Create surface from 3D solid profile

[poffandi]

I am running Pro/E W5 and am wondering if it's possible to create a surface out of a solid face of a component. I'm trying to create geometry for a 2D axisymetric simulation through ANSYS via the Pro/E interface for ANSYS. One way I've read to do this is create a sketch of the desired profile and then create a surface using the styles feature. The problem is that my geometry is extremely complex and the profile I want to simulate as a 2D axisymetric model is a result of a dozen or so other features. If I take a slice out of the revolved part, is there wa way to create a surface from the profile face? I've attached a picture of the geometry to give you an idea of what I'm taking about.

 

[dgallup]

I do lots of axisymmetric FEA (not using Ansys) and I just create a drawing in Pro/E using a cross section view. Put a datum point in your model and make it the drawing origin and move it to (0,0). Set the visible area to half view and the section type to area so there are no back lines. I save as DXF and import into my FEA package.

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The Help for this program was created in Windows Help format, which depends on a feature that isn't included in this version of Windows.

 

[dgallup]

It that won't work for you, you can probably just cut your model through the axis with and extruded cut and import the half model into Ansys. I think you could use the cut surface to build the model. I seem to remember doing it that way in Patran decades ago.

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The Help for this program was created in Windows Help format, which depends on a feature that isn't included in this version of Windows.

 

[poffandi]

Thank you dgallup, yes the .dxf option might be one answer. I've used your second suggestion in other FEA packages and it has worked, but unfortunately does not in ANSYS (unless someone else can prove me otherwise). Ideally I'd like to have the geometry update with changes from design revisions, in which case the .dxf option would still require manual updating. I'm thinking another approach may be to create a sketch on the face of the profile of the part/assembly using the "Use" tool and loop option, then copying the sketch to a new part and trying to bring it in then, that way you could just re-copy the sketch when the geometry changes and have a fairly quick setup. Any other suggestions anyone? Does anyone know of a way to easily do 2D analysis through Pro/E and the ANSYS interface (same as original question)?

 

[jvian]

Would it be possible to use copy/paste surfaces of the "cut" model? This is something I have done for a different application and it worked on a basic level. I take a cut of the model and copy and past all desired surfaces. Then I create a layer which hides all solid geometry and I am left with only surfaces. I have done this for visualizing cores within a solid but the application may work. You will not have associative surfaces though without the AAX extension in ProE/Creo at least not that I am aware of.

Just some thoughts and good luck,

- J -