Translations into Iges

[Andrew Somrack]

I am attempting to translate IGES files from MasterCAM. When i import the file, many surfaces become untrimmed or create large gaps between loined surfaces. Is there a setting somewhere or configuration that I am missing that will allow me to translate all surfaces as iges type 128 (Rational B-spline surface (NURBS))instead of the typical type 144 (Trimmed parametric surface).

I believe my problem comes when I translate those trimmed surfaces and when they are opened, the type 114, become untrimmed.

 

May other hypothesis is that the tolerance needs to be adjusted when it comes out of MasterCAM. Is there a way to adjust the tolerance on the output iges files?

 

Do you have any insight on this topic?

[Guest]

Yup, don't use iges.

 

parasolid or step if you can

[Andrew Somrack]

I can't;

The program that i am going into does not accept step.

When i try to export parasolid i get the error "current part does not contain any solids". Which is true.

[Rick Henrickson The Boeing Co.]

create solids from surfaces, export as parasolid, import parasolid into mcam, then export as iges sometimes this will clean it up.

or you can save as parasolid or sat bring into solidworks then export as iges.

[Andrew Somrack]

Two great sugestions...

 

I used the surfaces, created a solid (skipped one of your steps) then translated that solid out as and iges. That seems to work.

The one problem that I foresee in this method is that the solid is now one color. One of the joys of keeping it as a surface is that we can color code it for the programmer, i.e. a color for parting line, shut off and product.

 

We do not have a copy SolidWorks.

[Cuda84]

What software is the programer useing?

[Andrew Somrack]

CAMTool

 

I've seen this problem but not as sereve in Pro/E

[Rick Henrickson The Boeing Co.]

save the surfaces on a diffrent level then the solid that way you can have both

[Gramby]

cascadeclimbr you stated "create solids from surfaces," Is mastercam capible of doing this? I know we can create surfaces from solids. If so how? I need to know.

[b_daddy]

Gramby,

 

Go to Solids tab, Solids from surfaces.

[Gramby]

I see it now, should have looked a little more before I typed. How long have we had this capability? The solid which results from the surfaces, are we able to cut, extrude and modify?

[New Job]

Gramby:

You can do everything you want to with it. I do this all the time and love this feature. It has been around at least since V9.0.

 

 

Edit:

 

Welcome to the forum Andrew!

[Matt Berube at Ferron Mold]

If you form a "watertight" solid you can modify it the same as any other "closed solid body".

 

We've had this since at least Version 8 but it seems to work better now than before.

[Andrew Somrack]

Thank you

sorry to sound rude the soilds idea will really help me out but i'm getting the impression that what i'm orignally asking's answer is that what i get from iges is pretty much unchangable and that i need to "trick it" with solids??

[b_daddy]

Andrew,

 

How do you like CAMTool? Our machine reseller was in here talking about that software.

[edmBosto]

Andrew,

Does this happen all the time with CAMtool?

 

If so maybe they can change their tolerance before an IGES is made as it may not be tight enough. Just a thought.

 

You may need to just suck it up (sort of speak) on this job and recreate the surfaces you need for machining. If so put the original surfaces on an other level. Then create your new ones at a different color on another level and shade them.

Then visually compare them. The colors should overlapeach other. This way you know your good.

 

If some surfaces are too complicated you can try untrimming them and then retrim them to the geometry. Or use your solids.

 

My thought is when the geometry is bad you just need to do what needs to be done even if it means recreating some of it.

 

This only happen rarely though even with compex models.

[Andrew Somrack]

This was send to me from the people at CNC Software Inc.

"Andrew,

 

The iges translation will not change the entity type for you. If the surface is a nurbs surface it will be written as a 128. If it is a parametric surface it will be written as a 114. If it is a trimmed of either type it will be written as a 144. The translation itself has no bearing on that. You can however change the type being created in the configuration: ( photo of where that configuration can occur )

 

Regards,

 

Jamie

 

CNC Software, Inc."

 

 

Our programers like CAMTool the help is very helpful. they just switched over very quickly.

 

 

This seems to happen all the time with CAMTool and i have tried messing with thier tolerances. and it seems as if 'it is what it is'.

 

 

I thought i had fixed the problem by converting my surfaces to solids but then another wrench is thrown in, i was using the only SIM with the solids option. Is there a way to "trick" it into making solids or exporting like one with out buying another solids SIM?

[Pete Rimkus from CNC Software Inc.]

Andrew,

I don't know why the IGES file being output by Mastercam would be causing you these problems. Are you running X MR2? If not, try it. If so, please send me ([email protected]) one or two MCXs that exhibit this behavior when output to IGES. I'll take a look at what's going on under the hood.

[Andrew Somrack]

I am using MasterCAM 9. I'll try sending you the files translated.

[Andrew Somrack]

Pete, let me know when you recieve those files.

[Pete Rimkus from CNC Software Inc.]

Andy,

Got 'em. The IGES files look good here in several viewers and CAD packages here. I think CAMTools needs to look at how they read IGES 142s when the 'Preference' flag says "2D curve on a surface" rather than "3D curve".