export a complex assembly to solid body part

[saneryin]

we have a product, e.g. a mobile phone, which is huge file with many components inside.

my job is to export this complex mobile phone assembly to a solid part file only remain it's outside surfaces.

I need this simple, solid part profile to 'dig out' a cavity in some material, so we can make a holder for this cell phone. following is what I tried:

1. save the assembly as igs file, then open as 'part'==> proe crushes every time, maybe because file is too large?

2. make a new assembly, only picks up the cells phones shell (parts), then save as igs or stl...by any means.==> again, igs cause fatal error to proe...

3. I heard proe can built up 'skeleton' part, how?

in general, what do you guys usually export an assembly to a solid part while keeping the outside surface?

I was headache for this for several days. Any help would be highly appreciated. I have to finish by end of this week.

 

[mburlone]

Hi saneryin,

When you choose the "Save a Copy" option, if you scroll down in the Type drop down menu, there should be an option called Shrinkwrap. Choose Shrinkwrap, then select OK.
The dialog box that opens up has an option called Merged Solid, which takes an assembly and makes it a single part. You can try using a quality level of 10, but if Pro/E crashes, try a quality level of 7 or so.
You can change the output file name if you want, check the use default template box, then hit OK. After it's done, you should have a single part that represents your assembly named whatever you chose as the output file name.

 

[saneryin]

Thank you mburlone, you saved me a lot.

I tried lever 10. It is not solid, it is a still hollow even I took the "merged solid" option.

I can get a solid one when I select option 'faced solid' but the out surface is not like the one(a similar product some created) that we have in the system.

by the way, have you looked the attached picture in my original post? in that part, all the small holes on surface are filled by a smooth surface.

the solid part is created for our other department to print out a real prototype product --- using a 3D model printing machine. --- smooth surface is a request.

I don't know how the other guy (before me) created a smooth out surface part while filled the tiny holes in the shell.