The CKD File Format

The CKD file format is one of the most flexible and comprehensive CAD/CAM file formats in use today.

 It is designed to store all of the design data for a project of any size:

• Parts

  • Curve, Solid, Surface, and Mesh geometry

  • Construction entities (points, vectors, planes, lights)

  • Dimension and detail entities

  • Tool Paths and process sheets

• Part References

• Associative Drawings

The Design File (*.CKD) file format will store global data that can be separated into four different classifications:

• File Specific - The data is saved in the Design File. File specific data is the thumbnail preview graphic and the list and count of parts and part references in the file.File specific configuration settings are contained in the Set Configuration Options dialog box accessible from Tools>Options on the Menu bar. See Tools for more information.

• Part Specific - The data is saved in the Design File in part storage. This is all the data displayed in the file properties such as: units, 2D vs. 3D construction mode, cplane vs. world construction mode, properties, entity color palette, and all other color settings.
  Part specific settings are in the Properties dialog box, accessible from File>Properties. See Properties for further information.

• Layout Specific - The data is saved in the Design File in the layout object. This data includes: current color, pen, style, width, polyline fill color, grid, snap and detailing settings.

• Model Specific - The data is stored once for model mode. This data includes: current color, pen, style, width, polyline fill color, grid, snap and detailing settings.