Significance and Use
This standard practice is designed to facilitate two-dimensional, sewn pattern piece data exchange between CAD systems at the level of pattern design. It also facilitates grade rule table data exchange for sewn products in the apparel industry. It uses the DXF file format for pattern piece data exchange and a specially formatted ASCII file format for grade rule tables. It is limited to the transfer of pattern pieces within a style and the associated pattern piece and style information. It does not support the transfer of numerical cutter instructions; plotter instructions, complete marker-laying or spreading information, or product data specification information.
Scope
1.1 This standard is designed to facilitate communication between CAD/CAM systems that represent two-dimensional flat pattern pieces. This standard also provides conventions for representing related information such as grade rule tables. This standard is not intended to represent the relationships between pattern pieces or the correspondence between 2D or 3D sewn product pattern piece geometries.
1.2 The file format for the pattern data exchange file defined by this standard (Practice D 6673) complies with the Drawing Interchange File (DXF) format. Autodesk, Inc. developed the DXF format for transferring data between their AutoCAD(r) product and other software applications. This standard documents the manner in which pattern data should be represented within the DXF format. Users of this standard should have Autodesk, Inc.'s documentation on Drawing Interchange Files, found in the AutoCAD Reference Manual, in order to assure compatibility to all DXF format specifications. The AutoCAD Version 13 DXF specification is to be used. The file format for the grade rule table exchange file is an ASCII text file.
This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
