Research on the 3D visual rapid design platform of belt conveyor based on AutoCAD

Belt conveyors are widely used in the areas of coal, ports, electric power, chemical, etc, to transport bulk solid. The traditional design methods have many defects, such as long design cycle, prone to error, and it is unable to meet the needs of modern society. This paper presents a new method of designing belt conveyors, the 3D visual rapid design platform based on the AutoCAD software for the design of belt conveyors. This platform uses Visual Basic software to develop the rapid design program, establishes the stereo models of the belt conveyor by extending the functions of AutoCAD with ObjectARX. So it builds the three-dimensional design environment in which the designers can adjust the structure of the belt conveyor based on the actual environment, manage the parts of the belt conveyor and get the engineering drawing of the belt conveyor. This platform increases the design speed and improves the design quality.