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Re: Is there an easy way to check that your step exported correctly?
That's pretty strange. Translation errors are usually in the form of a bad surface which leads to non-manifold geometry (bunch of surfaces instead of a solid volume). My gut tells me the draft feature was inadvertently suppressed when the Step file was created. If the error was in the step translation, it wouldn't be as specific as drafted surfaces suddenly becoming undrafted.
But that doesn't help answer your question. The easiest way I can think of to verify Step translation is to compare part volume between the SW part and re-imported Step file. SolidWorks also has a Compare Documents function (Tools>Compare) that lets you compare the geometry of two files. Hope that helps.
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Re: Is there an easy way to check that your step exported correctly?
Yes funky things can happen without a rebuild or a save all. Also as you mention if the geometry is not perfect it would appear to translate in Step worse than parasolid.
I have noticed that if you don't ensure you saved the files exactly as you want it on occasions the Step export reverts to the last save of the file. So a very basic example is a item may be hidden on the last save but has since been changed to visible but because the assembly wasn't save in that state the export has then item missed the item.
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Re: Is there an easy way to check that your step exported correctly?
Of further note, we saved a new step file today and got similar results. That's when we tried the parasolid. The missing features are not suppressed. It has been several weeks since the original step file was sent out for tool design.
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Re: Is there an easy way to check that your step exported correctly?
Maybe going into a bit more depth on this will help to narrow where exactly the problem is originating from.
So
was the component model originally imported into solidworks or modelled in solidworks?
were the drafts added to the component model or were they in the tool design?
what exactly is the size of the draft missing. Is it tiny like 0.5 degree over 5mm or large like 5 degree over 50mm?
have you tried not knitting surfaces when re-importing the culprit Step file and does it look like there is some draft but the knitting eliminates it?
Edit
Have you tried renaming the part and the step file that are the problem - this is relevant if the step file was ever made previously in the state with no drafts as you describe.
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Re: Is there an easy way to check that your step exported correctly?
The original part was modeled in SolidWorks. Drafts were added in SolidWorks. It is a fairly small part with small surfaces. It's supposed to have 1 degree draft over a 2mm surface. (2mm to each side) There is a split line, but it looks like the draft isn't there. When we reimport the step, we lose the split line for sure. I haven't gotten to look at the original step file we sent out. I don't think I can attached the file.
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Re: Is there an easy way to check that your step exported correctly?
There is a topic with the exportation of mathematical files
Surfaces the best choice is IGS (default configuration)
Solids could use * .SAT (to AutoCAD) STEP (any CAD system) * .XT (to other SW)
It is feasible for IGS to export solids as well, but the translator must be setup.
Deepak Gupta give me one macro very usefull for STEP 2014
It would be necessary verify the mathematical file if it doesn't have any errors, perhaps that's it as a result a wrong translation.
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Re: Is there an easy way to check that your step exported correctly?
I generally re-import any files that I export just to make sure that they cam through ok.
Question:
Can you export the parasolid, then import the parasolid, then export that file as STEP?
I have heard of this working because it takes out the extra calculating rebuild "gunk" (technical term) that sometimes makes step files get stuck.
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Re: Is there an easy way to check that your step exported correctly?
Dan Pihlaja - Do you manually re-import and inspect after you have exported? Do you use part compare, or just check that it mostly looks good?
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Re: Is there an easy way to check that your step exported correctly?
If the part is complicated, then I will run a part compare. If not, then just a glance to see that the part doesn't have missing surfaces is generally sufficient.
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