I'm trying to convert a 3d nurbs surface (iges format) to a solidworks surface in order to process it, so it means that imported surface must be "workable".
When I import the file with Solidworks I obtain an "imported" surface, wich not allows to be modified, ie. copy some sketch over the surface.
If I try to do it with 3d points, importing a 3d dxf, I obtain a point cloud but all within one plane, so importing 3d dxf seems don't work well.
If you want surfaces, that's one thing. If you want a solid, that's another. It sounds as though perhaps you are NOT selecting "Try forming solid" in the Options of the File > Open dialog box, and perhaps that's really what you want to do . . . it's not clear. Even after selecting that Option, however, SolidWorks may not be successful importing to a solid body. Try with and without B-Rep mapping (with B-Rep mapping is preferable if it works, and if it doesn't it tries knitting surfaces together to form a solid). Otherwise, if you really want surfaces, not a solid or solids, try "Do not knit" if you want to be able to address individual surfaces . . . if you select "Knit surface(s)" it will probably end up as being one big surface that you can't Trim to itself or modify easily. If what you are importing is really an assembly -- more than one part -- try selecting "Import multiple bodies as parts".
Use the Help files.
If these things don't give you what you want I recommend using one of the myriads of translating service shops. It'll save you more than you spend.
Do you actually need the surface to change? Or are you just hung up on the fact that it has no parameters to change?
If you need the surface to change, create a new surface in SW using the imported one as a template. I do this on the Vellum-generated surfaces supplied to me by our customer. Most of the time they are simple sweeps.
I assume that the objective is to modify the imported surface, so I'll suggest the following:
Select the imported surface in SolidWorks and then Insert/Boss, Base/Thicken (via the main menu) to create a solid body. (If the imported data provides a set of surfaces which can be knit together to create a closed volume, then a solid can be generated as an option during the knitting operation. Also, surfaces can be created within SolidWorks and added to the set of imported ones to complete the closure.)
The solid body can then be modified using the Insert/Features/Scale (or Shape, Deform, Indent, Flex, etc.) Once such features are added, they provide some control for editing which can be considered as parametric.
After modification, the resulting surface(s) can be copied (within the part file) or exported, if desired, as separate from the solid.
Have a look at SolidWorks Help for information on the tools available for modifying surfaces directly (such as trim, untrim, extend, move, etc.), but these won't provide the sort of control you seem to be looking for.
There are third-party Add-In programs available for SolidWorks to give tighter controls over surface "push-pull"; however, to accomplish that sort of thing within SolidWorks itself, it's necessary to first use the surface(s) as the basis for a solid object.
really I have only to work with surfaces, and what I really need is to know the x,y and z position of several points from the points cloud of the surface. This points are defined by another "part", wich really only define the x and y position, and the z position is defined by the imported surface.
You can use projected curves to project your x and y values on to your imported surface, then make a point in a 3D sketch and constrain it to the curves. Now you can measure the location of the point.
A quicker method would be to make split lines on your imported surface, then measure the point at the corner. The disadvantage is that your surface is now several pieces, but maybe that doesn't matter.
Jerry Steiger Tripod Data Systems "take the garbage out, dear"
finally I have my surface workable! using boss and thickness, but should work well. Now the hint will be obtain easilly the z position of each point automatically, because what really I need is only this value. Will try with macros, but I don't know if this method could be posible.
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