Import from SolidWorks

[blckwtr]

Which is the best format for importing? Which allows for later modifications within Abaqus?

 

[rstupplebeen]

I usually try to export as a SAT first because it is CAE's native geometric kernel. If that does not work I try Step then IGS. At that point I try importing the files back into SW to see if there is an error in the model or if Abaqus is screwing up. Usually it is a bad model. I hope this helps.


Rob Stupplebeen

 

[loki3000]

don't use IGS, it is an old standard and badly misused, so you won't get accurate model.

"The IGES-format allows for many interpretations, and most of the parts that you import into Abaqus/CAE using IGES-format will need to be repaired before you can use them. Thus, it is recommended that you try to use another format, if possible."

use sat, stp, x_t/ x_b

 

[johnhors]

"The IGES-format allows for many interpretations, and most of the parts that you import into Abaqus/CAE using IGES-format will need to be repaired before you can use them. Thus, it is recommended that you try to use another format, if possible."

This is not a fault of IGES. The last standard of Iges (version 5.3) has BREP entities which contain no ambiguity in their description of geometries for water tight solids and is not inferior to other formats like STEP, ACIS .... and so on.

The problem lies with poorly written code within Abaqus/CAE. No other main stream commercial pre-processors (Femap, Cadfix....) suffer the same problems when importing brep entities via IGES from the likes of Catia, Pro-Engineer, SolidWorks and so on...

http://www.Roshaz.com