Pro-E Wildfire to Solidworks

[dsgnr1]

Hi,
I am looking for how the process is best used.
I have pro-e files that I will need to use in the future.
I have tried to open parts with some success.
(I have read all pertinent threads)
I have tried using solidworks to open some of the pro-e assemblies with little success.

Is there an order of operation that must be carried out?
for instance, should I convert all of the parts before I attempt to open the assemblies?

Is it possible to open pro-e drawings with solidworks
(at all)?

I am using solidworks 2005, sp3.1

If you have a "best practices" point of view, please respond.

thanks

dsgnr1

¿)

 

[davidinindy]

I've never seen an instance where an assembly has been brought into a diferent CAD system and maintained all of its constraints... I'd probably import the assembly as a whole, then you will probably have to redo most of the constraints.
It also may make a difference which versions or releases you're using.
Are you saying you'll need to re-export them into Wildfire?

David

 

[dsgnr1]

David,
No re-exporting. I only need to bring the parts and assemblies to Solidworks. Since I posted, I have had some success with the parts. No success with assemblies (yet).

My initial stab at these files takes a sub assembly and attempts to open each part in that sub prior to opening the assembly, and then I will attempt the assembly.

Right now, it seems that there will be maybe 20 to 40 hours into getting this workable in Solidworks. This is an enclosure (4'w x 5'h x 1.5'd) with power supplies (3) a couple pcb's, a hard drive, a couple heaters and lots of terminal blocks. I could probably model and assemble the thing faster than converting the files.

(the next part of this is opinion...stop reading if you don't care to hear...)
I think it is petty for 2 companies that have similar products not to have a direct conversion. What if we had to convert our e-mail all the time, or our text documents?
[end opinion]
I know there are better ways than what I am trying (at least there must be...)I only haven't dug deep enough. I need to report my findings to my direct superior and he will make the decision as to how we proceed from here. I may be able to get parasolids from the original pro-e files.

btw this is Pro-E wildfire 2 converting to Solidworks.
I am using 2005 v sp3.1

regards,

dsgnr1


¿)

 

[Jabberwocky]

I agree it is silly to have to jump through hoops to get 3D data back and forth, but there are a number of 'neutral' formats that exist. IGS, STL, STEP, VRML, etc.

Try exporting to one or more of those, I've been reasonably impressed with SWx recognizing features from there.

 

[Theophilus]

SolidWorks won't recognize future versions of models, either. This isn't exactly on-track with what you said, but it's also along a very similar line. Feature recognition is much, much more complex than most of us realize. These really aren't text documents, but complex sets of geometry.

I don't design cubic boxes. I design swoopy stuff. No way anything would be able to recognize and rebuild how I model things across platforms--no way. There is also no way for SolidWorks to interpret something in 2005 that was built using 2006--for the same reasons.

I'm inclined to go with what Jabberwocky said--use parasolid or IGES (parasolid is best with SW) and run feature recognition on those models. If you use boxes, you'll have a higher success rate--if sweeps and lofts, a lower rate. This ultimately isn't a software limit so much as a logical limit. One simply cannot translate from Greek to English without some loss of detail and lingual color because of the vocabulary limits. The same goes for the 3D modeling world--these are different languages.

Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

Reason trumps all. And awe trumps reason.

 

[dsgnr1]

Thank you all for the input.
(Jeff...your'e the second to relay that parasolid is best...I guess it is a native type file)
I was pushing toward parasolids Friday.
It seems that is what's gonna' need to happen.

regards,

dsgnr1

¿)