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Imported Parts

Imported Parts

Imported Parts

(OP)
Ocasionaly we recieve CAD parts from our customers.  These parts can be somewhat complex i.e. dashboards, door panels.
We import these parts into SW and the insert them into our assemblies and design end of arm toolings around them.  Importing the files results in surface models that have VERY large file sizes.


Question:
How can we reduce the file size so they don't bog down our machines will in our assemblies? Along with the part/surface model we could have 1000+ other components and this really slows down our machines.

Can we turn it back into a solid?  Is there an option when inporting to import as a solid? I have not seen one but its worth asking.

[URL=http://img117.imageshack.us/my.php?image=surfacesjw9.jpg][IMG]


Thanks.

Grant
Applications Engineer
SW2006 SP 4.0
IBM InteliStation Pro M
P4 3.4 GHz, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0
NIVIDA Quadro FX 3000

RE: Imported Parts

some questions:

what program are the files created in?
what file format are the files save in?
how large are the files when they are recieved?
how large do they become when they are saved in SW?

yes there are usually options to import as solid for step and iges. There are tools to heal surfaces to form solids. 07 works quite well on this. There are lightweight assmebly modes. There are options you can set working in large assemblies. There are ways to limit file sizes, but how LARGE are we talking about?

RFUS

RE: Imported Parts

I had this exact problem (in your exact industry).  Dashboards, door panels, center consoles.... complex shapes, usually CATIA in origin.

The solution was to use a service to translate the CATIA files and generate a "solidified" parasolid. (They could do SW but the parasolid worked better.)

The service is Mathdata Services <http://www.mathdata.com>.  Contact Mike Roberts and tell him Roland from E.R. Wagner sent you.

The cost was not hard to justify.  At the overhead rates I was dealing with, the translation cost easily made up for lost time wrestling with tough models and potential design errors.  The following year, external translation services became a line item in our department budget.

batHonesty may be the best policy, but insanity is a better defense.bat
http://www.EsoxRepublic.com-SolidWorks API VB programming help

RE: Imported Parts

And, YES, the solids were quite manageable, reduced file size, didn't crash computers, and were much easier to design from.

RE: Imported Parts

(OP)
rfus

I have no idea we get them from our customers.  Could be made in any CAD software.

Depends on what the customer saves as or who ever they get the file from.  Lots of our customers are small injection molders who don't design the parts just mold them.  We're just happy to get something or else we the designers would have to model that part.

The file that I posted a pic of is imported from .igs and is 37 MB saved as solidworks 07 part results in a 38 MB file.  Another example is a 35 MB .igs results in a 48 MB SW 07 part file.


Tick
Your best guess on a door panel. How long would it take to run through the translation software?

Hopefully they have a demo.

Thanks.

Grant
Applications Engineer
SW2006 SP 4.0
IBM InteliStation Pro M
P4 3.4 GHz, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0
NIVIDA Quadro FX 3000

RE: Imported Parts

(OP)
My bad I misunderstood what mathdata was.  Should have read more carefully.

Grant
Applications Engineer
SW2006 SP 4.0
IBM InteliStation Pro M
P4 3.4 GHz, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0
NIVIDA Quadro FX 3000

RE: Imported Parts

To reduce file size. make the file into a solid and reexport it out as a Parasolid and use that in your assembly. That will cut file size down. If you are just using surface data, then that's why your file sizes are so big. Solids actually easier on memory then surfaces are. Use the tools you have to make them into Solids and remove any an all problems in those models. General faults inside imported models will haunt any file you are working on. To determine if you have those or not use Tools\Check that will let you know about General faults, but also inform you of open surfaces etc....

But really the first step to getting to a solid is when you intially import it. Run the import diagnostics on the file and allow SW to try and repair it. Tools check will show you the rest of the problems afterwards and there you will have to manually repair the model.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP pc2
www.scottjbaugh.com
FAQ731-376

RE: Imported Parts

IGES and STEP files are just plain text files that can be opened up in a text editor.  If the files are big WordPad will work better then Notepad.

In the first few lines of the files will be info on what the originating cad system is.

Just be sure not to save the file when you are done looking at it.

Here is an example of what you will see in the header section of the file.

Quote:


SolidWorks IGES file using analytic representation for surfaces         S      1
1H,,1H;,12HPart1.SLDPRT,57HC:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\DesktG      1
op\Part1.IGS,15HSolidWorks 2007,15HSolidWorks 2007,32,308,15,308,15,12HPG      2
art1.SLDPRT,1.,1,2HIN,50,0.125,13H070404.232759,1E-008,                 G      3
19684.6456692913,13HAdministrator,,11,0,13H070404.232759;               G      4

This is how you can determine what the originating system is.

Regards,

Anna Wood
SW 2007 SP2.2, WinXP
Dell Precision 380, Pentium D940, 4 Gigs RAM, FX3450
http://designsmarter.typepad.com/solidmuse
http://www.phxswug.com

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