In need of a Viewer/Translator.

[Albion]

We are a tool & die show that receives files in all formats from our customers. At this point we have been keeping maintenance on all those software programs to keep us up-to-date with their latest versions (Pro-E, Unigraphics, Solid Works, AutoCAD, Catia, Etc...). Well, with the current economy spending nearly $20000/year on maintenance is not feasible anymore to keep up with the latest versions and it is impossible to keep asking our customers to send us old versions of the 2d/3d drawings.

So what I am wondering is if there is a piece of software out there that will allow us to view and translate to Iges/Step the latest version all those formats?

Thanks

 

[cowski]

Keep up with the package you like and have your customers send you a neutral file format (such as step or iges) that your package can import. We have UG, but our tool makers don't so we send them step files and everything seems to work ok. Actually, it works out well because we don't want to send them the full file where they could easily change the model. We want all changes to go through us so that we can stay up to date between CAD files and the actual tooling.

 

[nbucska]

I have software which after an updating wasn't compatible
with the data files generated by the prior version --
I had to redesign the &%%#@$!$@!)* thing...



<nbucska@pcperipherals.com>

 

[TheAnswerGuy]

Albion2,

Most of the companies are starting to get the point about making viewers free of charge. If I were you I would check-out the websites of the CAD vendors and you may be surprised at what you will find.

You can also check the Cnet website called:

http://www.download.com

and search for a viewer program there.

I know that their is a pretty good package that is free for the first 15 or 20 times that you open the program. After that you need to register the program and then pay for it.
You can see that program at:

http://www.actify.com

theanswerguy@tr-usa.com

 

[Albion]

The problem is that I don't need just a viewer. We already have 3DView from Actify but it doesn't convert. Maybe I should explain a bit better here.

We are a 3rd tier supplier. We get drawings for quoting and building purposes in every format imaginable. We need to be able to not only view those drawings but print them but be able to convert them to a format we can get the geometery from. So far the only thing I have found is RxView/RxHighlight, both do convertion to IGES and native formats. the only problem is that it will not open Pro/E wildfire, and as you know Pro/E doesn't have a free viewer either.

Thanks

-Al

 

[MadMango]

In cases like this, you are probably going to have to request your customers to send you thier files in a format that you can work with. It's not an unreasonable request.

Ray Reynolds
&quot;There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.&quot;
Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[RCDLtd]

WiseView from Samsung SDS does most of what you need, although it's costs escalate the more Native formats you wish to read.

I've found it to be a good viewing tool, certainly good enough for quoting.

It also sells itself as a translator, so you'd think from the marketting it could create your IGES or STEP files for you. From my experience though the translator is not so good, lots of geomtry lost. Not necessarily WiseVIEW's fault though, the original files may be of poor quality, however there is no oppotunity to fix any of those problems - you get what you get.

You used to be able to get a 30 day trial, downloadable from their website, although not all formats are available in the download.