Exporting to STEP yields transparent Models

[Clay_N]

I am using Inventor Professional 2019 to create models for our tool maker to use in making injection molds for our company. The tool maker has informed me that the STEP files of the part and mold assembly I send to him are “transparent” when he opens them. He has to change the color of each piece before he can even see the part. The tool maker is using Solid Edge ST8 software.

We also have Inventor LT 2019 installed on another computer, which is what I used before we purchased the Inventor Pro. I used the Inventor LT to export to STEP the very same file I exported from the Inventor Pro. When I sent the file to the tool maker, He said the file opened fine, no transparent parts.

My question is, what is different between the Inventor Pro and the Inventor LT that one makes transparent parts and the other doesn’t? What can be done to make the inventor Pro produce STEP files that are not transparent?

Thank you for your assistance.

[mcgyvr]

Inventor pro does produce step files that are solids just like LT...

Either they imported it as surfaces.. Or maybe you sent an stl or something?

Create a 1x1x1 extruded cube and save it to step with your PRO and attach it here (zipped up)..

So we can show it opens non-transparent.. or figure out whats going on..

[Clay_N]

Thank you for your quick response.

I will ask the tool maker how he opens the files, however I know the files have an .stp extension on them.

I assume he opened both STEP files the same way, one from the LT and one from the Pro . The LT File works and the Pro File doesn't.

The 1x1x1 cube you requested is attached.

[Anonymous]

Opened as a solid, no problem in Inventor 2019.2.

[JDMather]

To be a valid test you should - 

Use both LT and Pro to create the test files as you described in your problem statement.

Have the toolmaker verify the repeated behavior as you describe in your problem statement.

 Then Attach the files here.  (Attach the ipt files too - I think I know what is happening.)

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Could you ask your vendor to make sure he uses the same import option in Inventor Pro as in Inventor LT? What release of Inventor is he on? Transparent model means the imported geometry is surface and it is in Construction Environment.

Many thanks!

[Clay_N]

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@JDMather wrote:

To be a valid test you should - 

Use both LT and Pro to create the test files as you described in your problem statement.

Have the toolmaker verify the repeated behavior as you describe in your problem statement.

 Then Attach the files here.  (Attach the ipt files too - I think I know what is happening.)

I have created a one inch cube with both Inventor LT 2019 build 136 and Inventor Pro 2019.2 build 265. Each cube was created and saved and exported in exactly the same way. No textures, colors or other attributes were applied.

The two STEP files were sent to our tool maker, he opened them as solids. He is using Solid Edge ST8 software. His reply to me was:

"The LT looks and works fine. The Pro is coming in as a solid, but it is transparent."

Below I have attached two zip files, one Inventor LT and one Inventor Pro. Contained in each zip file is the original IPT file and the exported STEP file.

Thank you for taking time to review these files and offer suggestions for a possible solution.

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[johnsonshiue]

Hi! It looks like Inventor Pro exported the STEP part carrying a transparent appearance override. I cannot seem to reproduce the behavior using "1 x 1 x 1 Cube Inventor Pro.ipt" on 2019.

Many thanks!

[Clay_N]

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@johnsonshiue wrote:

Hi! It looks like Inventor Pro exported the STEP part carrying a transparent appearance override. I cannot seem to reproduce the behavior using "1 x 1 x 1 Cube Inventor Pro.ipt" on 2019.

Many thanks!

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johnsonshiue, thank you for your comment. Is there a way to turn off the transparent appearance override?

[JDMather]

I am really fishing in the dark here - suspecting some sort of mismatch in your Appearance Browser.

Can you post an image similar to this from your Inventor Pro seat.  

Is there a yellow triangle?

I don't know anything about reading STEP code, but this line at the end of the file does look suspicious to me.

Note that the FILL_AREA, STYLE AND COLOUR also have different values.

[Clay_N]

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@JDMather Thank you for your comments.
Please find attached below one snippet of the Appearance Browser (No Yellow Triangle) and one snippet of the Appearance Editor.

I did look at the STEP Code as you did and I believe you may have found the potential problem. I tried applying different appearances but the line  #326=SURFACE_STYLE_TRANSPARENT(1.); did not change.

I also tried the three different Application Protocol options when exporting a STEP file, again no change.

If you were to export a STEP File and look at the code, does it have the same line and value in it?

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[JDMather]

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@Clay_N wrote:

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If you were to export a STEP File and look at the code, does it have the same line and value in it?  

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Hmmm, I didn't get that line when I saved the STEP on my machine (Update 1, let me install Update 2 and get back to you.)

Edit:  I installed Update 2, saved the file and then Exported the STEP, and now I get that line of code.

Looks like a good one for @johnsonshiue to dig into.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Guys,

This does look like a change in behavior. I cannot explain it. It is a bug. I will work with the project team and understand the behavior better.

Many thanks!

[Clay_N · Accepted solution]

Thank you for your comments and suggestions JDMather and Johnsonshiue. I appreciate your looking into this matter for me. Like JDMather, I do not read or understand programming code, but I wanted to try something on my own to see if it might work.

If line #326=SURFACE_STYLE_TRANSPARENT(1.); is the real problem what would happen if the value (1.) were changed to (0.) So I made the proposed change to the code and saved the change in a new file and sent it to the tool maker. His reply was the that it opened correctly.

I now have a way to make my STEP files display correctly thanks to all of your contributions. I know it may not be the "best way" but until Johnsonshiue and his team find and correct the problem, I can still get my work done.

Again, thank you all for your help.

[rdyson]

If memory serves, SolidEdge uses a parasolid kernal.
Try sending him an .x_t or .x_b file. Might save you a bit or work.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Guys,

Just to follow up with defect ID, the issue has been reported as INVGEN-23710.

Many thanks!

[amoreno]

Is there an update on the fix for this issue? Seems like most exporting file types have an issue with the 2019 Inventor. This has really held my team back and since i cant go back to 2018 Inventor we are at a standstill, very disappointing.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! I will check the defect status first thing in the morning tomorrow and provide an update.

Many thanks!

[amoreno]

Good morning,

any updates on this?

[Clay_N]

Hello amoreno,

                I do not have an update on the status of the defect correction, but I was wondering have you tried the temporary fix that I used to get my work out? If you look back at message 10 through 14 of this thread, you will see that changing the “SURFACE_STYLE_TRANSPARENT” VALUE FROM (1.) TO (0.) will export models that are not transparent.

Clay_N