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STEP files: Inventor 2013 vs Inventor 2014

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Message 1 of 31
nbatchelder
5775 Views, 30 Replies

STEP files: Inventor 2013 vs Inventor 2014

Does anyone know if there is a difference between STEP files generated in Inventor 2013 and Inventor 2014?

Typical workflow: Open Assembly > I > Export > CAD Format > STEP

 

I recently transitioned from 2013 to 2014 and have not encountered any issues with the software untill now.  I am making STEP files of assemblies and importing them into CAM software, but the Inventor 2014 STEP files (of assemblies, not single parts) are causing crashes.  Single part STEP files cannot be batch imported into our CAM software, hence the need for STEP files of assemblies.

 

2013 & 2014 single part STEP files work fine.

2013 assembly STEP files work fine.

2014 assembly STEP files cause a crash. 

 

Probably,
Niles
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Message 2 of 31
JDMather
in reply to: nbatchelder

I just tried a 73 part assembly with sub-assemblies (about 1.7 Meg) and it worked fine.

 

Can you attach a small assembly here that exhibits the behavior you are seeing?


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Message 3 of 31

Hi nbatchelder,

 

Appreciate your reporting here !!!

 

Since STEP file is text format and you can use some diff tool to compare them, for example, Araxis Merge.

 

If possible you can also try workflow Inventor2014 -> STEP -> Inventor2013/2014 or other 3D CAD Apps, if all of them can open the exported STEP file successfully, we suppose it is healthy.

 

Also you can try both 203 and 214 in STEP export dialog box, both of them are crash in your CAM ?

 

Is this a model specific case or a common issue ? If you just create a very simple assembly file in Inventor2014, export to STEP, import it to CAM, always crash ?

 

 

Regards,

Kevin Li

Quality Assurance Team

Autodesk, Inc.

Kevin-Hongyuan Li
Software Quality Assurance Engineer
Design, Lifecycle and Simulation Product Group
Direct: +86 21 2039 6025
Email: Hongyuan.Li@autodesk.com
Autodesk, Inc.
NO. 130, Lane 91, E Shan Rd
Building 12, Floor 6,
Shanghai 200127, PRC
www.autodesk.com
Message 4 of 31
JDMather
in reply to: nbatchelder


@nbatchelder wrote:

... importing them into CAM software, but the Inventor 2014 STEP files (of assemblies, not single parts) are causing crashes.  


I might have mis-read this problem statement.
Are you saying Inventor 2014 is crashing, or is it your CAM software that is crashing?

If it is your CAM software - wouldn't the brand be important information in the problem description?


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Message 5 of 31
nbatchelder
in reply to: JDMather

Here are some of the test files that exibit the behavior I described in my original post.  

 

The zip contains four STEP files:

Inventor 2014: 214

Inventor 2014: 203

Inventor 2013: 214

Inventor 2013: 203

 

Thanks for looking into this for me.

 

-Niles

Probably,
Niles
Message 6 of 31

Hi Kevin,

I tried the workflow of opening up the STEP files in Inventor 2014, and everything came in ok so I assume the file is healthy.

 

This morning I attempted both 203 and 214 STEP formats for Inventor 2013 & 2014 and I got the same results as outlined in my original post: both 2013 tests do not crash the CAM software, both 2014 tests do crash the software.

 

I have tried several models and have had the same result, so I believe this is a common issue.  I have tried multi-part assemblies and single-part assemblies for at least three different types of parts.  So far every import from an Inventor 2014 STEP file has caused a crash, and every identical STEP file generated in Inventor 2013 has not caused a crash.

 

Another oddity to reiterate is that single-part STEP files (not single-part assembly STEP files) do import into the CAM software without crashing it.

Probably,
Niles
Message 7 of 31
nbatchelder
in reply to: JDMather

Hi JD,

 

Just to clarify, this is an issue that is causing CAM software to crash, not Inventor.

The CAM software I am currently using is written by camProx.  The specific program that is crashing is called cadXtract.

Probably,
Niles
Message 8 of 31
JDMather
in reply to: nbatchelder


@nbatchelder wrote:
 

Another oddity to reiterate is that single-part STEP files (not single-part assembly STEP files) do import into the CAM software without crashing it.


That might give a clue on a temporary "fix".

