Has anyone found a sound way to create DSTV/NC files from Solidworks? Amongst several industries, I am involved with structural design, detail design of structures for fabrication and manufacture. Ideally, I would like a Solidworks add-in that could produce the DSTV/NC file format and have the ability to view and manipulate these files. The reason for manipulation is that the meta data has to be in particular order for the material supplier. Normally the file export should be correct but often there are problems.

Steel work and metal structural components require DSTV or NC files to be manufactured by material suppliers. All their machinery uses this file format to define length, miters, notches, holes etc. in a similar way as CNC data is used for machining. DSTV files differ from CNC in that they include information about the part such as material and quantity for the project so great care is needed in ensuring this is correct. Another difference is that with CNC, the machining supplier will receive and process a number of 2D (DWG or DXF) or 3D (STEP, IGES, native CAD etc.) file formats via their CAD/CAM software. All good CAD systems can easily create suitable files.

With the construction industry, things are different. Material suppliers require the component data in DSTV/NC format and this is not available as a save as or export task from Solidworks. Additional software is required as an add-in or separate software.

I have been through all I can find and worked extensively with my CAD reseller Solid Solutions Management by preparing actual live project data used for manufacture. While this worked, it involved a lot of work arounds so was not a permanent solution. Solid Solutions Management have been incredibly helpful and supportive but have not yet found a satisfactory solution. The system used was Solidsteel by Kleitsch and is a Solidworks add-in. In its basic form as a translator (approx £3,000 + £400 annual subscription) or a comprehensive structural design suite (costing £8,500 + £800 annual subscription). This is an expensive add-in just to save as the DSTX/NC file format, but there are a lot of steel work design productivity tools. Another option is a Solidworks add-in called CMS from Strucsoft costs £1,710 for a desktop license or £1,995 for a network license. This company seems responsive and has provided test files from my data. No idea what whey are like to work with long term.

The construction industry mainly uses Tekla Structures (£3630/year) comes highly recommended or Autodesk Advance Steel. These would be another CAD system to take on which I am very reluctant to do.

I would be very grateful to hear from anyone who has found a working solution via Solidworks or other software.

Kind regards

Mark