Working with IGES data from Alias 1

[SiW979]

Our Industrial Designers use Alias to create sheets for things like body panels or things that need to be styled. These are then exported as IGES files and imported into NX4 to be turned into proper CAD models. However, we are expericencing problems. When we open the newly imported IGES file in NX, most of the surfaces are not displayed as shown in the first jpeg attached. All layers are on, all the sheet bodies are turned on, but they just won't display. If you select all the bodies in the part navigator and suppress them then reselect and do a mass un-suppress, then the outcome is the same, but if you supress them all and turn them on one at a time in the part navigator then all are displayed as desired (see second jpeg). Close the file and open it again and you have to repeat the process. Please can anyone help.

 

[MSPBenson]

Have you checked your visualisation performance preferences?
Make sure "backface culling" is not on.
It's a long shot as this shouldn't change after surpressing and un-surpressing unless ug is flipping the normals of the surfaces when is re-builds the geometry after the supression.


Mark Benson
Aerodynamic Model Designer

 

[SiW979]

Mark

Thanks for trying, but that doesn't work I'm afraid.

 

[Xwheelguy]

This is due to the seed file IGES uses when it imports geometry.

Open the igesnull file in the UG install directory (in the IGES folder) and change your display settings to what you want (create a surface for reference or something). Change the settings, delete all geometry and then save the file. I think you need to tag the 2 sided light option on.

This file gets overwritten each time you install a MR or MP, so you'll have to do it each time you install a MR or MP.

Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.

http://www.enkei.com

Some people are like slinkies....they don't really have a purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.

 

[SiW979]

Tim

Thanks for your input. The files you talked about are read only and we have the 2 sided light option turned on in our customer defaults. I have found that it we turn on use cached facets in the visualization performance before we open the part, then it works fine, but it relies on you working through a model once turning on all the surfaces 1 at a time and then saving the model once it is looking how you want it. If you have any further information, then I would be appreciate any other help.

Many Thanks

Simon.
JCB Excavators Ltd.

 

[hudson888]

Just 'coz you have 2 sided light turned on in your customer default files doesn't mean that it will be set as you like in the IGES import NULL part files. There is a english/inches and a metric version of these files, and yes they will likely be read only. Have your sys admin assist you in getting it fixed otherwise it'll drive you mad.

Otherwise if you import the Iges data into an empty UG file either directly or from the affected part into another UG file then the surfaces ought to display as per normal.

Also talk with the Alias guys because the is a setting with Alias for IGES export to suit UG which may improve the result if not for this particular problem then for other reasons in general.

I can reassure you that I have done this heaps of time with success, so you should be able to get it working if you persist.

Best regards

Hudson

 

[SiW979]

Many Thanks Hudson

If I open these NULL files in native NX4, where am I looking to change the settings? Why are they part specific? I though the customer defaults would apply the same settings such as 2 sided lights to all new parts as standard when they are created? E.g. when I import the IGES sheet surfaces into NX, the customer defaults are already set to the correct setting.

Your help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Xwheelguy]

JCB,

Customer defaults only affect NEW files. The IGES seed file already exists on disk, so those aren't technically NEW files and that's why the settings are part specific. It OPENS the seed file, which lacks any geometry, then imports the geometry and saves it as the name you specified prior to import.

First thing I would do is to get read/write access on the entire NX install directory, then you won't have to worry about anything else having permissions issues.

As far as the IGES seed file, open it and bring up Visualization Preferences. The 2 sided light option will be under one of those tabs. You might want to change other things like Object Display preferences, etc.

Another option would be to copy the seed file to another location for backup and then start a NEW file and save it over the original NULL file (using the EXACT same name). Then, your customer defaults will all already be set. I've never used this method, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. The previous workflow I know for sure works, but this one might be faster for you.

Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.

http://www.enkei.com

Some people are like slinkies....they don't really have a purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.