Marcin: Created page with "= How to Map Icons to CAD = Icon-to-CAD mapping is a compiler workflow. A human arranges icons visually. The system interprets each icon as a semantic module. A compiler then generates actual CAD geometry from those module definitions. The full workflow is: {| class="wikitable" ! Step ! Name ! What Happens ! Output |- | 1 | Define module ontology | Define the universe of parts or assemblies that the system supports, such as walls, windows, doors, beams, motors, shaft..."

2026-03-10T20:56:48Z

Created page with "= How to Map Icons to CAD = Icon-to-CAD mapping is a compiler workflow. A human arranges icons visually. The system interprets each icon as a semantic module. A compiler then generates actual CAD geometry from those module definitions. The full workflow is: {| class="wikitable" ! Step ! Name ! What Happens ! Output |- | 1 | Define module ontology | Define the universe of parts or assemblies that the system supports, such as walls, windows, doors, beams, motors, shaft..."

New page

= How to Map Icons to CAD =

Icon-to-CAD mapping is a compiler workflow.

A human arranges icons visually.
The system interprets each icon as a semantic module.
A compiler then generates actual CAD geometry from those module definitions.

The full workflow is:

{| class="wikitable"
! Step
! Name
! What Happens
! Output
|-
| 1
| Define module ontology
| Define the universe of parts or assemblies that the system supports, such as walls, windows, doors, beams, motors, shafts, brackets, or fasteners.
| Controlled vocabulary of buildable module types
|-
| 2
| Define semantic schema for each module
| For each module type, define machine-readable fields such as module ID, parameters, allowable ranges, interfaces, connection logic, material assumptions, and constraints.
| Formal module schema
|-
| 3
| Define syntactic rules
| Specify how modules are allowed to connect in purely structural or grammatical terms, such as allowed adjacency, orientation, snapping rules, and interface compatibility.
| Assembly syntax rules
|-
| 4
| Define semantic rules
| Specify real-world validity conditions such as structural logic, material compatibility, code constraints, fabrication constraints, and performance assumptions.
| Assembly semantic rules
|-
| 5
| Create parametric CAD generator for each module
| Build a CAD-producing function for each module family so that a schema plus parameters can generate actual geometry.
| Parametric CAD generators
|-
| 6
| Create icon for each module family
| Design a simple human-readable icon that corresponds to each module family.
| Icon library
|-
| 7
| Embed machine-readable metadata in each icon
| Add identifiers and parameter hooks inside the SVG object, such as module ID, parameter names, interface references, or type tags.
| Parseable SVG icon objects
|-
| 8
| Add visible human labels to icons
| Make sure the icon also communicates meaning to humans, such as wall, door, 24 in, 8 ft, or other visible identifiers.
| Human-readable icon system
|-
| 9
| Define icon parameter strategy
| Decide which parameters are fixed in the icon library and which are editable in the drawing. For example, wall type may be fixed while length is editable.
| Parameterization strategy
|-
| 10
| Define interface markers
| Encode connection points or edge semantics so the compiler can detect where modules connect and whether those connections are valid.
| Interface-aware icons
|-
| 11
| Standardize SVG authoring rules
| Define exactly how icons must be authored in Inkscape or another SVG editor, including layers, IDs, transforms, coordinate origin, naming conventions, and metadata fields.
| SVG authoring standard
|-
| 12
| Build icon library repository
| Store approved icons, schemas, and CAD generators in a controlled library so users only compose with valid modules.
| Reusable part library
|-
| 13
| Configure the graphics tool for assembly authoring
| Set up Inkscape or similar software with snapping, grid alignment, rotation increments, and symbol reuse so icon placement is predictable.
| Controlled visual editing environment
|-
| 14
| Compose assemblies visually
| The user arranges icons into a larger design such as a wall layout, machine frame, or building plan.
| Visual assembly drawing
|-
| 15
| Export assembly as SVG
| Save the completed icon arrangement as plain SVG so it can be processed by the compiler.
| SVG assembly file
|-
| 16
| Normalize SVG
| Clean the SVG so transforms, groups, layers, IDs, and coordinates are in a consistent format for reliable parsing.
| Normalized SVG
|-
| 17
| Parse icon instances from SVG
| Read every icon instance in the drawing and extract module ID, position, rotation, scale, visible annotations, and metadata.
| Parsed icon instance list
|-
| 18
| Resolve icon parameters
| Convert labels, metadata, and defaults into actual parameter values for each module instance.
| Parameterized module instances
|-
| 19
| Build assembly graph
| Convert the parsed icons into a structured graph of components and connections.
| Assembly graph
|-
| 20
| Run syntactic validation
| Check whether the arrangement follows formal placement and interface rules, such as allowed contacts, alignment, orientation, and topology.
| Syntactically valid or invalid assembly
|-
| 21
| Run semantic validation
| Check whether the arrangement makes sense in the real world, such as structural feasibility, material logic, spatial clearance, or fabrication plausibility.
| Semantically valid or invalid assembly
|-
| 22
| Generate module CAD
| For each icon instance, call the corresponding CAD generator using the resolved parameters.
| CAD for each module instance
|-
| 23
| Assemble full CAD model
| Combine all generated modules into one coordinated CAD assembly according to the assembly graph.
| Complete CAD assembly
|-
| 24
| Run post-processing
| Clean geometry, merge bodies if needed, assign part names, resolve tolerances, and prepare files for downstream use.
| Production-ready CAD model
|-
| 25
| Generate downstream outputs
| Produce BOM, cut list, fabrication drawings, CNC files, instructions, or simulation models from the compiled assembly.
| Fabrication and documentation outputs
|-
| 26
| Publish validated library improvements
| Feed back improved schemas, icons, rules, and CAD generators into the library so the system becomes more robust over time.
| Evolving Iconic CAD platform
|}

