Best way to convert CATIA v4 in SWx?
Best way to convert CATIA v4 in SWx?
(OP)
We've gotten some models from a supplier in CATIA v4 (CATPart)
There's an Open option for .CGR files in SWx, but that ain't cutting it.
(I'm asking on behalf of acowroker in another office 2000 miles away, so I'm shakey on the details)
Thanks.
There's an Open option for .CGR files in SWx, but that ain't cutting it.
(I'm asking on behalf of acowroker in another office 2000 miles away, so I'm shakey on the details)
Thanks.






RE: Best way to convert CATIA v4 in SWx?
Colin Fitzpatrick (aka Macduff)
Mechanical Designer
Solidworks 2009 SP 4.1
Dell 490 XP Pro SP 2
Xeon CPU 3.00 GHz 3.00 GB of RAM
nVida Quadro FX 3450 512 MB
3D Connexion-SpaceExplorer
RE: Best way to convert CATIA v4 in SWx?
I use a program called ADOBE 3D Viewer, which directly opens CATPART files, and they can then be exported as a STEP and opened in SolidWorks.
Keep in mind that DS, despite creating both products, has made it very difficult to communicate between the two. You will find that features such as cylinders will get broken into two half cylinders, making mating to the STEP files difficult (often easier to delete the face and replace with a SolidWorks component).
If you do a little research via Google you will find many pages, blogs, etc. dedicated to trying to work with CATIA files in SolidWorks, but at the end of the day, it isn't pretty.
Nicole
RE: Best way to convert CATIA v4 in SWx?
May I ask what you're using the models for?
Colin Fitzpatrick (aka Macduff)
Mechanical Designer
Solidworks 2009 SP 4.1
Dell 490 XP Pro SP 2
Xeon CPU 3.00 GHz 3.00 GB of RAM
nVida Quadro FX 3450 512 MB
3D Connexion-SpaceExplorer
RE: Best way to convert CATIA v4 in SWx?
RE: Best way to convert CATIA v4 in SWx?
RE: Best way to convert CATIA v4 in SWx?
I've used this service in the past. For us, it was worth the price. We were converting complex surface models, and the time saved by having a good translation more than paid for the service (based on our overhead vs. time we found was saved by good translations).
http://www.EsoxRepublic.com-SolidWorks API VB programming help
RE: Best way to convert CATIA v4 in SWx?
http://ww
Cheers,
Anna Wood
Core i7 EE965, FirePro V8700, 12 Gb RAM, OCZ Vertex 120 Gb SSD, Dell 3008WFP 30" Monitor
SW2010 SP2.1, Windows 7 x64
http://www.solidmuse.com
http://www.phxswug.com
RE: Best way to convert CATIA v4 in SWx?
Wish SW would just be able to import them or offer a add on that can import them.
Sorry didn't offer any advice just wanted to rant.
Certified SolidWorks Associate
SW2009 X64 SP 1.0
Dell Precision T5400
Nvidia Quadro FX 5600
Xeon 2.5GHz Quad Core, 4GB RAM
XP Pro X64 SP2.0
RE: Best way to convert CATIA v4 in SWx?
Anyway back to the original post, we have the same problems and have had this recommended to us, we are currently evaluating it but so far the results have been very impressive, but still not perfect. They are however very reluctant to give a price so we might be in for a shock.
http://www.transmagic.com/transmagic-home-page
RE: Best way to convert CATIA v4 in SWx?
Did we save the time? Oh, yes. Sometimes half that time was saved just in the translating. Having fully formed solids without fragmented surfaces saved file size. Files were smaller and loaded faster. Clean solids could be sectioned or otherwise referenced without errors. Work done around the translated consoles got done significantly faster.
RE: Best way to convert CATIA v4 in SWx?
If you really have very small need you can use your 3 free trials at h
The benefit of direct translator is that it will use the tolerance available in the CATIA V4 .model file to stitch surfaces. Also the .model contains actually 2 models: one in solid facettized but with exact geometry (cones, cylinders) and one purely bspline based but with transponant. Using STEP only one is used hence weight and tolerances issues, using a direct translator both are used.
You mention CATPart as CATIA V4 part, this is actually V5. .model, .session and .exp are usual extensions for CATIA V4 although since it's Unix no extensions are necessary.
RE: Best way to convert CATIA v4 in SWx?
You're right we should use ticks solution but I know it won't be recived well. It's worth a try though. Next time we get a v4 file I'll run it up the flag pole and see what happens. The problem is we can design with out a 3D file. The 3D file just makes it easier for the designer.
Transmagic works well. I've tried the 30 day demo version. It will export usable models during the 30 day trial. If my memory serves me right it's around $1800.
Certified SolidWorks Associate
SW2009 X64 SP 1.0
Dell Precision T5400
Nvidia Quadro FX 5600
Xeon 2.5GHz Quad Core, 4GB RAM
XP Pro X64 SP2.0