Autodesk Inventor

[#1]

For the "dumb" solids, maybe you can use Inventor Feature Recognition tool to get the simple features, which can avoid some duplicated work when re-model it:http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/feature_recognition/.

For the points and pins in pipe and cable, can you get them when read the Pro/ENGINEER files directly? Would you pleas send me a simple sample to help reproduce it? You can get me via email.

for the folder issue, three solutions I can see:

1. Use STEP instead, but it may cause some data missing.

2. If you still have Pro/ENGINEER, you can use BACKUP function in Pro/ENGINEER to save all the components and its assembly to one folder.

3. If no Pro/ENGINEER, have to copy them to the same folder with the top assembly.

We are trying to find a solution to solve the search path issue.

Thanks for your help and patience.

-Austin

[#2]

Sam,

May you please send me your samples? I wan to try to see whether there is any better solution for your case.

You can get me via email.

Thanks,

-Austin

[#3]

I think I've found what I'm looking for regarding importing files.  I can convert to step file, bring into Inventor, and then replace components with components that I've already authored with Inventor so I don't have to go through the authoring process more than once for each new part.  I think this should work pretty good.  I just need to create a library of parts that I've authored so I can just swap components in for wiring.  Just wondering, does the BACKUP command in Pro/E remove the files from other folders and place them in the main assembly folder, or does it just make a copy of them?  This would create a huge mess if it physically moved the files from other folders.

Thanks for all of your help!

Sam

[#4]

importing other CAD-formats in Inventor is allways slow. Inventor often hangs when i try to import IGES or STEP-files.

There where collegaes who work with Solid Works and import the same files don't have any problems. I think this is a known issue for Autodesk and something to work on.

[#5]

Yes dodrain, you have a really good point there.  Inventor bogs down to a slow crawl when it comes to importing STEP files and you better make sure to save it when its finally imported because Inventor is likely to crash shortly after.  I've encountered this problem several times already.  When doing a direct Pro/e to Inventor conversion, its at least 10x faster and it doesn't overload the computer.

[#6]

Sorry for all those inconveniences.

About the "hang" issue, there might be caused by the translation report. Maybe next time you can try to check off the import option "Embed in Document" to see any improvement.

For the performance, we are trying to improve it; and if you will share us some files with bad performance on your side, it would be great.

Thanks to all for all your information/feedback.

-Austin