[lkenney]

I am getting more and more work coming in as IGES files. The way I am creating my programs is difficult and time consuming. I usually start by putting a Surface Spline on the import and beginning to work from there. Is there a better way?

Thank you

Lowell

[moldcore]

Do you have a CAD program that you can use as an intermediary? IGES is no doubt the worst for imported geometry, especially into Surfcam. You need the surface spline for what?

[lkenney]

I need the surface to program the machine for complex contours. They are not sending drawings. It is easier to work from solidworks parts. But not everyone will send them. I have not found anyother way to build a programmable model which is why I was asking the question here.

thanks

Lowell

[Yefim.C]

Good way to bring IGS in to SolidWorks and output as parasolid files
It will give you surfaces and geometry on separate levels

[Maguillacutty]

>>>I just started this new shop<<<>>>all as they supply me with are iges files>>>I am having prob's with iges files to surfcam<<<>>>How do you make the geometry selectable so I can create my toolpaths to machine???? This is a real kick in the nutz for me fella's as its making it seem like I take forever to program a part lol.

I am used to SolidWorks>>>i.e. parasolids but this new company doesnt have it.
I am squeaking by barely>>> using there dwx files supplied but have to delete a bunch of other views and **** that aren't applicable>>>Would be real nice if I could use there supplied iges file:cheers:

thanks in advance

[moldcore]

What kind of problems are you having with IGES? While it’s not the best option to import, it should give you a usable surface to machine. Your customer should be able to give you other options. If not, not all is lost. If the igs is nothing but surfaces then you can create boundary splines to use for 2D machining. Create>Splines>Surface splines. Under the Boundary Curves tab, select Broken Into Multiple and select the boundary choice. This will give you splines but you can create line and arcs from these with some work.
Again, your customer should be able to export in another format such as XT. I’m not aware of any program today that can’t export XT files. XT files will give you Lines on one layer and Surfaces on another.

[Maguillacutty]

What kind of problems are you having with IGES? While it’s not the best option to import, it should give you a usable surface to machine. Your customer should be able to give you other options. If not, not all is lost. If the igs is nothing but surfaces then you can create boundary splines to use for 2D machining. Create>Splines>Surface splines. Under the Boundary Curves tab, select Broken Into Multiple and select the boundary choice. This will give you splines but you can create line and arcs from these with some work.
Again, your customer should be able to export in another format such as XT. I’m not aware of any program today that can’t export XT files. XT files will give you Lines on one layer and Surfaces on another.

Hey thank you for responding moldcore and thank you for the tip on surfacing>>The problems the iges files is giving me is that the geometry imported is not selectable so I can create toolpaths>>> So far this is what I have been doing as of friday>> seems to be working for me>>>when they send me the iges file, I open it in surfcam,<<delete<<>>duplicate<<<>>>visible<<< then I save it right away as a parasolid and blamo>>>I open up the new saved file>>>create a new Cview. now I am able to pick all the geometry lines so I can create toolpaths for that op..>>>Does that make any sense??<<<

Also I told them to get me xt files and they are working on supplying me with them instead of iges.

right on for your knowledge and help brother

[moldcore]

Maguillacutty,
That’s a great tip/workaround.
Exporting as an XT and importing again as an XT file works also but you wind up splines where there should be lines and arcs. Still not the best solution. Surfcam for some reason doesn’t recognize the wireframe entities when exporting or importing IGES files. Older versions of Surfcam used to translate IGES file just fine. Like most other features in the program, this fix hasn’t been a priority.

I would consider getting a CAD program.
Most machine shops today have CAD software to do their translating of customer files. Having a good CAD software such as Solidworks, Solid Edge or KeyCreator is an absolute necessity today even if it’s just for machine fixtures and translators. CAM Software by their nature is horrible for fixture design work.