Glossary¶
Last updated: March 2026 Shared terminology used across all TextCAD projects. When writing documentation, always use these definitions for consistency.
Engineering Workflow Terms¶
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| NX | Siemens NX (formerly Unigraphics). The primary CAD software used by target customers. Used for 3D part and assembly modelling and 2D drawing creation. |
| Teamcenter | Siemens PLM system used alongside NX for managing part revisions, releases, datasets, and workflows. The "source of truth" for engineering data in target companies. |
| PLM | Product Lifecycle Management. The system (usually Teamcenter) that manages the full history of a product from design to release. Contains item revisions, release states, datasets, and BOM. |
| CAD | Computer-Aided Design. 3D modelling software (NX, CATIA, SolidWorks, CREO). |
| CAE | Computer-Aided Engineering. Simulation and analysis software (ANSYS, Nastran, OptiStruct, Abaqus). |
| CAM | Computer-Aided Manufacturing. Toolpath generation software. |
| Item Revision | A specific version of a part or assembly in Teamcenter (e.g., Rev A, Rev B). The fundamental traceable unit. |
| Dataset | A file attached to an Item Revision in Teamcenter (e.g., the NX CAD file, the drawing PDF, a review report). |
| BOM | Bill of Materials. The hierarchical list of all parts and assemblies that make up a product. |
| GD&T | Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing. The language of engineering drawings — specifies geometry, dimensions, and allowable variation using ISO or ASME symbols. |
| STEP | Standard for the Exchange of Product Data (ISO 10303). Neutral CAD exchange format (.step / .stp). Used when translating between CAD systems. |
| IGES | Initial Graphics Exchange Specification. Older neutral CAD format. Less preferred than STEP. |
| MBD | Model-Based Definition. The practice of embedding all engineering information (dimensions, tolerances, notes) directly in the 3D model rather than a 2D drawing. Still emerging; 2D drawings remain dominant. |
| DFM | Design for Manufacturability. The process of reviewing whether a design can be manufactured reliably, affordably, and at the required quality. Different from drawing compliance. |
| DFE | Design for Engineering. Broad term for designing with downstream manufacturing and assembly in mind. |
| FEA | Finite Element Analysis. Numerical simulation method for structural, thermal, and vibration analysis. |
| Pre-mesh | The geometry simplification and feature cleanup step before meshing for FEA. The most time-consuming manual step in CAE workflows (2–4 hours per model). |
| Defeaturing | Removing small geometric features (fillets, threads, holes) from a CAD model before meshing for FEA. Reduces mesh complexity without affecting simulation accuracy. |
| B-Rep | Boundary Representation. The mathematical representation of solid geometry using faces, edges, and vertices. Used in all parametric CAD systems. |
| Parametric CAD | CAD modelling where geometry is driven by parameters and constraints (e.g., NX, CATIA, SolidWorks). History-based. |
| Synchronous Modelling | NX-specific modelling mode where geometry can be edited without a history tree. Useful for imported/dumb geometry. |
Drawing and Documentation Terms¶
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| 2D Drawing | A technical drawing (produced from the 3D model) that contains views, dimensions, tolerances, notes, and title block. Still the primary manufacturing documentation in most companies. |
| Title Block | The area of a drawing containing metadata: part number, revision, material, scale, sheet size, tolerances, approval signatures. |
| Revision Table | The table on a drawing that records all changes made between revisions (change description, who approved, when). |
| Drawing Check | The process of verifying a drawing meets drafting standards, company conventions, and release requirements before it is approved. |
| Release Readiness | Whether a drawing or model is in a state suitable for release (i.e., all required fields populated, checks passed, issues resolved). |
| Dangling Dimension | A dimension on a drawing that no longer correctly references geometry (e.g., the referenced edge was deleted or moved). A common drawing error. |
| GPS | Geometrical Product Specifications (ISO standards family). Defines how to specify and verify dimensions, tolerances, and surface texture on drawings. Includes ISO 8015, 1101, 2768, 1302. |
| ISO 1101 | The key GD&T standard for geometric tolerances (flatness, cylindricity, position, etc.). |
