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Converting 3D product drawings

4 REPLIES 4
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Message 1 of 5
JReese-NC
843 Views, 4 Replies

Converting 3D product drawings

I realize this isn't really an Electrical topic but I am focused on ACADE and we are a small shop so that is really the only software we use for design. More and more companies are putting downloads of their products in 3D - mostly a lot of .STP files and I am trying to figure out the best solution to be opening them and get the data I need. Honestly all I want out of of the 3D crap is a nice detailed 2D block for my panel layouts but I am sick of all the hassle that I have to go through to get there. On the other hand I waste time re-drawing things from PDFs because I can't open whatever files are available for download.

 

For a while now I have been using Autodesk Inventor Fusion 2013 (I guess as a "community preview") to dump drawings back to ACADE but according to the message I got today and the brief research I just did it sounds like Inventor Fusion is dead and other product is in BETA. I guess I am waiting on an account to get setup for that but again this is nothing but a hassle and quite frankly way more software than what I need and it really isn't the purpose of the software.

 

What is the solution? What else opens .STP files and can dump to .DWG? As I said we are a very small shop and can't afford to be buying these huge packages when all we need to do is open a simple file and dump it back to generic 2D linework for panel layout blocks.

 

Thanks for any input.

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JReese
Dell Precision T1600
Xeon E31245, 16GB RAM, Quadro 400
Windows 10 Professional 64bit
Autocad Electrical 2018 64bit
4 REPLIES 4
Message 2 of 5
algerj
in reply to: JReese-NC

Hi JResse,

 

Actually you can import the step (STP) file directly in AutoCAD.

(it doesn't matter what version or AutoCAD you have, mech, elec, vanilla, arch, mep, they all have the regaular autocad commands)

 

First you have to expose the "Insert" Tab where the "Import" Command is located. Right click on the ribbon, then goto the "Tabs" slide out menu, and select "Insert". Then you just have to use "Import", just make sure you select Stp, or all files to view and select your step file.

 

As for Inventor Fusion 2014... it doesn't exist.

This is because it is being replaced by the Fusion 360 product.(its cloud based) 

It needs to be more polished in my opinion, but it has most if not all the functionality of Inventor fusion, and it is intended to be almost like a design review. On that note I'm not sure if Autodesk will have it free like the design review technology.  

 

Anyway I hope this helps,

 

Regards,

 

James Alger

SolidCAD

Message 3 of 5
JReese-NC
in reply to: algerj

Thanks James but unfortunately it doesn't appear that works for me.

 

The only file types I have available to import are FBX, WMF, SAT, 3DS & DGN. If I select DGN the STP files are visible in the window above but upon trying to open it I get "You have selected an invalid or unsupported DGN file".

 

Do you have additional software installed that maybe gives you that available STP import functionality possibly?

 

file_types.png

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JReese
Dell Precision T1600
Xeon E31245, 16GB RAM, Quadro 400
Windows 10 Professional 64bit
Autocad Electrical 2018 64bit
Message 4 of 5
algerj
in reply to: JReese-NC

Hi JReese,

 

Sorry about that I didn't mean to mislead you.

I didn't notice that you were running AutoCAD Electrical 2011. (should have read you signature at the bottom)

With the Talk of fusion 2013 I figured you had ACADE 2013 installed.

 

Ok well the step import was introduced in 2013.

If you have a license of 2013 I would install that...

if not I think you could upgrade it to 2014 on subs to gain access to 2013 (which has service packs so it will run smoother).

 

Other than that you could use the Fusion 360 beta.

(don't worry about the time stamp they will renew it again if it doesn't go into production right away.)

 

I hope that helps,

 

Regards,

 

James Alger

SolidCAD

Message 5 of 5
JReese-NC
in reply to: algerj

Ah I was wondering if it was a newer version feature. Well I guess there is one reason to upgrade to 2014. We got off of subscription on 2011 because it just was't worth it for the changes that were (or weren't) being made to the software.

 

However, I was just looking into 2014 the other day when I got a release announcement email to see what was new and if it was worth it - feature/change wise. When I get some free time I think I will have to try out the demo of 2014 before we take the plunge.

 

Thanks for the info

-----
JReese
Dell Precision T1600
Xeon E31245, 16GB RAM, Quadro 400
Windows 10 Professional 64bit
Autocad Electrical 2018 64bit

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