Healing Surfaces 3

[markborges]

Hi all,

I have a part with "rough" complex surfaces that I need to convert into a solid. The part is an import feature and many surfaces are not connected and are usually separated by a small sliver of a gap.

If I try to import it as a solid, of course I get an error; however, the error message says something like...

Unselect join surfaces
zip gap using autoselect
join surface attributes

Where can I find this "zip gap" routine, or how should I go about this?

 

[mehit]

Pick the Improt feature in the model tree -> Edit definition--> Geometry --> Heal Geometry --> manual-->Autoselect --> Zipgaps

 

[richkeogh]

On the version of Pro-E that I am using (Wildfire), you right click on the import feature object in the model tree and click on edit definition. Then in the Geometry menu you will find the "Heal Geometry" sub-menu. There are Automatic and Manual options, the zip-gaps option is under the manual options.
When I am working with poor import geometry (often an IGES file from Catia V5!) I often try the automatic option first, and then zip-gaps on the manual, which usually seems to do the trick (depending on how poor the geometry is).
Once you have healed the surfaces (if you can!) then you can go to edit -> feature properties and select the make solid box to convert it to a solid.
Then click on the green tick to leave the edit definition mode.

Hope this is helpful.

Rich

 

[rm447]

Hi,

Does any body know of a free (or an inexpensive) software that can convert IGES to STEP?

Thanks!

 

[cadcamguy]

solidworks use to put out something call xchangeworks... a freebie.... looks like they still do... add in for acad... might run standalone... has a lil' sw partmodeler

http://www.solidworks.com/pages/products/xchangeworks/index.html

 

[cadcamguy]

you can open with the xchangeworks... no save as different file type
another option.. pay as you go is

http://www.delcam.com/general/software/ps-exchange.asp

 

[rm447]

Thanks for your reply, but that is not free anymore apparently.

What I am trying to do is import my parts into Pro/E as a solid so that it is easy to manipulate. I have been working with STL's so far, but now I need to cut one object into two parts using a cutting surface and save them as two different parts and I don't seem to be able to do this with STL. (Please correct me if I am wrong about this because this will drop the whole case!)
So that made me try IGES, but I can't fix the broken surfaces using zip gap so I keep getting zero mass. So it made me want to try STEP, but I need to be able to translate my files from IGES or STL into STEP, since the medical image processing program that I use can only output STL or IGES among CAD formats.

Do you have any suggestions?

 

[cadcamguy]

not sure what delcam charges for something like that .. I know that part isn't free .. xchange wouldn't of worked as no new output formats.

is this work or a school project?

can you filebucket a pic?

 

[markborges]

I never could get Proe Heal surface (automatic or manual via zip-gap) to work on my part which was IGES input.

I had one of our FEA guys import it into Hypermesh, fix a few surfaces and then import it into Solid Works and heal the surfaces there. If I went through ProE's manual healing, I think eventually, I could heal all surfaces, but it would be a lot of trial and error. Solid works heal surface was automated, which allowed us to quickly try diferent sequences/order of healing the surfaces to find the one sequence which was successful in healing them all; ie, able to turn it into a solid.

Thats our experience. If there was a way to do this a little easier in Pro E that would be awesome.
Just my two cents.

Mark

 

[cadcamguy]

Thats our experience. If there was a way to do this a little easier in Pro E that would be awesome.
Just my two cents.


at least they did a good job of hiding the menus :-(

you right click on the import feature object in the model tree and click on edit definition. Then in the Geometry menu you will find the "Heal Geometry" sub-menu. There are Automatic and Manual options, the zip-gaps option is under the manual options.

 

[markborges]

Yep, )

I guess, that's one way to solve the problem.

 

[rm447]

Hey guys, thanks for your replies. Okay, so I have a very simple question so don't laugh at me because I am not too good with Pro/E.
How do you cut one object into two parts using a surface, so that you can save the two resulting pieces separately? What I am trying to use is Sweep/Cut. But Pro/E doesn't allow me to use a line as the cross section to be swept along the sweep path (like the edge of a knife), because it is not a closed sketch. If I wanted to define a rectangle for example, then I will have to discard one side of this cut, save the other side, and then do it again and this time save the other side. I'm sure there's got to be a better way!!

 

[markborges]

I am not an expert; but this is what I do

Create a cutting plane.

For surfaces...
Select the surface/Edit/Trim/
Select your cutting plane

For solids...
Highlight your cutting plane/Edit/Solidify

and select which side to discard and save that file as part A and then do the same thing to create part B.


Mark