Exporting to IGES

[peter.jennings]

Hi,

I am working on a project where I am working completely electronically with the supplier for manufacture.  My supplier prefers to receive 3D data in IGES format for use in a 2001 version of ProE.

I have saved my assembly as an IGES using the 'save copy as' function with the following options selected:

Output solid as: Solids

Surface Type: 143 - Bounded

Solid Face Type: Analytic

Tolerance: 0.010mm

Include Sketches: No

The problem my supplier is having is that none of the sheetmetal parts of the assembly will flat pattern in his system.  This has been a problem in the past if I don't flat pattern the part in Inventor first but this has been done all parts this time around.  My supplier has tried opening the Inventor IGES files on the latest version of Solidworks and has had the same problem.  He is also got another of his customers with Inventor to try with no luck.

My supplier receives this kind of information from other customers and is able to use the IGES files with complete sheetmetal functionality in his system.  He suggests that there may be configuration file setups required?

My question is, what is it I may be doing differently to everyone else for my files not to be able to be used?  If anyone has any ideas on this I would love to hear them as it is stopping the project dead at the moment.

Many thanks.

P.S. When I create DXF files for him for the flat patterns (as he is unable to do this for himself with the IGES files) his system won't recognize them.  I think it is something to do with the DXF detailing thread features instead of the cut hole size.  Is this an selectable option when creating DXF's?

Inventor 2012 SP2

Windows 7 64Bit

Intel Core2 Duo E8600 3.33Ghz

8.00 GB RAM

[VjRanjit]

hi,

 1st you save as the main assembly to the SAT file format,

2. Open the SAT file 

3. Finally save as the IGES format.

[peter.jennings]

Thanks, I shall give that a try.

I haven't exported anything to SAT previously.  Would you normally include sketches or not?

Peter 

[peter.jennings]

Unfortunately this didn't work.  He was unable to open the file at all when created this way.

He states that his other Inventor using customers create their IGES directly from the native files. 

Are there any other factors within Inventor that can vary the outcome of an IGES exported file other than those options available at the 'save copy as' function.

Thanks,

Pete

[rdyson]

Why not save copy as Pro/E *.g or *.neu ?

[JDMather]

Can you attach original *.ipt here?

I will check with Pro/E (later version) import of the IGES.

[peter.jennings]

To be honest we tried a number of ways in the past and the IGES worked best.  I can't remember now why we had problems with the ProE conversion.  It may have been because of their version being from 2001.

[peter.jennings]

This is one of the .ipt files I believe they were struggling with.

Thanks for your help.

Pete

[JDMather]

Have you tried to send then a more simple model as an experiment?

I'm guessing Pro/E is having trouble with Corner 6 & 7. (Tears)

(now I'll go test my guess) 

[peter.jennings]

Yes I have.  This is why I am finding it difficult to understand the problem.  I can't findany consistenct to the problem.

He is unable to flat pattern a simple sheetmetal part which is purely a rectangular 4mm steel sheet with two longitudinal flanges to each edge, no other features at all. However he is able to flat pattern a slightly more compluicated part that is a profiled flat pattern with two flanges and hole features in 8mm thickness.

Does the sheetmetal rule have an effect on the exported file by any chance?  I have a different rule created for each sheet thickness to suit his BA preferences.  Just a thought.

Thanks,

Peter