Solid sheets to surfaces

[Thad]

Sometimes when we get a part file in, instead of a single solid, it's a few hundred, if not thousand, solid sheets. When converting solids to surfaces, there is no option to select All-Solids, by color, window, or anything. They must all be picked individually.

 

These are files coming from UG and we have the UG translator. OTHER THAN the following methods, does anyone know of a trick to get them all converted quickly and easily?

 

1. Send it back and tell them to give us one solid.

 

2. Have them give us surfaces it the first place.

 

3. When converting, have the UG translator give us surfaces.

 

Thank you.

 

Thad

[cadist]

Ask for a parasolid.

I noticed that parasolid converter works better than the UG one. May sound strange but true for me.

HTH

[Thad]

Nadeem,

 

How will those sheets come in if we get a parasolid?

 

Part of the problem is that we don't get it as solid sheets every time. It all depends on how the design house gets the part file from the customer. Even if we do get it as a single solid, we typically only use the part file for reference. The problem being that when we *do* need to do something with it, it's next to impossible to work with. So whatever ideas I get will be rarely used, but when I do, it will be a lifesaver.

 

Thad

[cadist]

quote:

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How will those sheets come in if we get a parasolid?

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You mean to say parasolid can't import sheets?

[Thad]

No, I'm saying that we don't want sheets...or at least I want a way to easily convert them to surfaces. If parasolid will give us a thousand little solid sheets, then we've accomplished nothing. I'm not sure we both understand each other.

 

Thad

[Storkman]

Thad,

 

This is from MC help file.

 

 

Solids import

When you import solids, they can be converted in one of the following ways:

 

¨ convert the solid to a Mastercam solid (without operation history)

 

¨ convert each face to a trimmed surface

 

You can also convert each edge of the solid to a curve (line, arc, or spline).

[Storkman]

In the configuration, go to the files tab and select the converters button to change.

[cadist]

Storkman, he said he don't want "3. When converting, have the UG translator give us surfaces."

Apart from these I think only a vb script can save you.

[robk]

Thad I had a question similar to yours Link not too long ago.

Ask for a new file if possible

[Storkman]

quote:

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When converting, have the UG translator give us surfaces."

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I'm confused. What's the difference between converting them after you bring the solid in or converting while you bring it in?

 

 

[Thad]

quote:

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What's the difference between converting them after you bring the solid in or converting while you bring it in?

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The entire die design is one big file. In it are individual solids (the details) and then solid sheets (the part model). Sorry for the confusion. I'm only concerned with the solid sheets because they have to be individually selected to convert them to surfaces.

 

Thad

[Storkman]

Thanx buddy, That clears it up.

[steve f]

Thad,

 

although you mentioned step #3 wasn't an option, can't they be imported as surfaces then converted to a single solid by upping the tolerance so all the surfaces get stitched?

 

steve

[Gilberto]

Solids may be created from surfaces and other solid sheets.

 

You can create a new solid sheet using multiple solid sheets.

 

Gilberto

www.grandesoft.pt

[Art@Pegasus_Tool]

Just read the file in than convert to iges and write file out . Then read the iges file in.

[Thad]

Gilberto and Art, thanks. I'll give those a try.

 

Steve F, if I do that, it'll make all the solids into surfaces...even the "good" ones.

 

I'm beginning to question why we even ask for solids in the first place. We never machine the solid.

 

Thad

[steve f]

...gotcha.

 

I agree on the "machining from solids" issue. I've yet to machine anything 3D from a solid primarily because there is no way of selecting faces efficiently...an X feature?

 

 

steve

[Storkman]

I machine to solids all the time. But usually I can select the whole solid for geometry instead of just faces. Probably takes longer to process.

[P_Scott]

steve f,

 

quote:

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there is no way of selecting faces efficiently...

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I select solid faces all the time. I never have any issues with selecting the solid geometry, whether it's in sheet form, or true solid, for generating toolpath. Maybe if you need some help understanding the toolpaths on solid process, you should look into attending a Solids training class with your reseller. In fact, I prefer solid geometry for my toolpaths than wireframe or surfaces. All the information is saved in solid form. Rarely do I need anything else when programming toolpaths.

 

Thad,

 

To get good surface information from customer supplied parts, I would follow Storkman's advice. Simply convert the part as Trimmed Surfaces to begin with. If you're not sure which customer parts will be solid and which are sheets, this step will eliminate that question. IGES is a "last ditch" conversion technique. The only time I would use it is if there's absolutely no other way to convert the file.

 

If all you need are the part models and not the whole Die design, ask your supplier to only export the part models from UG as Parasolid files. If their engineers can't separate the part models from the rest of the die, they have no business designing the parts. They're just being lazy when they send you the whole thing and not just what you need. HTH

[steve f]

quote:

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I select solid faces all the time. I never have any issues with selecting the solid geometry, whether it's in sheet form, or true solid, for generating toolpath.

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Peter, I appreciate what you're saying about the ability to machine from solid faces. I've experimented with machining from solids extensively and the advantages in 2D are definitely greater than wireframe, but...I've found I can save alot of time on selecting "faces" in 3D programming by using surfaces instead. Typically, within a minute or two of opening a file that requires 3D machining, I know how I want to machine it and spend time on the front end, changing the colors on the machined surfaces according to the toolpath strategy I'm going to use. Using surface, finish, contour as an example it's as simple as selecting all red surfaces as drive and all green and blue surfaces as check. When your part file has 42 "faces" where you'd like to use a certain toolpath, it becomes extremely time consuming to select solid faces seperately.

 

If version X allows changing color attributes on solid faces, I'm might just give it a try.

 

Experience is the greates teacher.

 

steve

[Müřlıń®]

+1 to steve.....

 

Been doing that since ver 6 and still haven't found a better way....

 

quote:

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If their engineers can't separate the part models from the rest of the die, they have no business designing the parts

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+1 to Peter.....another good example of things looking good on paper and in theory. However, the reality is a tad diffrent.

 

Most customers engineering dept has underpaid, under qualified engineers that are in charge of everything.....kinda like me

did I just say that....