Hi

I am wondering how people are using CAD along with Star-CCM+.

Which format are you exporting and importing?

Importing the stl format turns out bad and the sat(acis) format is not possible.

I prefer to import parasolid in CCM+, but the format is not exported from AutoCad as standard. Can you give advices on how to come from sat to parasolid (is there a thirdparty freeware tool)?

I have seen that Crossroads 3D is a good and free coverter, but I can't find a copy. Anyone?

I know that it is possible in Gambit, but i don't want to rely on Gambit in the future.

BR.

Kasper Skriver

you need to ask your account manager. he should now what's possible for your case.

Im exporting iges from ProE and Catia into Ansa, clean and triangulate before export in StarCD format. I then read in the mesh into ProAM and put it into a database file. From there I read it into CCM+. The reason is that if I want to use the function "replace geometry" in CCM+ (really nice when the old solution automatically is transfered to the new modified geometry for restart), the geometry must be in a database file. In CCM+ I, if needed, then wrap the geometry.

Thank you for your good answer and time..

I don't have access to either ProE, Catia or Ansa. I only have the ability to export from AutoCad2002 in sat format(and I wan't to do so because it gives the best result).

When you say that you write a dbs file, is it then in star-cd version 4? I don't have it yet, since I run windows version(company decided).

BR

Kasper Skriver

Export iges and read it into ProSurf (part of the starcd package) instead of ANSA. From there you can read it into proam, do some cosmetics and go on as described.

Why is the STL import bad? What problems are you seeing?

What about using IGES or STEP?

The STL import from AutoCad is bad because it is made of a very coarse surface of triangles. It is so coarse that for instance a cylinder will have corners instead of a more smooth shape.

Both iges and step would be fine. I have used Gambit before to generate parasolid from sat and the surface is much more smooth once imported in CCM+.

Basically what I need is a plugin for AutoCad that will allow me to export as iges/step/parasolid.

or

I need a freeware program that can convert from sat to iges/step/parasolid.

In regards the stl import, you should be able to control the quality of the triangulation from within AUTOCAD. I haven't used it myself but have exported such geometries from SolidWorks (among others) and they usually have some sort of control to increase export quality.

Thanks,

I was looking for that as an option too, but havent been able to find it in AutoCad.

I look further into it.

Regards, Kasper Skriver

The parameter to be adjusted is "facetres". Set it to 10 and be happy..

[J-man]

Hi there

When I import the exported stl (from autocad) it only opens as a grid in pro-surf - there is no surfaces. How would I go about creating surfaces?

Thanx

[Maddin]

Do you have the "switch" on for surfaces?
I don't work with autocad for exporting/creating these format.
Most problems I had with surface modells, holes, interceptions etc. are no problem when you create 3D with surface but for CCM it's a big problem.

[J-man]

Hi Maddin

By switched on do you mean the tick box in pro-surf? If so - yes it is switched on.

Cheers

[Maddin]

Ups... prosurf I don't have any experience, I thought you have problems in CCM+...

[f-w]

If you still want to convert your ACIS file, try Transmagic Basic (free for 7 days, if it's good consider buying it):
http://www.transmagic.com/products/d...overview-chart

Otherwise, there is this freeware which might add ACIS and Parasolid support in the future:
http://www.cadexchanger.com/formats.html

f-w