= Minimal Logic of the System =

The core mapping is:

{| class="wikitable"
! Layer
! Role
|-
| Icon
| Human-visible symbol in drawing
|-
| Schema
| Machine-readable meaning of that symbol
|-
| Generator
| Function that produces CAD from schema plus parameters
|-
| Compiler
| System that parses icon arrangements into assembled CAD
|}

So the fundamental relation is:

<pre>
Icon instance -> module schema -> parameter resolution -> CAD generator -> CAD geometry
</pre>

= What Must Be Stored in the Icon System =

For robust icon-to-CAD mapping, each icon instance should ultimately provide:

{| class="wikitable"
! Required Data
! Why It Matters
|-
| Module ID
| Tells the compiler what object the icon represents
|-
| Parameters
| Tells the compiler which version or dimensions to generate
|-
| Position
| Places the generated object in space
|-
| Rotation
| Orients the generated object correctly
|-
| Interface definitions
| Allows connection detection and validation
|-
| Human-visible label
| Allows humans to read and edit the system reliably
|}

= Practical Rule =

The icon should not be the CAD.

The icon should be a semantic handle that points to CAD logic.

That means:

<pre>
Icon != geometry
Icon = instruction to generate geometry
</pre>

= Recommended Principle for Iconic CAD =

Use one integrated system with clearly separated layers:

{| class="wikitable"
! Layer
! Recommendation
|-
| Human editing layer
| SVG icons with visible labels
|-
| Semantic layer
| Structured schema for each module family
|-
| Validation layer
| Syntax and semantic rule checking
|-
| CAD layer
| Parametric generators
|-
| Compiler layer
| SVG-to-assembly interpreter
|}

= Bottom Line =

Mapping icons to CAD requires six core things:

# A controlled icon library
# A schema for what each icon means
# A parametric CAD generator for each schema
# A parser that reads the SVG
# Validators that check syntax and semantics
# A compiler that assembles the resulting CAD

That is the full path from visual symbolic composition to real engineering geometry.

Iconic CAD Workflow Concept Detail - Revision history