Can not convert all surfaces from .dwg into inventor file.

[glotz_99]

I can convert this .dwg file into a .iges or .step file to inventor but not all of the piping shows up. There must be something with the surfaces that needs to be changed in autocad before converting it, but I'm not sure what. If anyone wants to give it a try they will notice that most of the part is there after converting (including translucent surfaces)  but all the piping is missing and the valves are just floating in air. Thanks for any help. 

[JDMather]

What version of Inventor?

[glotz_99]

Autodesk Inventor Professional 2019 

[JDMather]

The Block References should be Exploded before opening importing in Inventor.

Experiment on a back-up file, not the original...

[glotz_99]

I tried that, but getting the same problem. I also can't explode all of the surfaces in autocad.  

[JDMather]

You need to get all of the correct geometry types (Run List Command in AutoCAD). Solids or surfaces.

It would probably take me all day to go through this assembly and prepare for export, in the end the result would not meet my quality standards.  Therefore I would use only as reference in creating proper geometry.  My 2 cents.

[WHolzwarth]

Try that:

- Export from AutoCAD as STEP

- Import that STEP into Inventor

- Save all files

- Productivity -> Rename Browser Nodes, Option Filename

- Now you'll see Sub-Assys, Solid parts and Multibodies, and Surface IPTs

- Some of these Surface IPTs are visible, others are stored as Composites and are invisible in the IAM

- These invisible IPTs need to be stitched in IPT environment, after patching open faces.

Additional comment: Composite parts can be localized in Windows Explorer (View option: Big symbols)

[glotz_99]

Thanks, but I noticed it's not the block references that are a problem. The piping that doesn't want to convert is actually just a circle with the thickness set as the length of the pipe. (I'm guessing that was used instead of the extrude command?) So is there a way to convert this to a solid or surface, that will ultimately show up when i convert it to a step or iges? Thanks again.  

[glotz_99]

Thanks, I'll try that

[glotz_99]

Thanks HW, but that doesn't help too much. I've found those "surfaces" don't exist once it's converted into a step file. 

There must be some kind of way to fix those surfaces in autocad before I convert it, otherwise they won't show up. Let me know if anyone has any other ideas.  

[glotz_99 · Accepted solution]

I figured out a solution. In case anyone else is having the same problem;

some of the piping was just a circle with thickness added to create a surface, these would not show up after converting to step or iges files. I selected all of these and used the convert to solid command (convtosolid) in autocad, then converted to .iges and all they came through when opening in Inventor.