IGES to part file

there is no way to convert a an iges part into a parametric part.

it might be easier to create datum curves by intersecting the surfaces with planes at certain points. you can use these as a reference, or create another datum curve by sketching over the intersecting curve, and then changing the references from the intersecting curve to the coords or planes, etc. then delete the intersecting curves. As a reference it might be worthwhile exporting the iges as a wireframe iges, and then reimporting the wirframe into your part. this can be used to compare the orginal with the modified part

cheers Craig

I have a suggestion. There are so many wrong ways to do what you are attempting, that caution is necessary. Reverse engineering parts is one of the most difficult task attempted with engineering graphics tools. The first difficulty everyone encounters is that any time you use the inflexible, unmodifiable IGES file as a reference, you've just created dependencies to something which can't be modified. Therefore, your curve or surface can not be modified.

Craig said two very true things: an IGES file is a lump, unmodifiable and you might be able to use it, without referencing it, to trace points and curves.

The approach that might work is that of simple reverse engineering. Use the IGES export to get some numbers, some radiuses, some distances, some curve lengths. And use these numbers for reconstructing the geometry. Hopefully, you are in a learning situation and not reporting more evidence that American manufacturers are just clowing around.

David Janes

P.S. To any of the hotshot programmers out there and listening, we need another IGES, but one that is feature based and parametric. It's your guarantee to getting fantastically rich.

If you have ever been in a manufacturing condition, this is common. You won't have time to redo or to recreate. It's a thing called billable hours. You have to get from point A to point B ASAP and no one cares how you do it. Another reason that you don't want to redo a part is you loose the original designers intent. Even if you don't intend too. I have been at fault for doing this and peoples toes get stepped on and tempers will rage.

There are several things that you can do to make some changes. You can redefine the import feature. There are hundreds of things that you can do while doing this. Like remove surfaces, redefine surface edges, unmerge surfaces so that you can work on them individually, remove an internal surface boundary, to get rid of a boss or another kind of protrusion, the list goes on and on and all this is done with out creating another feature. A way of doing while preserving the original import feature is to surface over and create what's called a patch. I guess the key to this is knowing how to manipulate surfaces. Knowing how to do this is extremely valuable to some companies.

I am not saying by any means that it wouldn't be handy to have a better iges translator to help preserve parametrics like David Janes suggested and an engineer would get rich from it, but we don't have it today.

Just a though.... I don't think that coming up with a new iges translator is the answer, but maybe another module of Pro E. Like Pro Import or maybe Pro Fix where you can make changes to an imported model without worrying about the model tree.

: I am not saying by any means that it wouldn't be handy to have a better iges : translator to help preserve parametrics like David Janes suggested and an : engineer would get rich from it, but we don't have it today. : : Just a though(sic)....

I wrote to ANSI, the government organization which oversees IGES and asked if there were a feature-based, parametric IGES translator in the works. I have yet to hear from them. But, when so many translation questions come up in this NG, when so many difficulties arise from lack of a parametric feature translator, I can only conclude there is a need for one. Ignoring the problem won't make it go away! Individual model-to-model solutions are not the answer ~ the whole history of standarization (including IGES) proves that. We need a feature based, parametric standard ~ for exports, for portability between revs, for universal translation!

IGES is a great 2-D standard and it managed to accomodate itself to wireframe, surfaces and splines. But, there's a standards bottle neck, right at the point of features and parametrics, that we have to overcome. We confront it every day and tinker endlessly with it. All I'm saying is that it's time for a basic change in approach, i.e, to solve the problem and move on, to quit the endless diddling with it. We're parametrics people, why be shy about it when it comes to standards that are very broadly and very badly needed! DJ

: > Craig said two very true things: an IGES file is a lump, unmodifiable and : > you might be able to use it, without referencing it, to trace points and : > curves. : >

: > The approach that might work is that of simple reverse engineering. Use : the : > IGES export to get some numbers, some radiuses, some distances, some curve : > lengths. And use these numbers for reconstructing the geometry. Hopefully, : > you are in a learning situation and not reporting more evidence that : > American manufacturers are just clowing around. : >

: > David Janes : >

: > P.S. To any of the hotshot programmers out there and listening, we need : > another IGES, but one that is feature based and parametric. It's your : > guarantee to getting fantastically rich. : >

: > > Is there a simple way to convert an iges to a part with changeable : > features : > > (ie. adjustable dimensions)? : > >

: > > If this is tricky, I want to section the part and create blends with : > several : > > cross-sections. How do I make .sec files from an IGES? My part is : > basically : > > a 'donut' shape with variable sections (splines). : > >

: > > Thanks in advance... : > >

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