| ISO 2768 | General tolerances for dimensions and angles when specific tolerances are not stated. |
| FAT Class | Fatigue classification per IIW (International Institute of Welding). Used in weld fatigue analysis. |
Product and Architecture Terms¶
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Snapshot | An immutable, versioned JSON capture of a drawing or model's state at a point in time. The basis for all checks, diffs, and reports in RapidDraft. |
| EvidencePointer | A stable address to a specific entity in a drawing or model (e.g., a dimension, a note, a title block field). Used to link findings and issues to the exact location they refer to. |
| ReviewSession | A timestamped instance of a review run in RapidDraft. Tied to a specific artifact + revision + ruleset version. |
| Finding | An automated check result — a specific issue detected by the rules engine (e.g., "Revision table not updated"). Has a severity, an evidence pointer, and a suggestion. |
| Issue | A tracked work item derived from a finding or created manually. Has an owner, status, due date, and comment thread. Carries forward across revisions. |
| Carry-Forward | The process of bringing unresolved issues from one revision into the next, so no open threads are lost. |
| Rule Pack | A named set of DFM or drawing rules that can be applied together. Examples: "NX Drawing Checks v1", "CNC DFM Rules", "Sheet Metal Rules". |
| DFM Bundle | The complete set of JSON files that define the DFM module's behaviour: rule library, process classifier, overlays, roles, report templates, references, cost model. |
| Overlay | An industry-specific or process-specific addition to the base rule pack (e.g., medical device overlay adds FDA/MDR compliance checks). |
| Artifact | In RapidDraft Studio: any file or data object produced during a workflow run — snapshot JSON, findings list, report PDF, supplier pack ZIP. All artifacts are versioned and traceable. |
| Workflow | A defined sequence of steps in RapidDraft Studio: e.g., "DFM Review Workflow" = PLM fetch → translate → tessellate → feature detect → rule checks → report → push to PLM. |
| Human-in-the-Loop | The design principle that engineers remain the decision authority. AI assists, summarises, and automates repetitive checks, but humans approve dispositions and control edits. |
| Pause/Resume | The mechanism in RapidDraft Studio where a workflow pauses when it needs a human input (e.g., ambiguous geometry), waits for the engineer to fix it in NX, then resumes from the paused step. |
| Deterministic Check | A check with a defined, measurable rule (e.g., "minimum internal corner radius < tool_radius → flag"). Reproducible, auditable, and explainable. Contrasted with AI-based probabilistic checks. |
| Vision-Based Check | A check using a multimodal AI model reviewing rendered screenshots of a model or drawing. Complementary to deterministic checks — stronger for reading drawing annotations; weaker for precise geometry measurement. |
| RAG | Retrieval-Augmented Generation. An AI architecture where a language model retrieves relevant documents from a local knowledge base before generating an answer. Used in the CAE Knowledge Base concept. |
Business and Market Terms¶
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Mittelstand | German term for mid-sized manufacturing companies (typically 50–2,000 employees). The primary target market for RapidDraft. Characterised by: family-owned, export-oriented, pragmatic buyers, short decision cycles. |
| NX+TC | Shorthand for "NX + Teamcenter" — the typical technology stack of target customers. |
| Pilot | The first paid (or partially paid) deployment with a real customer, used to validate product-market fit and collect evidence of ROI. |
| Change Cycle | The loop of design change → review → release → revision. RapidDraft aims to shorten and structure this cycle. |
| Manufacturing Escape | A design error or drawing mistake that is not caught during review and reaches the manufacturing shop floor, causing rework, scrap, or NCRs. |
| NCR | Non-Conformance Report. Documentation of a part or drawing that doesn't meet requirements. Expensive to resolve. |
| FKM | Forschungskuratorium Maschinenbau — German engineering guidelines for fatigue analysis of mechanical components. The primary fatigue standard for industrial equipment. |
| IIW | International Institute of Welding. Publishes fatigue design guidance for welded joints (FAT classes). |
| Should-Cost | An estimate of what a part should cost to manufacture, based on geometry, process, and material inputs. Used for design-side cost feedback (not supplier quoting). |