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Solid Model Translation


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I am working in a totally Windows based shop. I use SolidWorks and Autodesk Inventor daily. I would like to know if there is a way to bring models that I have created in either of those programs into VectorWorks? With most of the windows based software Iwe can use a neutral file translator, such as ACIS or STEP to cross from one program to the other. Has anyone got experience with this with VectorWorks?

Best regards,

Burns Baxter

Mechanical Designer

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  • 3 months later...

I don't have any experience with VW translation, but I have some in other CAD systems, like SolidEdge (UG product), Unigraphics, I-DEAS, and ProE. Here's what I know:

-STEP works reasonably well, but not all features are editable once you do the translation. However, you generally can shade and unshade the model. I don't know whether VW has STEP translation or not; I suspect not--most of the high-end CAD packages only have it as an add-on module for a hefty multi-thousand dollar price tag.

-Wireframe translators (I think this includes ACIS, but I'm not sure), generally don't work very well, at least for solid models. You either get just a picture or snapshot of the model, or you simply get a bunch of lines, arcs, and circles (primitives) that you can't shade or create hidden line views with.

-As far as Pro/E is concerned, I would love to see it on Mac OSX--that's a match made in heaven, IMHO. And, the way I see it, Pro/E and VW do not compete with each other--Pro/E is the best high-end CAD system available for mechanical and electrical design, but at a very high price tag (>$10K).

-VW, OTOH, is a very good low-to-midrange CAD system with a price you can't beat--it's an excellent buy at <$1K. Nemetschek/Diehl has done a very good job of adding real functionality with each new version while keeping the price low. I wasn't really considering upgrading to VW 9 from VW 8.5 until I saw that associative dimensioning and (limited) parametric relations has been added; these functions have traditionally only been available on the most expensive CAD packages. Yes, it may be available on AutoCAD, but it's probably at a very unreasonable price. I've always viewed AutoCAD as an overpriced low-end CAD system with a bad interface.

If I'm not mistaken, Nemetschek hired a former Parametric Technology manager to come in and help add high-end functionality to VW. It may be that the associative dimensioning and parametric modeling are the result of that hire.

Hope this helps.

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Michael B. Moore

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  • 8 months later...

I am a precision sheet metal worker that is learning CAD outside of work on my own. I had created an aluminum invention that my Boss at work used SolidWorks/AutoCAD to generate the design in 3D and for output to the NC machines for production. He has given me .dwg and .dxf examples to take home for further development and they have both opened up in VW 9x on up just fine and are editable so far as I can tell.

Jerry cool.gif" border="0

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  • 5 months later...
  • 4 months later...

I was communicating with NNA just before 9.5 was released and was addressing just the same issue wherein there should be a plugin or module as you put it to auto generate a bend deduction or bend allowance per the material thickness and inside radius and angle used, using common bending and tooling standards and come up with a drag and draw solution of some sort.

Maybe NNA is working on something like that now and we don't know it. [Razz] I would also like to see or once I learn to do so myself develop a spread sheet layout that will allow me to draw and dimension and have that data automatically stored in a SS that will print out like a pre-formatted set up sheet for the Press Brake area that would look sort of like an Amada Press Brake data entry box on the machine with a third angle tiny render of the part that can be edited to included bend step numbers or sequences. The rest can be filled out by the worker and could be issued or printed out at the time that the drawing is released to the shop floor further increasing the organization of physical work flow to and on the shop floor. They already have the parts and items list that automatically tabulate all of the items in a drawing... so I am pretty certain that it can be done.

Jerry

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