Exporting to 3DS

[suelflow]

Does anyone have any experiance with exporting models to the 3DS file format? There are a couple of plug-ins i've seen but don't know much about them.

 

[fcsuper]

I believe 3D Studio has a fairly robust list of file formats that it can take. I think you'll just need to save it as IGES or Parasolid and it may be able to accept the model. I've done this before for someone that had 3DS.

Matt
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
sw.fcsuper.com
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group

 

[suelflow]

Thanks,
I'll have to check with the guys in graphics. I don't think they are using 3DS, but rather it is a file format they are used to importing. I sent them a list of the "Save-As" file formats, and none looked familier to them. That's why I was interested in the plug-ins.

 

[fcsuper]

Ok, just checking. You will likely have to buy a commerical package for this function. I just did a yahoo search and found several quickly. I can't vouch for them, of course (which I'm now guessing you are most interest in hearing actual recommendations). Sorry I couldn't help more.



Matt
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
sw.fcsuper.com
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group

 

[ctopher]

I have imported a model from SW into 3DS, but has been a while. I will not be home until next week to try again. I will check next week.
For now, send them all of your file types and have them try each one.

Chris
SolidWorks 07 4.0/PDMWorks 07
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 04-21-07)

 

[G1DESIGN]

You need okino polytrans it wil open a native solidworks file and export as a .3ds


The following from solidworks to 3d studio

iges is painfully slow

parasolid is not supported

 

[josephv]

Hello suelflow,

The following worked for us:

Save SWX file as ACIS (.SAT)
Import ACIS body into ACAD
Save ACAD file as DWG
Import DWG into 3DS

Don't know if it is the best way, but it had good results.

 

[fcsuper]

Joesphv,

Please note sueflow's comment above, "I don't think they are using 3DS..."

Matt
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
sw.fcsuper.com
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group

 

[josephv]

Thanks, Matt...

Hello suelflow,

Here are some fairly important questions so that we can understand the problem:

Why are they using 3DS? What software are they importing to? I know that this is what they are "used" to importing, but maybe it is not the best way.

cheers,

 

[suelflow]

They will be importing into Carrara.
The file formats they use are mainly OBJ AND 3DS because they work the best.

 

[cmclaugh]

I save the part/assembly as a step file. Then import into MAX. Works pretty well.

 

[josephv]

According to this article:

http://www.designer-info.com/Writing/carrara_4.htm

" Carrara Pro supports the import of 3D models in Lightwave LWO and trueSpace COB formats, CAD/ CAM designs in VRML, OIV, STL, IGES, STEP, VDAFS, SAT and OpenNURBS formats as well as animations in the increasingly popular BVH and FBX formats."

Have you tried VRML and SAT?