Fixing IGES File surface data

[rgeiss]

many know that other customers and vendors use different CAD software. and we know that we can import there files into our software programs. for example IGES or STEP files. to do this we import the file into a new part model. once we do this we will see only one feature in the model tree, an import feature id (#). From this point we can right click this feature and select edit definition. From here we are able to go to Geometry on the main tool bar and select Heal Geometry> manual or automatic. My question is: does anyone know more about the functions of the manual Heal Geometry feature??? By this I mean: the IGES file is full of surfaces & curves and not parts, many of these surfaces and curves are broken or not complete, this happens when making this assembly into the IGES or STEP file, the surfaces either come up pink or purple (when not in shaded view) all these lines need to be purple in order to make the model a solid feature. this HEAL GEOMETRY feature allows you to modify and tweak these surface lines to make them complete, but this function is very confusing and I am having a hard time finding good explanations of how to use these different functions (like: Zip Gaps, Fix Tangency, FixQuiltBndry, EditBndry, & FixVertices) I have found EditBndry to be the most useful though difficult to understand and use properly..... Help please......

 

[PhilJenkins]

I use zip gaps to fix mis-matched surface edges where 2 surfaces need to meet exactly but sometimes there can be a tiny gap between the two edges. Use 'max gap dist' option to enter the largest gap to attempt to fix (eg. 0.1mm - it depends on the size of the part). I then use 'auto-select' to pick the surface edges and then click 'zip gaps' to make the changes. This usually works for most 'unstitched' edges.

I have also found that slightly changing the part tolerance under the setup menu can improve an imported feature. Don't make the tolerance too loose or you can lose quality of your data.

 

[gb420917]

one of the early ways to fix a gap before entering pro/e heal geometry menu's is to export the iges from pro/e as the software must attempt to heal the geometry it'self during the export and then read in the newly generated file, it may not help you but it's worth a try

Secondly the iges translator as it comes out of the box within pro/e has half of the options swithed off you need to check your config options with respect to iges as some of the more useful ones aren't automatically envoked.

 

[proetools]

There are new tools inside the iges redifine functions since wilfire1.0 as well. you can re-create curves and surfaces too. Since WF1.0 there was added a wealth of tools all inside the 'edit definition' functions.

Bart Brejcha Chicago
DESIGN-ENGINE|EDUCATION

http://www.proetools.com

surfacing and Pro/CABLE training