Architecture

TASverter converts a model from one format to another format with a STEP-TAS  dataset or repository as internal intermediate storage. The TASverter design is based around two types of modules:

• Readers of Model or results data.
• Writers of Model or results data.

This release of TASverter contains modules for reading and writing Model data, but future releases of TASverter will also offer modules for reading and writing results data. A reader module processes the source model (or results data) and converts it into an internal STEP-TAS  representation. A writer module takes the internal form and converts it into the specific tool format required by the destination model. If necessary, unit conversion and node renumbering can be applied during reading or writing. The general data flow that TASverter performs during conversion is shown below.

Figure 1: General data conversion flow with TASverter

TASverter is written in Python and its main modules can be divided into two basic categories:

• Tool specific part: These modules are designed to read and write models and data supported by particular tools. These modules have to make use of elements and functions of the generic STEP-TAS  part, e.g. to construct the STEP-TAS  representation of the model or data.

• Generic STEP-TAS  part: The core module in this category is automatically generated from the STEP-TAS  data definition. Other modules provide facilities to simplify accessing and generating data items in the STEP-TAS  dataset, and functions to read and write STEP-TAS  files in the so-called  STEP Part 21 format (defined in ISO 10303-21:2002). Additional modules deal with generic functionality such as unit conversion and renumbering.

Reader modules are currently available for the following data formats ("Format A" in the figure above):

• ESARAD geometry (erg), version 5.1
• THERMICA SYSBAS, version 3.2
• THERMICA VIF, version 3.2
• TRASYS inp file
• NASTRAN BDF file version 2005
• ESATAN GFF results

Writer modules are currently available for the following data formats ("Format B" in the figure above):

• ESARAD geometry (erg), version 5.1
• THERMICA SYSBAS version 3.2
• TRASYS inp file
• MSC.PATRAN session file version 2003
• MSC.PATRAN nodal results
• comma separated values

Models can also be read and written using the "internal" STEP-TAS  format: the so-called  Part 21 format. However, users should be aware that although every effort is being made to freeze individual areas of the STEP-TAS  protocol when that area of functionality is released, these Part 21 files should not be used for the long term archiving of model data until the complete STEP-TAS  protocol is finally frozen.

The conversion between THERMICA and ESARAD is currently limited to the geometrical definitions with thermal node meshing and thermo-optical  properties. Future releases will extend this to include the mission definitions and kinematics. The links to the following sections provide more information about what is actually supported in the ESARAD and THERMICA models, and about the formats currently handled by TASverter.

• ESARAD Geometry Conversion
• THERMICA Geometry Conversion
• TRASYS Geometry Conversion
• NASTRAN Geometry Conversion
• STEP-TAS  Part 21 Interface
• Other Interfaces

ESATAN and SINDA thermal mathematical models are not currently handled, although future releases of TASverter are planned to address these formats.