What Would Cause This To Happen?

[Guest]

I import an IGES file into Mastercam X4 that was originally created in Pro/E.

 

I run a check to see if this file has any duplicate surfaces using the Delete Duplicates Tool in Mastercam X4. I get a dialog box message that says the file doesn't have any duplicate entities.

 

I then save this file as an IGES file. I reopen the saved IGES file I created with Mastercam X4 and surfaces climb from 192 surfaces to 502 surfaces. I use the Delete Duplicate Tool and it shows no duplicates.

 

??

[Leigh @ Kodiak]

I'm guessing you are not able to share the IGES file.

 

The one thing I would check is to check for is hidden entities. I think you may see some show up as hidden surfaces, but in their untrimmed state.

[Guest]

"I'm guessing you are not able to share the IGES file."

 

Correct. I wish I could.

 

"The one thing I would check is to check for is hidden entities. I think you may see some show up as hidden surfaces, but in their untrimmed state."

 

They do. What should be done with them? The real problem is when I try and import this IGES file into SpaceClaim to convert it to a solid and I get all the surfaces I don't want which makes converting this surface file to a solid difficult.

[Leigh @ Kodiak]

I think if you delete them in mastercam, the trimmed surfaces will also Delete. I've had pretty good luck getting IGES surfaces to be a solid using SOLIDWORKS.

 

In the future, its best to obtain something, anything other than "I-Guess" files. I personally like parasolids.

 

EDIT:

What are you trying to accomplish that cant just be done with the surfaces?

[Guest]

"I think if you delete them in mastercam, the trimmed surfaces will also Delete"

 

Correct. That is what happens when I try and delete them.

 

"In the future, its best to obtain something, anything other than "I-Guess" files. I personally like parasolids."

 

I've been fighting this battle for over a year. For now I have to work with "I-Guess" files. I like Parasolid files as well.

 

"What are you trying to accomplish that cant just be done with the surfaces?"

 

Easier edits, testing FBM.

 

Any other ideas how I can clean up this file with Mastercam before exporting to SpaceClaim or do you think I'm better off working with it on the SpaceClaim end? SpaceClaim is very receptive toward improving their product. Couldn't ask for better treatment than I get from them and that's after saying how much I dislike how they market their product although lately this seems to be improving.

[Leigh @ Kodiak]

quote:

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Any other ideas how I can clean up this file with Mastercam before exporting to SpaceClaim

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Sorry, but thats all I got for you. I would just like to re iterate again that if you could email me the file, I could likely turn it to a solid in about 5 minutes using SOLIDWORKS

[Guest]

"I would just like to re iterate again that if you could email me the file, I could likely turn it to a solid in about 5 minutes using SOLIDWORKS"

 

I'll work with SpaceClaim on getting the needed tools put into SpaceClaim to make it easier.

[Midwest]

why iges from Pro-e????

[Guest]

We don't have Mastercam Solids. In a very large company getting change takes time.

[Mjölnir]

IGES in practice = "dirty" four letter word.

 

Although the IGES spec itself is fairly robust and even does b-rep solids, its implementation has for the most part always been poor.

 

Careful exporting IGES from Mastercam. Mastercam uses polylines instead curves for surface boundaries and that can cause headaches in other software. Created much extra work chaining surface edges in Fastsurf / Cadkey. There was a good discussion about this on alt.machines.cnc quite a few years ago. Good luck finding it if you're interested. I give up, Google Groups search (and just about everything else Google) is pathetic anymore. Feh.

[kunfuzed]

quote:

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We don't have Mastercam Solids.

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I don't think you need the solids module to import/open and machine solids. I just know you can't transform them or edit them.

 

Why can't the ProE guy export as a parasolid?

[Colin Gilchrist]

Kunfuzed,

 

I think Jon was referring to my post about creating the solid in MC.

 

Jon, I know the feeling about working in a big company and things moving at a snail's pace. Sorry it won't work.

 

Can you get a STP file out of Pro-E? That might be cleaner.

[peon]

I normally step out files in Pro/e. If the .stp file looks like xxxx, I'll iges them out. I can almost guarantee that if the .stp isn't any good, the parasolid will be much worse. For some reason, pro/e has a hard time creating parasolids. UG, on the other hand, is opposite. Parasolids are great and .stp files are just so-so. I am by no means an expert in pro/e or UG, but this is what I have experienced.