I opened your STEP files in Notepad and there are differences between the 2013 and 2014 files.

But I don't know enough about STEP to figure out what specifically is causing the problem with your CAM software.

 

If you open a part and a single part (same part) assembly STEP file in Notepad you might be able to figure out what you could edit in Notepad to make the assembly STEP file work.

 

You should also contact the publisher for the CAM software with this issue.
I assume they know a lot more about translating STEP into their program.


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Message 9 of 31
nbatchelder
in reply to: JDMather

Thank you for your suggestions, I will try opening up the STEP files in Notepad and contacting the CAM software publisher to see what I come up with.
Probably,
Niles
Message 10 of 31

Appreciate nbatchelder and JD's reply and suggestions !!!

 

I try to open all your attached STEP files in Inventor 2013/2014, ProE and NX app, all of them can open those STEP files correctly, so I suppose the crash problem is caused by cadXtract STEP import translator.

 

Anyway this suppose need to be confirmed by cadXtract and we can do further investigation if necessary based on their feedback.

 

 

Thanks,

Kevin-Hongyuan Li

Quality Assurance Team

Autodesk, Inc.

Kevin-Hongyuan Li
Software Quality Assurance Engineer
Design, Lifecycle and Simulation Product Group
Direct: +86 21 2039 6025
Email: Hongyuan.Li@autodesk.com
Autodesk, Inc.
NO. 130, Lane 91, E Shan Rd
Building 12, Floor 6,
Shanghai 200127, PRC
www.autodesk.com
Message 11 of 31

I have submitted this issue along with the test files to the CAM software publisher. I will update you guys if & when I hear back.
Probably,
Niles
Message 12 of 31

Hey there,

 

we have also experienced some issues with the 2014 assembly step files. The behavior is the same as nbatchandler describes it, concerning the different file versions. The differnce is, we are not using his CAM-Tool, instead the problems occur while opening the assembly files with a step-viewer (tried two different tools, same problems). Opening the files in Inventor works...Strange behavior?

Message 13 of 31
ak_staib
in reply to: nbatchelder

Hey, have the same problem here. The Files are messed up when viewing with "QuickStep" or "STP Viewer" Software. With Inventor 2014 they look OK. When opening with Inventor 2012 I get an error message, that the STEP file is too new!!! German Error Message: "Datenbankschema für Datei ist (18.0 (Build 180130000, 130)), d.h. es ist neuer als diese Version (16.0 (Build 160160000, 160)) der Software" Please Fix
Message 14 of 31
WHolzwarth
in reply to: ak_staib

Hmm.

If this message appears, then you're trying to open a file with Inventor 2012, that's been previously saved out of Inventor 2014. That's no STEP file, but is ending supposedly as .IPT or .IAM.

 

No fix is possible.

Walter

Walter Holzwarth

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Message 15 of 31
JDMather
in reply to: ak_staib


@ak_staib wrote:
.... When opening with Inventor 2012 I get an error message, that the STEP file is too new!!!
Please Fix

If you attach the file here - I will fix it for you.


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Message 16 of 31
VirgilGhizelea
in reply to: JDMather

Hi,

I tried the same, opening a Step-File in Inventor 2012 previously saved in Inventor 2014. No problem here. 

 

But the problem, regarding opening the Step-File in, for example, CadFaster Quickstep 2010, still occurs. As previously explained, it only happens with assembly files saved as step. Part files work fine. 

 

A customer of us has the same problem, when he tried to import a Step File, he received by us. Unfortunatly, I don't know which CAD Tool he uses. 

 

I hoped this problem would be solved with one of the latest updates, unfortunatly, it didn't.

Message 17 of 31
ak_staib
in reply to: JDMather

here is the file exported from inventor 2014. Can't open it with 2012

 

edit:Upload error message not shown with chrome??

edit2: Cant upload Step files

Message 18 of 31
ak_staib
in reply to: nbatchelder

Here an Assembly export "Baugruppe1". Can't open it in Inventor 2012 / QuickStep2010 / STP Viewer

Message 19 of 31
Ray_Feiler
in reply to: ak_staib

No issue here.

Capture.PNG


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Message 20 of 31
Ray_Feiler
in reply to: ak_staib

No issue here as well.

Capture2.PNG


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