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Export assembly as .WIRE-file in Inventor 2012 Educational editon?

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Message 1 of 7
bo.vidvei
1423 Views, 6 Replies

Export assembly as .WIRE-file in Inventor 2012 Educational editon?

Hi,

 

I use the Inventor Professtional 2012 Educational edition to design our framework for our Formula Student car.

A car designer is reviewing our design, and he says he needs a .IGES file or a .WIRE file. I have sent him both an .igs file and an .iges file, but somehow he can't open it on the programs they use.

Why can't I save the assembly file (.iam) as an .wire file? Is it because of the limits of the educational edition?

 

After some research I found out that .WIRE is Autodesk's own filetype used in the Alias products. Is this correct?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Bjorn Vidvei

Formula Student Team UiS

Stavanger, Norway

6 REPLIES 6
Message 2 of 7
JDMather
in reply to: bo.vidvei


@bo.vidvei wrote:

 

... but somehow he can't open it on the programs they use.

 

 Is it because of the limits of the educational edition?

 


The educational version is fully functional.

What program are they using to try to read the *.igs file?
Can you read the *.iges file back into Inventor?

Does the program they use require IGES solids or IGES surfaces?

Can you attach the *.igs file here (right click on the filename and select Send To> Compressed (zipped) Folder and attach the resulting *.zip file here).


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Message 3 of 7
bo.vidvei
in reply to: JDMather

Thank you so much for an informative answer.

 

I've done some research on the web, and the following came to my mind:

 

This is a circular-hollow-tube framework made by sketches and the Frame Generator in Inventor. When you make such a frame, you also have to miter all corners and nodes, to make a surface with no gaps in it. I didn't do that on the file I sent him.

I read something about the IGES file needed to have an complete surface without no holes or gaps.

 

So I'll do some surface trimming on the frame, send it to him as an IGES file (is there any difference between IGS and IGES file) and see how it goes. If it still doesn't work, I'll upload it as here so you can have a look at it.

 

One last question: why can't I import a file as an WIRE file in Inventor - since Autodesk themselves seems to use it in their Alias programs?

 

Thank you very much for your help so far!

 

best regards,

Bjorn

Message 4 of 7
Martin_Goodland
in reply to: bo.vidvei

To import a .wire file start a new part and finish the sketch. Select 'Derived Comopnent' on the ribbon model tab and change the files type from .ipt .iam to .wire.

 

Regards

 

Martin

Inventor 2023
Message 5 of 7
JDMather
in reply to: bo.vidvei

Trimming/mitering the ends have nothing to do with the *.igs problem.
You didn't answer these questions -

1. Can you read the IGES (there is no difference between *.igs and *.iges - most save as *.igs) back into Inventor?
2. Does the recipient need an IGES solids or an IGES surfaces.

3. Have you installed Service Pack 1?

4. Can you zip and attach the IGES file here?

 

 

5. Can the other end use STEP (*.stp) - a much better choice of neutral formats?

 


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Message 6 of 7
JDMather
in reply to: bo.vidvei


@bo.vidvei wrote:

 

I read something about the IGES file needed to have an complete surface without no holes or gaps.

 

Bjorn



That is incorrect information.
You can have an IGES file with missing surfaces or gaps.
But to have a solid body you cannot be missing surfaces or have gaps - the surfaces must form a watertight enclosed volume.  The hole in the tube is not a missing surface - it is a bounded cylindrical surface.
This is an example of a missing surface (in an imported IGES file).

Solids and Surfaces.png

 

 

IGES is an acronym for Initial Graphics Exchange Specification - the file extension might be either *.igs or *.iges.  It is usually *.igs  - the file will be referred to as an IGES file.  IGES is a neutral format file that can be read by most CAD programs.  What program with the file be opened in.  These days most people use STEP or some other format to go between different programs.


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Message 7 of 7
bo.vidvei
in reply to: JDMather

1. Yes, I can read the IGES file back into Inventor

2. I don't know yet, still waiting for an answer on email

3. Yes, I have installed SP1

4. Done

5. Don't think so, no. But still waiting for an answer on that one. What CAD file types can you import in ex. Alias Automotive?

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