[Thee Rickster ™]

Similar to this problem

 

They are working on my problem.

They deem it as a sort of bug.

I did a share desktop with CNC software and they

have one of their top dogs on it.

Send in the file

[Guest]

"Careful exporting IGES from Mastercam. Mastercam uses polylines instead curves for surface boundaries and that can cause headaches in other software."

 

Are there any settings I can change in Mastercam so it exports cleaner IGES?

 

I almost never have a problem importing Pro/E IGES into Mastercam. It's pretty much all I use and have used for close to two years now.

[Guest]

"Why can't the ProE guy export as a parasolid?"

 

Not our company "standard".

 

The "ProE guy" would be many "ProE guys and gals" all over the world.

[Guest]

"...was referring to my post about creating the solid in MC"

 

Colin, we don't have Mastercam Solids so we import IGES surface / wireframe files that are created with Pro/E.

 

"I know the feeling about working in a big company and things moving at a snail's pace."

 

As you may or may not know we are not really a manufacturing company but more of an engineering company / intellectual property rights company.

 

My role is to support our engineers and give them pretty much whatever they want when they want it.

 

"Can you get a STP file out of Pro-E? That might be cleaner."

 

No.

[kunfuzed]

I would suggest that you suggest your company revise its "standard". Sell it to your customers(or your boss) as "newer, faster, cheaper, more efficient technology that will save you money"! Show your boss how much easier and more powerful it is to open a parasolid.

 

quote:

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Colin, we don't have Mastercam Solids so we import IGES surface / wireframe files that are created with Pro/E.

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Once again you don't need the solids module to import or machine a solid.

[kunfuzed]

Reading your first post again... why are you opening an IGES from ProE in Mcam just to save it as a different IGES for Spaceclaim? Just curious.

[Guest]

"Reading your first post again... why are you opening an IGES from ProE in Mcam just to save it as a different IGES for Spaceclaim? Just curious."

 

I have some files that were Pro/E IGES that were imported into Mastercam. I no longer have access to the original Pro/E IGES just the Mastercam file.

 

I'd like to convert the surface and wireframe file in Mastercam to a solid in SpaceClaim and then open the SpaceClaim file in Mastercam. As of X3 Mastercam opens SpaceClaim files directly.

[Guest]

"I would suggest that you suggest your company revise its "standard". Sell it to your customers(or your boss) as "newer, faster, cheaper, more efficient technology that will save you money"! Show your boss how much easier and more powerful it is to open a parasolid."

 

You've never worked for a very large company have you? See Colin's post. It's not this easy or it would have already been done.

 

"Once again you don't need the solids module to import or machine a solid."

 

I'm fully aware of this. I don't have a solid... yet.

[Leigh @ Kodiak]

Here is a thought. Spend your own dime to get the pro-E importer for Mastercam, and skip the IGES all together.

[Midwest]

quote:

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I import an IGES file into Mastercam X4 that was originally created in Pro/E.

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Your 1st sentence of original post.

 

 

now you don't have the iges file from Pro-E

 

 

Sounds like your company needs a lot of help, how hard is it to be a little organized and keep the original file with the converted files????

 

Since you can't share your files with anyone who could fix your problem / problems looks like you are on your own.........redraw the part in your Spaceclaim.......lets us know how fast and great this software works..........

 

 

quote:

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My role is to support our engineers and give them pretty much whatever they want when they want it.

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I think I will let this one go..........

 

 

[Mr. Wizzard]

quote:

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My role is to support our engineers and give them pretty much whatever they want when they want it.

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I would think you would be able to get any converters you need if it would help your company be more productive.

 

When we started using Pro-E and receiving Pro-E files, the converter was a no-brainer. We used to bring into Solidworks and convert, then bring in to Mastercam. This created issues because Solidworks could not open some files accurately; gaps in surfaces, missing features, etc...

 

The converter lets me bring in Pro-E files no problem. Even complex models with hundreds of surfaces.

[Thad]

You open an IGES file in MC, then save as an IGES file so you an open it in SpaceClaim to make it a solid. Nice process. Why wouldn't you just open the original IGES in SpaceClaim? Why? Because it doesn't suit your "bash MC agenda."

 

Thad