Step file into ipt

[bcrowell]

The simple question is… how can we insert a step (stp) part into an existing part file? 

The story behind the question is this:

Normally when we get a step file assembly from a customer, if the part has changed, we put our part into Old Versions and save their new step file as our ipt number and replace it in our assembly file.  With Vault, in order for us to maintain the history of the part files, we need to keep the original file so we can’t just delete it or replace it, so now we need to figure out how to get a step file into an ipt.  The Import command on the Manage tab (with 2013 at least?) does not allow import of stp files just yet.

The only other option I can think of is to put the original part into an assembly with the step file, create a copy of the step information in the part file and use it to recreate the new (step based) part.

[JDMather]

Interesting that Inventor allows you to Import about everything Except STEP.

I think I would either

Open the step and save as an Inventor file and then Derive Component into the original

or

Open the step and save copy as one of the file types that will import directly back into the original.