CompuBolts
Mechanical
I'm not sure how well the translators work, anyone with any succesful experience in getting i-deas files out to be used in AutoCAD or something else?
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Anyone know an succesful way to export i-deas files into iges or dxf? 2
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CompuBolts
Mechanical
I really had in mind exporting i-deas files for use elswhere. Has anyone tried the Solidworks XChange?
We have many files available in i-deas but do not want to invest in many more seats, but use lower end software to maintain the files, and print and view rather than extensively edit them.
Anyone know how good the IGES export function in i-deas is?
We have many files available in i-deas but do not want to invest in many more seats, but use lower end software to maintain the files, and print and view rather than extensively edit them.
Anyone know how good the IGES export function in i-deas is?
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The IGES export function is as good as it can be. ie. if you export even the most complex of I-DEAS parts out to IGES and then bring it back into I-DEAS you'll generally find the part complete and "clean".
The problem comes with the receiving system and how it understands the IGES file. Can it support the entity types that I-DEAS is exporting? Does it support IGES 5.3?
Will you always require 3D data to be translated or will you also require 2D, if so then DXF or DWG will give a better result.
When you say you wish to edit the files in the low-end system, this is where you may have problems. The best place to edit Parametric Solid models is in the system that created them. Once translated then at best they'll be explicit solid models that will have lost all the controlling dimensions and require surface modelling techniques to modify. Low end systems may stuggle with this.
Maybe a bit more info about what you exactly wish to do will help narrow down the advice. Ie. 3D and/or 2D data. Level of modification you expect to be able to do. What low-end systems are you considering? May be Artisan is the answer (if it's still available).
The problem comes with the receiving system and how it understands the IGES file. Can it support the entity types that I-DEAS is exporting? Does it support IGES 5.3?
Will you always require 3D data to be translated or will you also require 2D, if so then DXF or DWG will give a better result.
When you say you wish to edit the files in the low-end system, this is where you may have problems. The best place to edit Parametric Solid models is in the system that created them. Once translated then at best they'll be explicit solid models that will have lost all the controlling dimensions and require surface modelling techniques to modify. Low end systems may stuggle with this.
Maybe a bit more info about what you exactly wish to do will help narrow down the advice. Ie. 3D and/or 2D data. Level of modification you expect to be able to do. What low-end systems are you considering? May be Artisan is the answer (if it's still available).
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CompuBolts
Mechanical
Thanks for the response.
We are to receive drawings originally created in I-Deas, (and a few in CADAM) from another company. We do not necessarily want to change or edit the original objects, but want to make sure we have all of the data in the original model.
We could have the originator print them out from I-Deas and keep the prints or pdf's for reference. We could even re-draw them as necessary later.
Our concern is to have all of the data available without going to the expense and time of setting up I-deas, which although I'm sure is a wonderful product, is simply too heavy for what we need.
We have one copy of TopSolid and AutoCAD seats at present, and will move to Inventor soon - which I beleive supports IGES 5.3.
It doesn't all have to be 3D, but the more information the better.
By the way, what is Artisan?
We are to receive drawings originally created in I-Deas, (and a few in CADAM) from another company. We do not necessarily want to change or edit the original objects, but want to make sure we have all of the data in the original model.
We could have the originator print them out from I-Deas and keep the prints or pdf's for reference. We could even re-draw them as necessary later.
Our concern is to have all of the data available without going to the expense and time of setting up I-deas, which although I'm sure is a wonderful product, is simply too heavy for what we need.
We have one copy of TopSolid and AutoCAD seats at present, and will move to Inventor soon - which I beleive supports IGES 5.3.
It doesn't all have to be 3D, but the more information the better.
By the way, what is Artisan?
Artisan is a cut-down (Cheaper) version of I-DEAS. Not sure if it's still available since EDS purchased SDRC.
For your 2D drawings I suggest you get the other company to generate you an electronic image file of the drawing. For me Tiff works very well. Then you have a record of what the drawing looks like in the native system.
I would then translate the 2D using DWG or DXF. My experience is that DWG is slightly better for AutoCAD but DXF seems just as good for other systems. 2D Translation that involves text fonts, symbols, title blocks, line weights etc. is never perfect, so there will be some loss of data, hence the Tiff image so that you know what it should look like.
For the 3D data, I would expect the I-DEAS parts to be solid models. Generally STEP is best for solids (unless the sending and receiving systems use the Parasolid Kernel and then a ParaSolid file is better). I'm not sure about TopSolid and Inventor, but the version of AutoCAD I have doesn't read STEP files, or for that matter, IGES files.
If STEP is not available then I'd use IGES. Having both would give you more options.
From my experience (which isn't much) to get 3D surface data into AutoCAD you need to use an ACIS file format. Unfortunately I-DEAS doesn't export ACIS so a third system is required as a "stepping stone". In the past I have used ProE for this. If anyone knows of a better route for 3D Surface/Solid data into AutoCAD, I'd be glad to hear it, this route is time consuming and troublesome (and expensive).
If you only want the 3D for reference, and are not wishing to modify it, it may be better to get a viewer. There are many, my experience of WiseView is that it is very capeable. However the more formats you wish to view, the more expensive it gets.
For your 2D drawings I suggest you get the other company to generate you an electronic image file of the drawing. For me Tiff works very well. Then you have a record of what the drawing looks like in the native system.
I would then translate the 2D using DWG or DXF. My experience is that DWG is slightly better for AutoCAD but DXF seems just as good for other systems. 2D Translation that involves text fonts, symbols, title blocks, line weights etc. is never perfect, so there will be some loss of data, hence the Tiff image so that you know what it should look like.
For the 3D data, I would expect the I-DEAS parts to be solid models. Generally STEP is best for solids (unless the sending and receiving systems use the Parasolid Kernel and then a ParaSolid file is better). I'm not sure about TopSolid and Inventor, but the version of AutoCAD I have doesn't read STEP files, or for that matter, IGES files.
If STEP is not available then I'd use IGES. Having both would give you more options.
From my experience (which isn't much) to get 3D surface data into AutoCAD you need to use an ACIS file format. Unfortunately I-DEAS doesn't export ACIS so a third system is required as a "stepping stone". In the past I have used ProE for this. If anyone knows of a better route for 3D Surface/Solid data into AutoCAD, I'd be glad to hear it, this route is time consuming and troublesome (and expensive).
If you only want the 3D for reference, and are not wishing to modify it, it may be better to get a viewer. There are many, my experience of WiseView is that it is very capeable. However the more formats you wish to view, the more expensive it gets.
Have a look at this page...translators have always been a bit flaky for iges but the old v5 translator is still there under a command line...Neils site documents all this. I export iges to alias a lot and always use the command line translator as it provides much better surfaces.
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