Often a traditional design procedure is used where a designer sketches results which are based on computer applications and transmits this information via hardcopy to a drafter, who reenters it into acad system. the inefficiencies are clear and an obvious opportunityexists for productive gain. recent work by the wyoming highway department (whd) has shown that productivity ratios can exceed more than20:1 by linking design applications directly with cad. a graphics library (uwgraph) has been developed to facilitate this linkage. uwgraph is used in conjunction with a design application which performs engineering calculations and/or drawing parameterization. herein, parameterization refers to the determination of the required dimensions to completely define an engineering drawing. uwgraph links to three graphic formats commonly use in engineering, iges, igds and gks, in one application program. the flexibility and familiarity of fortran is combined with the tools necessary to produce graphics files automatically. the library is based on the graphics entities required for structural drafting. uwgraph simplifies and unifies the subroutine calls by combining low-level calls to produce graphical entities useful in engineering drawing, e.g. dimensions, notes, etc. the uwgraph scope is directed toward bridge engineering but easily spans other disciplines. this paper appears in transportation research record no. 1290, third bridge engineering conference, march 10-13, 1991, denver, colorado, volume 1.
Abstract