Export building model into Inventor

[ntzimas]

Hello all,

My workflow includes exporting the building model into Inventor.

The building model is a view containing many constructs.

in order to extract the model a save it in an Inventor folder, bind all xrefs, break the produced block, convert AEC objects into 3d solids and only then I can import it as a dwg file in Inventor.

Am I missing something? Isn't there an easier way to do that task, meaning convert into autocad objects all the AEC objects of all constructs and save the file in 1-2 steps?

[pendean · Accepted solution]

INVENTOR does not work with AEC content from ACA. Sorry. Autodesk does not go out of its way to connect all of its apps like that.

Ask fellow INVENTOR users in that forum if exporting to IFC is an option, or if there are other choices out there for that application. Here is the link to the INV forum https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor/ct-p/70

[ntzimas]

Unfortunatelly Inventor doesn't import ifc files (although it can export its models into ifc format ???)

What can I say.

Thank you for your reply pendean. 

I won't accept yet your reply as a solution hoping that we are both missing something though I doubt.

[pendean · Accepted solution]

Looks like IGES format is out too https://help.autodesk.com/view/ARCHDESK/2022/ENU/?guid=GUID-F61C578E-A246-417F-B826-6FB87BF03EF9
https://resources.imaginit.com/manufacturing/getting-autocad-3d-files-to-inventor

Did you dig this far into HELP in ACA yet
https://help.autodesk.com/view/ARCHDESK/2024/ENU/?guid=GUID-9262DCAD-00A5-4286-8A08-0F6ED7F17499

Best wishes.

[ntzimas]

Architecture or autocad in general can import native Inventor files easily.

The opposite is difficult.

Using Architecture as the main software is not a solution for me. I am Mechanical Engineer and my field is solid waste treatment plants design. Critical work is performed in Inventor and only auxilliaries in Architecture (and MEP).

Regards ...

[R_Tweed]

I'm not familiar with inventor. Apparently you can import surface models? Depending on what you want in inventor you could do it one or two steps.

etransmit can be used to move all files and bind xrefs as insert in step one. (save to exploded objects creates 3d faces)

A script, macro or lisp can be used to Explode then Convert all AEC objects to solids using AecConvertto3DSolids in step two.

[ntzimas]

Inventor requires 3d solids. It can import also 2d geometry as sketches.

For reference the way I work is:

1. Save the view in an inventor folder

2. Bind all xrefs

3. Start exploding all blocks and arrays containing AEC abjects untill there are no more of them

4. import the resulted dwg in inventor.

Ok there are only 4 steps but step 3 can be repeated several times depending on the work done in each model.

To be honest step 4 takes by far the longest but step 3 is prone to errors if you miss a block or an array.

For reference to other users step 3 is best performed by typing the command QSELECT which is not available with right click in Architecture. 

[pendean · Accepted solution]

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@ntzimas wrote:

....Ok there are only 4 steps but step 3 can be repeated several times depending on the work done in each model.....

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LISP is there to speed up repetitive tasks.

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@ntzimas wrote:

For reference to other users step 3 is best performed by typing the command QSELECT which is not available with right click in Architecture. 

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Why not add it? CUI command, right-click menu is a selection right there on the pop-up.

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@ntzimas wrote:

....

3. Start exploding all blocks and arrays containing AEC abjects untill there are no more of them

....

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EXPORTTOAUTOCAD not an option? Or it does too much perhaps

[ntzimas]

After experiments I came to the conclusion that the best format to import in Inventor is IGES and not dwg. Although the end  result in Inventor is similar, IGES importing is much faster at least in my files (which are huge).

Pendean's suggestion to use lisp is good but unfortunately I don't use it.  I may try VBA.

EXPORTTOAUTOCAD is not an option as it produces surfaces and I need solids.

Actually the best suggestion for me was the IGES format export which saved me hours. 

Manually adding QSELECT in the context menu was also useful.

Many thanks!

[ntzimas]

etransmit can be used but in my case binding was easy.

In general I don't like 3d faces in Inventor and I need to repeat the procedure I described above.

For someone who does't care about 3d faces the EXPORTTOAUTOCAD command can do the work in one step.