SOLIDWORKS ASSEMBLY

[Elmer Fudd]

Does anyone know if mastercam can convert solidworks assemblys. thanks, Dan

[Rekd™]

I think it has to be broken down into individual parts. There's been some talk about better integration, mayhaps soon it will be possible.

 

You didn't like the old name DJNBERGER?

 

'Rekd teh observant

[cadcam]

As I can remember. it will give you the opiton to pick which part you want to convert first..

It's been a while.

Now I need to get a assembly file and try again.

[gcode]

To bring a SolidWorks assembly into MC, save it as a parasolid and use File/Convert/Parasolid

to bring it into MC. MC will put one dumb solid on a seperate layer. I don't know what would happen if your assembly had more than 256 parts.

If you don't want part of the assembly in MC, hide it in SW. It won't be part of the parasolid.

 

SolidWorks has a VERY COOL feature for exporting parasolid.

 

Go to Insert/Reference Geometry/ Coordinate System and create a Cooridinate Sytem that matches

the orientation you require for Mastercam. You can use points, faces and edges to define the CS or make new planes and sketches if required.

 

When you Save As/parasolid, click on the Options box and choose your Coordinate Sysem from the

Output Coordinate System drop down.

 

When you import the parasolid into MC it will be oriented in Mastercam's WSC as you defined it in SolidWorks. No more rotating and translating to get the solids the way you want them!!!

 

I've been bugging MC beta for a year to include

the Output Cooridinate System option in the

SW/MC Add In. So far, no luck. Once you've got the hang of it, you'll never use the sldprt translator again.

 

[ 06-18-2003, 12:24 AM: Message edited by: gcode ]

[Elmer Fudd]

I tried to bring it across using file, convert, parasolid and i get a error saying "cannot find parasolid data in solidworks file" followed by a couple more errors. (i needed a name that actually said something instead of a bunch of letters) DAN

[gcode]

DId you save the assembly as a parasolid in Solid Works?? Make sure you are using the same parasolid version in Mastercam and SolidWorks

[BK]

If you need to bring in assembly, open the file in SolidWorks then do a "Save As" and choose the X_T file format. It will ask if you want to smash the file heirarchy (spell check) and select "yes" for this option. Go to MC, file, import, Paasolids, then select the X_T file format. Works great. The colors come through as in the assembly and if I remember correctly, I think the cad comes in on several diffeent levels. Pretty easy to grab a color and switch to diferent levels for ad management.

 

HTH

 

Was a level 3 user, now a level 1, Yikes!

[Brian Scullion]

dont forget to flatten the assy heirachy

[cadcam]

So you guys have tried to take the SW file that contains more then one solid and it will not give you the option?

 

Maybe I am thinking of UG files..

[MichaelJ]

I did it like gcode said and it worked good it was one file with 7 parts all on difrent levals.

[Elmer Fudd]

WORKED GREAT. THANKS EVERYBODY