Topic: AutoCAD Solid to IGES

[Bob Wahr]

I have an AutoCAD 3D solid done by extruding, unioning, subtracting, etc.  I need to get it to an IGES format.  AutoCAD doesn't appear to directly export.  Does anyone have any experience with doing this?  Can you suggest a program to do a good conversion?

[Bob Wahr]

Maybe I should have posted this in Job Junk.  Doesn't appear to be getting much attention here.  10 views, 3 or 4 of those being me.  Oh well.

[quicksilver]

Does it have to be IGES?  Can you export a ACIS file .sat?  I looked and other than someone who had mechanical desktop/inventor/any 3D solid program translating it for you, or a trail translation at transmagic or something similar.

[Bob Wahr]

Thanks.  Someone converting it for me unfortunately isn't an option as I'm under a non-disclosure on the project.  The CAD/CAM guys I spoke with were a little on the conflicting side.  The first guy I spoke with said he wanted an STL file.  AutoCAD does these.  He handed the phone to another guy who said that STL only gave him triangles and he needed IGES.  I'm giving them IGES and ACIS, hopefully one of them will be usable for them.  I downloaded the trial of Transmagic but they are being slow approving my request for a demo registration.  I'm guessing that they're all on vacation.

[SDETERS]

Back in like release 12 to 13 or 14 to 2000 Autodesk dropped the Iges file translator out of Autocad.  One would have to buy it separate.

A STL file is used for rapid prototypes.  This file is call a tessellated type file.  Meaning that when you export the file the software fits little small triangles on the surfaces.  The triangle size is controlled by the facet deviation or resolution.

Is the file even a solid in Autocad or just surfaces?  I do not know much about Autocad 3D

What is the end use for this model file?

If you are going to start modeling in 3D I would defiantly think about getting better software than autocad to do this.


Thanks

Shane Deters

[Bob Wahr]

Thanks for the information.

The file is, as I said in the first post, a solid.

The end use is to make little plastic things.

I would, defiantly or otherwise, consider better software for doing the modeling except that this is possibly a one off deal, even if it becomes more frequent, it would take a lot of work to justify the software.  I am looking at Transmagic to translate but at $1600, it's probably not feasible, much less solid works or such.  I also don't see the limitations of doing the modeling in autocad although it's probably from lack of experience with anything else.  I would be interested in hearing what the limitations of autocad versus other things are.

[SDETERS]

What system is the final person using?   Maybe he can take the STL file and import it and then export it out as an IGES file.  Sorry I can not be much help.   Autocad for all pourposes is a terrible 3d modeling software.  They have inventor and mechanical desktop to do this type of work.  If you are looking at 3d modeling software I think solid works has some good options and packages.


thanks

[cad-waulader]

http://www.opencascade.org/occ/
Maybe this 3D program has an IGES exporter or converter.  Haven't used it.
It's free and open-sourced. 

[quicksilver]

What about a trial version of inventor or solidworks and use this as a one off translation tool.

[JDMather]

  I am looking at Transmagic to translate but at $1600

Autodesk Inventor Series comes with AutoCAD for free.  The AIS version of AutoCAD has the IGESout command.  I don't know of any power users who are still using AutoCAD for 3D.

[DaveW]

Bob,

My software batch processes multipule 3D solids and does feature recognition. It then creates the proper dxf files for 13 different cam softwares to batch import. It may not handle what you need, but the demo is fully functional for 30 days and may take care of this one time issue for you for free. It is call SmartLister and you can grab a copy at SmartLister.com if you have not solved this issue yet. Typically, most people want an stl so they can toolpath the part by hand. For many 3D solids I will do this automatically.