v5 -> iges -> Solidworks

[MMike1]

Ok....smarty-pantses,

We do a lot of reverse engineering. We're experimenting with having parts laser scanned and having the vendor supply a SWx model of the part. Sounds straight forward right? We should be off to the races.

The trick is that the vendor only really works in CATIA v5. So he scanned out part. Did whatever needed doing in v5, then converted it to iges, and sent it to me.

The part looks lovely, but is obviously devoid of any features/sketches.

Is there some magical way to convert a CATIA file into a relatively "smart" Solidowrks Part file? I would have thought with v5 and Solidworks being so closely related that there would be some sort of...."tranferability"

Am I more or less SOL?

 

[ctopher]

Try using a STEP file or ...

http://www.cheap-software-megastore.com/index.php?target=desc&progid=2541

Chris
SolidWorks 07 4.0/PDMWorks 07
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-07-07)
ctopher's blog

 

[handleman]

I don't think you're going to get what you expect even if you get a clean transfer. Unless your vendor is doing an analytical geometry approximation to the laser scanned surface, you're probably just going to get a bunch of imported surfaces or something stitched together into a solid model. If you want sketches/features, you're probably going to have to do your best to generate analytical features in SW that approximate as closely as you need the surfaces that got scanned in.

 

[JMirisola]

Depending on which version of SW you have (office, pro or premium), there's FeatureWorks (Tools->Add-ins->FeatureWorks). It's available in pro and premium and does a pretty damn good job of taking .iges, .step or .x_t files and making them editable SolidWorks parts.
In 2008, it becomes even more simple, but I don't want to seem like too much of a smarty-pants.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

Dell M90, Core2 Duo
4GB RAM
Nvidia 3500M

 

[MMike1]

No-one's pants can be too smart for me.

We have the 2008 pro DVD's sitting in boxes right now waiting for SP1. But right now, we have 2007 pro.SP4 (Pro is the middle one right?)

So STEP files...and Featureworks eh?

I will investigate.

Thanks!

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

If you have the Feature Recognition module you could create features.

Better still, find a company which uses SolidWorks.

BTW, Catia V5 and SolidWorks are only "related" by being owned by the same company. Dassault did not have a hand in developing SW. They merely purchased the company.

 

[J-C]

Yeah, you could insist the vender use SolidWorks for your parts. Or find another vender that will. considering they are "your" parts, I think you'll want them in native SolidWorks format.

Still, if they are scanning the parts, then its possible they don't even have features in Catia in which case it won't amtter much.....as long as you have a nice water tight solid body in SolidWorks when its done.

Featureworks will help, unless there is a lot of complex curved surfaces.

Jason

SolidWorks 2007 SP4.0 on WinXP SP2
SolidWorks 2008 SP0.0 on WinXP SP2

 

[MMike1]

I just did a quick Featureworks attempt.

I may ask the guy for the original CATIA file and might be able to get better results. I was getting a "General Fault 1".....which can't be good

 

[MMike1]

Ok well I've contacted our vendor to get the CATIA file and STEP file.

Do you figure it would be worth a shot to install one of our 2008 licenses and have at it with the newer version of Featureworks?

 

[JMirisola]

Only if you don't need to open the files in '07...


Jeff Mirisola, CSWP

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

Dell M90, Core2 Duo
4GB RAM
Nvidia 3500M

 

[MMike1]

Well yeah....It could be feasible for now to limit the part to one person until we get everyone up to speed. But I (tried to) post a pic of the part in an earlier post. You think it's possible that 2008 would be able to do something that 2007 can't?

 

[JMirisola]

Actually, I think that SolidWorks is simply smart enough to balk at any attempt to redesign the Dodge Dart...

It could have been the manner in which the iges file was created. There are options that can be chosen, or at least there are in SW, that helps to determine how the iges is created depending on the end user's need (with or without sketch, as surfaces, etc).

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

Dell M90, Core2 Duo
4GB RAM
Nvidia 3500M

 

[MMike1]

So yeah....it took a few attempts and a number of hours of just letting it "think", but the combo of the STEP file and Featureworks did it just enough....I can create planes and at least cut away material now. That should be enough for me to accomplish what I need.

Thanks....

 

[pierdesign]

it seems like you answered your own question.

I have never had success with Catia V5 iges files, from V5 parts or assemblies, in any CAD program. Catia V5 step files are fine.