Importing from 3D packages into Pro-E

[tkd]

Hello. I am a 3D animator, not an engineer or Pro-E user. I have been approached by a company that is interested in manufacturing some of my 3D designs. The company uses Pro-E. As a test, I gave them a fairly simple object which I converted from my software (a polygonal Lightwave 3D object) into IGES by using the program Polytrans. My IGES object loaded into Pro-E as a wireframe, but the company needs

 

[dougr]

You can go from Pro/E to tesselated models but not the other way. Tesselated models are approximations of true geometry.



Polytrans can't convert Lightwave surfaces to IGES ?? You may want to investigate Polytrans a bit more, they claim to have more than 13 years experience with IGES.



http://www.okino.com/press/press_release_lw6.pdf





Check your model tree in Pro/E to make sure the surfaces aren't there.



Once you get your IGES you should be able to zip gaps and all the other good stuff that Pro/E has but your surfaces will always be tesselated...

 

[Speling]

Dougr

You made a mistake

 

[tkd]

Thank you for the reply. I don't think I did a good job of explaining. Yes, I can easily convert the Lightwave model into IGES format via Polytrans. I have done this successfully and given the files to the company, but they said that the IGES object loads in as wireframe only without surfaces. I assumed that the problem has to do with converting from a polygonal model into a nurb model, since (I was told) Pro-E is nurbs only. By tesselated, you mean that it will be triangular? Would a tesselated model pose a problem for making changes in Pro-E and then sending it for manufacturing quotations?

 

[bhayden]

The company with Pro/E should be able to create surfaces. Under the #Applications #Legacy menu there are options for converting the wireframe to a solid.



If you have the option to oput your design to STEP format that will be much better for imput to Pro/E. However, if your software is based on surfaces then STEP is probably not an option.



Bernie Hayden

XKL LLC

 

[dougr]

I can see 3 possible causes here:



1) Polytrans is not converting the surfaces to IGES.



In which case check any Polytrans settings etc.



or



2) Pro/E is not reading in the IGES surfaces.



Have your Pro/E guy check your IGES-in file for a report of imported entities - this will list all points, curves and surfaces.



Make sure that your Pro/E guy isn't only importing curves.



Best way to open IGES in Pro/E is to open the file directly (ie Don't use insert).



or



3) The company with Pro/E has surface layer blanked.



Again have your Pro/E guy make sure any layers aren't blanked.







PS. Speling, think I you're the one that made a mistake - as is usual...

 

[niki75niki]

hi,

I am doing this kind of translation most of the time but, i do them from pro/e to 3ds max.

I create my basic designs in 3ds max. then i export the files as .stl and import them to pro/e. In pro/e, I finish the design using the imported geom as approx. reference and on completion, i export them again to .stl...then import them to 3ds max for the rendering...



so what i am trying to tell u is ....maybe you can try .stl format...they import as smooth surfaces in 3ds max ..but in pro/e, they are faceted.. so if u can do with faceted geometry then try stl..

 

[Speling]

HM

Ok ok ok - I have solved the problem - Politrans is absolute program - in now days- Ok



TDK

 

[dougr]

Forget all this, both IGES and STL will work fine.



Regarding the IGES files it sounds like there are some operator issues on the Pro/E side.