Model Description Language (MDL)

CADMATIC Plant Modeller can import and export 3D models using a special data format called Model Description Language (MDL). This data format allows the 3D model of a whole design area or a smaller set of objects to be described in a way that is not dependent on a specific CADMATIC software version. Moreover, this data format enables transferring of modeling data between CADMATIC and third-party software systems.

Accordingly, CADMATIC can interface with third-party software that, for example, performs plant layout analysis and optimization, if the third-party program is able to generate an MDL model file. However, importing MDL model files generated by Plant Modeller to third-party software requires a separate conversion program that understands both the MDL format and the model representation of the target software system.

Although the MDL format can be used for transferring model data from one software system to another, the MDL file might not be completely self-sufficient. That is, the MDL file contains references to objects that exist in the environment from which the file is generated, and if the file is imported to a different environment, the references might need to be mapped to the respective objects of the target environment.

There are several generations of the MDL format. An MDL file that uses an older format can always be imported into CADMATIC software that uses a newer format. This version neutrality allows the internal binary data structure of Plant Modeller to be changed and improved over the years, while keeping the ability to support also 3D models that have been created in earlier software releases.