I need to read these file formats in solidworks. One is IGES and the other is STEP. However I don't currently have the plugins for them in Solidworks. Are the plugins available for download somewhere? :)
Or do I have to go buy them :(
TIA
You should pose that question to the Solidworks Newsgroup at comp.cad.solidworks and let them know the version of Solidworks that you are using.
As far as I know if you have the IGES or STEP format, they can be opened by Solidworks.
Correct. Simply select File > Open and choose the file format from the scroll list at "Files of type", then browse to the file. There are some Options that you have, but the default usually works unless the files are of very complex geometry, or from Catia V5 (abandon hope, all ye who enter here) or unless what you have is an assembly (in which case choose the option to "Import multiple bodies as parts"). IF the result is not a SOLID (if it's surfaces only) then you'll likely have to fill in some gaps or trim some overlapped surfaces. In that case, you need to try importing using the option "Do not knit", meaning that surfaces will be individually imported and not as a single complex surface. A single complex surface can't be trimmed to itself.
Mark 'Sporky' Stapleton Watermark Design, LLC
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