note] Note

Usually / in the today’s familiar part selection process, the user selected only one LOD stage for his purpose and exported it. In the future BIM process, it will be required, that all LOD stages are exported at once as a “package”. But This functionality is not yet available (02/2017).