Native ProE file converter

[Redfire427]

Hey folks,

Just a quick question for the people who use the ProE file converter in Mastercam. We have had a licence for this product for many years as our engineering dept works with ProE. When we import, we get a bunch of extra geometry and surfaces as well as the solid on import. If you check the levels manager, some of the levels have names like SE_REFERENCES, and BLACK HOLE, as well as a bunch of others. Typically, whatever geometry the engineer used to create the solid gets imported as well as a few random surfaces. All I want to import is the solid and that is all I have checked in the config file.

So here is my question. Do you other users experience this issue as well, strictly on ProE files? Do you get a bunch of extra entities on import? I have tried to import in both X2 and X3 with the same results. The engineers are using Wildfire3.

It's not really a big deal as we just select all wireframe and surfaces and then delete, but when you have 5 guys opening dozens of file everyday and going through this procedure, it's a waste of time. I know if the engineers save the file as a step file, this does not happen, but we don't want a bunch of different file formats on the server. We want to keep it simple with just native ProE files and Mastercam files.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

I see what you see about 40% of thie time, not to knock someone's skill but... the GOOD Designer/Engineers' files come across perfect, no extra garbage.

[Kohler Joe]

mastercam will bring in pro-e solid model step files. I have the engineers save them as a step file with solids only. NO SHELLS. pARTS WILL COME IN AS CLEAN SOLIDS AND EACH ON THEIR OWN LAYER.

[Kannon]

parasolids... .X_T work well also.

[Redfire427]

Joe and Brian,

I understand what you are saying but it kind of misses the point. I know the engineers can output alternate file types, but as I stated earlier, that takes up a lot of extra space on the server and defeats the purpose of having a ProE translator.

[Kannon]

Sorry...

I too have the Pro E converter and it always gives me trouble with surfaces... I have Pro E installed here now so I convert the file here, then bring it into Mastercam.

[Pete Rimkus from CNC Software Inc.]

Prosin Molds,

Did you turn off 'Import Pro/E Datum entities' in the Options dialog (or in ConfigConverters)?

 

Brian,

What sort of problems do you have with importing surfaces when reading Pro/E? Care to share some examples?

[Redfire427]

Pete,

Yes I have 'Import Pro/E Datum entities' turned off. I'm well aware of the previous version issue.

The junk that gets imported seems to be related to the geometry that was utilized in ProE to create the solid and saved in the ProE history tree.

[boneheaded]

We use our pro e converter around 95% of the time. Some engineers create great parts but some don't. If we are bringing in a bunch of extra crap we try step files. Some times we bring in sweeps and projections with the pro e parts. Sometimes we bring them in as surfaces then do create solid from surfaces . Assemblys with many parts seem to be the worse because of association i think.

[Kannon]

It was our ProE converter...(guy) after further review.. he was saving them as a parasolid .X_T, but little did he know that doing that eliminated all of the swept blended surfaces he created when I would bring them in.

ME BAD..