Step assembly import into NX/Teamcenter

[MCGNX]

what is the trick to getting assembly step files to import into NX/TC? It works prefect native but not inside teamcenter. Can get a single part step, but not an assy.

any ideas?

 

[MCGNX]

so I've discovered that you can import as "new part" and it creates a series of native part files which can then be brought into TC using TC integration - import assy.

But is this the proper way to do it?

 

[hudson888]

Yes as far as I know that is pretty much the way we have to do it as well. Having said that I'd like there to be another answer, because it makes like pretty hard to have to do things like that. I can discuss some of what I know about it but I like you would like a better solution.

We find that you can't just bring in any old assembly of generically named files into teamcenter. This is because teamcenter won't allow us to create new item masters for each of the components and assemblies on the fly. Which is also why it won't open Step214 assemblies inside teamcenter. So it seems that you would have to open the assembly in native and then effectively build a duplicate assembly structure inside teamcenter and then import the data to each individual component one at a time, very manually.

If the assembly already existed inside teamcenter as was exported, then in my experience a copy of the assembly structure as might be created by Step214 would not be able to be imported back into teamcenter even if the file names were exactly the same. When importing files in and out of teamcenter we have found that the only files that we can use that work properly are those that were created by having been exported from teamcenter. It is capable of importing entire assembly structures and of accepting changes to the number and location of components based on the native version of the assembly. The limitation is that it must be able to detect some record in the files that it tries to import which it evaluates to ensure they are equivalents of data that was originally exported, simply same named files will not do.

I thought that background might help you understand some of the limitations of teamcenter as we are seeing it implemented. I can't comment on the implementation or customization of this system myself as we have thus far had no involvement with that part of the process. Should somebody reply to this with more and better information I for one would appreciate knowing more since Step214 is a fairly common translator and I see some real limitations how we're able to use it with teamcenter.

Now what I also think you can do is create item masters and import data to them one at a time. First you create a new item master the name of which does not have to relate to the native filename. You add a data set which is of the type UG file, and as part of the same dialog import the appropriate file from the OS. In the case of a simple assembly you may be able to create a new one and just add an empty UG file which you would have to populate with the other components. For any but the simplest assemblies of parts with components in absolute positions this is just going to be too hard. Maybe you can create all the items in teamcenter, export them and then juggle the contents in native by importing the original and substituting all the components, then you should be able to import the assembly correctly. Complicated and still too much work.

Hope to hear more

Hudson