Export as IGES

[chasetopher]

Has anyone ever had any luck with exporting or saving a model as an IGES file? Our CMM uses IGES files and I have to convert Catia and .par files for him to import them. Any help would be nice.

[rocheey1]

I've tried *importing* iges thru code, but MasterCam changes the name of the existing MCX-7 file to the iges filename.

Ive successfully imported and exported using VbScript.

[chasetopher]

I can't get it to export thru code. I'm pretty new to coding. I just need to export it really. Can you help me with the code?

 

 

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[chasetopher]

I can't get it to export thru code. I'm pretty new to coding. I just need to export it really. Can you help me with the code?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Roger Martin from CNC Software]

A simple example script....

 

' -- WriteIGES.vbs
'
' -- Writes out the current data to an IGES file.
'
' -- The IGES file will be written to the folder of the current MCX file


' -- Kick off the script --
Call Main


' ///////////////
' Sub Declaration
' ///////////////
Sub Main()

Dim objFSO ' -- File System Object
Dim strFileMCX ' -- The current MCX file (full path)
Dim strFileIGS ' -- The IGES output file (full path)
Dim strOutputPath ' -- The output folder
Dim strOutputFile ' -- The output filename
Dim bResult

' -- Create an instance of a File System Object
Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

strFileMCX = GetCurrentFileName()
'ShowString("strFileMCX -> " + strFileMCX) ' -- DEBUG

strOutputPath = objFSO.GetParentFolderName(strFileMCX) + "\"
' ShowString("strOutputPath -> " + strOutputPath) ' -- DEBUG

strOutputFile = objFSO.GetBaseName(strFileMCX)
'ShowString("strOutputFile -> " + strOutputFile) ' -- DEBUG

' -- Assembly the output IGES file path
strFileIGS = strOutputPath + strOutputFile + ".IGES"

' -- Export the current Mastercam database to a IGES file.
' Note that a "enter comment" prompt will be displayed allowing
' you to supply a comment to be placed in the IGES about to be written.
bResult = WriteIGES(strFileIGS)

If bResult Then
ShowString("IGES written to -> " + vbCrLf + strFileIGS)
Else
ShowString("IGES write -> failed!")
End If

' -- Clean up
Set objFSO = Nothing

End Sub

[chasetopher]

Thanks Roger

 

Worked great. Will find out if the cmm can get it in the morning. Is there anyway to export just the solid?

[The Cathedral]

I'm sure I'm missing the obvious, but can't you just simply do file > save as... > .iges?

 

I do that all the time for our cmm guy.

 

Feel free to throw tomatoes at me if you need to.

[Roger Martin from CNC Software]

but can't you just simply do file > save as... > .iges?

Yes...

 

I can't get it to export thru code

He said he wanted to do it "by code" and tagged his post with VBScript, so that's what I answered.

The script cannot do anything different as File-SaveAs does in regards to the IGES data being written out

it's really just a convenience of not have to click SaveAs and scroll down thru the File Types to find *.IGES ?

 

You could use ScriptLinker to be able to create a Toolbar Icon for the script and with one click you get an IGES file

[chasetopher]

Roger that is exactly what I'm going to do. Just one click to get it done and in the right folder. Thanks again

 

 

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[JGolden]

Roger is it possible to do the exact same thing as this with a .STL? I'm also very new to coding, any help will be much appreciated

[Roger Martin from CNC Software]

Not with VB Script as there is no "WriteSTL" function.

(You can write out MCX, DXF or IGES files using VB Script)

[JAMES GABEL]

I have someone here at my shop that wants to output an idea file from 2022 and import it in X4.  He is doing it but the names of the parts do not.come into X4.  Does anyone have an idea how to get the names to come over with it?

[cncappsjames]

I've exported "assemblies" from Mastercam as STEP files and imported them into my CAD program and they come in as a single part with multiple bodies and no names. Good chance names are not supported on export. Haven't tried IGES.

There's a saying about IGES... it is really just a misspelling of I guess. Meaning if that is your last resort and the only thing available then it may be better than nothing but not always.

[gcode]

My first choice would be parasolids X_T or X_B.

Second choice would be STEP

Dead last choice, drug kicking and screaming to the alter, would be IGES 

No matter what you use I don't think X4 is going to import the part names.

The newer releases will do that when importing parasolids X_T or X_ B

[gcode]

9 minutes ago, gcode said:

My first choice would be parasolids X_T or X_B.

There is a reason for this

Hit File/Help/About  

You'll see this..  Mastercam runs on the Siemens Parasolid kernel .

To me, it's common sense that Parasolid files would yield the best results when importing models.

[JAMES GABEL]

We only use parisolid in this shop but were have guys from a sister company that use space in our shop and they only use IGES.  I ask them if they want me to show them parisolid but they do not like change.  They have been using X4 for all these years and are fighting to change to 2022.  thank for the help.  I will tell them.

[Aaron Eberhard]

On 12/13/2023 at 5:53 PM, cncappsjames said:

There's a saying about IGES... it is really just a misspelling of I guess. Meaning if that is your last resort and the only thing available then it may be better than nothing but not always.

I've always joked that it was " 'I Guess' if you exported as IGES." 

[Kyle F]

On 12/14/2023 at 9:25 AM, gcode said:

My first choice would be parasolids X_T or X_B.

Second choice would be STEP

Dead last choice, drug kicking and screaming to the alter, would be IGES 

No matter what you use I don't think X4 is going to import the part names.

The newer releases will do that when importing parasolids X_T or X_ B

I've always used STEP as first choice but I'll be keeping a lookout for any parasolid files in the future. thanks!

[byte]

8 hours ago, Aaron Eberhard said:

I've always joked that it was " 'I Guess' if you exported as IGES." 

For sure it has some unexpected results sometimes,although, there were times also that iges worked out better than step when moving stuff from Catia to mcx although not too often