Export .max file to .sat file but something missing when opened with Inventor

[Anonymous]

Hi all, when I tried to export .max file to .sat file in 3ds Max 2018 in order to open it with Inventor 2018, I found that the eyes of the animal models are missing. For the way of exporting file, I followed the method described here:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/3ds-max/getting-started/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2018/ENU/3DS...

The animal model is downloaded here:

https://www.cgtrader.com/free-3d-models/animals/mammal/elephant-2f3e86d9-c30c-4a7c-94d0-601e32af4849

What do I need to do to make the eyes of the animals be shown in Inventor?

Any feedback will be appreciated. Thank you.

[-niels-]

CGTrader requires an account to download files, don't want to make one (yet).
Could you attach the max file of the elephant, it's royalty free so i don't see a problem with that.
(unless the file came with some redistribution limitations)

Perhaps the eyes were separate objects that you forgot to select during the export?

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Another option is to export to a different format like IGES or STEP from Max and see if it works better importing to Inventor.

Many thanks!

[Anonymous]

heres the elephant max file

[Anonymous]

Can you tell me the steps to export the max file to step format? I am using max 2018 and inventor 2018. I haven't worked with step file on inventor before. How can I open a step file? Should I use open or import? Thanks.

[-niels-]

@Anonymous  Here's my export:

https://drive.autodesk.com/de29c89c5/g/shares/SH7f1edQT22b515c761eb5783ca05a8c95a4

It's a rather large file even with the EoP marker all the way up. (50MB down from 150MB)

I think it was just a selection for export issue, i selected all the bodies in the .max file and it exported to .sat properly.

@johnsonshiue, to my knowledge the only usable export from Max is .Sat.

If there is a way to export to .step that would be great as it might not result in files that are so huge because of all the facets...

[WHolzwarth]

I didn't download Niels' file because of data size aspects. I'm preferring in cases like this exporting as OBJ. See screenshot.

[-niels-]

Hmm... that's a lot smaller then the 260MB Sat file i got, but i am curious: what was the file size of the .ipt after importing that .obj ?
Might just be the better format if it's smaller, but it's still the same amount of facets...

[WHolzwarth]

Size of the IPT with 5 meshes was 2164 KB. 4 small meshes could be converted to solids with Mesh Enabler, but no luck with the elephant_body mesh.

I didn't test further, but reducing the number of meshes with Meshmixer could be an option for success.

Later: After converting the 4 meshes, size growed up to 30864 KB. Decreasing overall number of meshes seems the best way for acceptable results

[WHolzwarth]

Here's a reduced mesh with only 10% of the original number.

I think, it's still good enough. Size decreasing was done with Rhino.

[-niels- · Accepted solution]

Just did a quick comparison for myself, .obj does seem to be the better file format.

Exported it without reducing anything and just importing and saving in Inventor.

Less then 10MB for .obj file, .sat file was 266MB

Resulting .ipt only 2,5MB compared to the 150 MB file the .Sat generated.

Thank you @WHolzwarth, i think i'll drop even suggesting .sat for max transfers from now on.

[WHolzwarth]

Niels, I think, the 2545 KB IPT is only mesh data. It was blowing up here, after converting the 4 small meshes to more than 30 MB.

IMO, remedy is mesh reducing to about 10% of the original meshes. Normally it's still good enough for most purposes.

[-niels-]

ah, yup mesh only... sat file was solids... didn't notice that.
I don't have mesh-mixer, as i rarely need mesh objects in inventor so i can't convert them to compare final size.