sketch driven pattern of 3D lines, converting work axis to 3D lines, or exporting reference features like work axis

[mschoenf]

I have a tube bundle of 109 tubes in which I'd like to export center lines.  I can readily create a single work axis and then use the "sketch driven" pattern feature to create 109 work axis on the centerlines.  The issues I'm running into are:

- work axis don't appear to export with the step file

- I can't use the "sketch driven" pattern feature to copy 3D lines

- I can't use a "project geometry" like function to convert work axis to 3D lines

When I try to manually create 3D lines I keep freezing up.  Any ideas on how to get these centerlines drawn or reference geometry exported?

[mikegreslick6607]

Good afternoon,

What file type are you trying to export to, and what software are you importing that into?  It's my understanding, and this may be dated, that Inventor does not export planes or axes.  However, it does export sketches.

I created a sketch on a center plane of a tube and put a simply line on that sketch thru the center.

Exporting the assembly of a few of those pipes to DWG shows the sketched lines through the center of each of the tubes.

I have not tried this with other file types, but it at least works with DWG.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! It may not be directly related. On Inventor 2023, exporting UCS to STEP and JT is supported.

Many thanks!

[kacper.suchomski]

Do you want to export pipes with centerlines or just centerlines?