19 Replies Latest reply on Mar 1, 2010 5:19 PM by Alexandra Kovac

Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009

Alexandra Kovac Feb 24, 2010 8:08 PM

I've been trying to import and IGES assembly into Solidworks without success.

It's something I used to be able to do but recently I can't. I think some of my settings were accidentally changed.

When I import, it allows the file to be opened but there is not geometry to be seen; it's just blank.

I have tried checking several options in the IGES import options but nothing seems to work (i.e. Try forming solid, knit surfaces, merge entities, import as solid body/surface body...)

Help! Very frustrating!!

Re: Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009

Alin Vargatu Feb 24, 2010 8:56 PM (in response to Alexandra Kovac)

Can you post one IGES sample you have problems with here?
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- Re: Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009
  
  Alexandra Kovac Feb 24, 2010 10:17 PM (in response to Alin Vargatu)
  
  Hi,
  See file attached. It happens with any IGES file I try.
  
  SW3dPS-g6-0-1.igs.zip 283.7 KB
  
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  - Re: Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009
    
    Kenneth Barrentine Feb 24, 2010 11:26 PM (in response to Alexandra Kovac)
    
    the options button is located at the bottom right corner of the "open" dialog box.
    see attached
    
    SW3dPS-G6-0-1.zip 533.6 KB
    
    IGES_Options.JPG 157.6 KB
    
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    - Re: Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009
      
      Alexandra Kovac Feb 24, 2010 11:29 PM (in response to Kenneth Barrentine)
      
      Hi,
      Thanks for that but I really need to know how to import them myself as I have many files to import.
      
      Are there any other settings I am missing?
      
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      - Re: Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009
        
        Kenneth Barrentine Feb 24, 2010 11:35 PM (in response to Alexandra Kovac)
        
        what do your options look like?
        (see jpeg above)
        
        also, under tools> options> default templates> do you have prompt selected?
        
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Re: Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009

Alin Vargatu Feb 24, 2010 11:39 PM (in response to Alexandra Kovac)

Do you have any dismissed message under Tools/Options/System Options/Advanced?
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- Re: Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009
  
  Alexandra Kovac Feb 24, 2010 11:45 PM (in response to Alin Vargatu)
  
  See attached for the options I have selected and what I see when the model is opened.
  I don't have any dismissed messages either.
  
  2.jpg 91.7 KB
  
  1.jpg 125.6 KB
  
  3.jpg 123.5 KB
  
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  - Re: Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009
    
    Alin Vargatu Feb 24, 2010 11:48 PM (in response to Alexandra Kovac)
    
    Everything looks fine. I suggest you create a Rx report and send it to your VAR.
    
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  - Re: Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009
    
    Kenneth Barrentine Feb 24, 2010 11:52 PM (in response to Alexandra Kovac)
    
    did you save the assembly, close, then reopen?
    
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    - Re: Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009
      
      Alexandra Kovac Feb 25, 2010 12:42 AM (in response to Kenneth Barrentine)
      
      Yes, this didn't work either!
      
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  - Re: Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009
    
    Simon Richardson Feb 25, 2010 12:12 AM (in response to Alexandra Kovac)
    
    Also- where are the igs files coming from-?
    
    It may be that they are coming in from a different cad system- such as inventor or pro-e, and there may be an option that has been set wrong in the export settings in that program...I have had this with files from Inventor- get the other designer to change their settings and have another go
    
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- Re: Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009
  
  Simon Richardson Feb 25, 2010 12:03 AM (in response to Alin Vargatu)
  
  do you get the same problems if you import from a different source- such as parasolid or step? try the x_t file attatched to this -
  
  I used to have similar problems with my old wildcat video card on sw 2009- what graphics card are you using? Try opening the igs file, then open each part within the assembly, and do a CTRL+Q forced rebuild- this might kick start it into showing the body-
  
  Also- can you get us a screen shot of the assembly once you have it open in Solidworks? please xpand each part in the tree...- I am thinking that your part template may have imported bodies hidden by mistake...
  
  In each part, is there folder named "solid bodies" and does it have anything inside it?
  
  bodies folder.jpg 148.1 KB
  
  SW3dPS-g6-0-1 X_T.zip 201.6 KB
  
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  - Re: Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009
    
    Alexandra Kovac Feb 25, 2010 12:47 AM (in response to Simon Richardson)
    
    STEP files and Parasolids are ok.
    
    I'm not sure what graphics card I have or how to find out.
    
    I opened each part of the assembly and tried to force it to rebuild but no luck there either.
    
    See attached for an image of the expanded trees. There does not seem to be any 'solid body' folders. Sounds like there might be something going wrong here..?
    
    4.jpg 110.4 KB
    
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    - Re: Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009
      
      Jerry Steiger Feb 26, 2010 4:54 PM (in response to Alexandra Kovac)
      
      Alexandra,
      
      To find out what graphics card you have, right click on the desktop background and pick Properties. In the Display Properties window that comes up, pick the Settings Tab. Under Display it should show you what card you are running. Click on Advanced and then the Adapter tab to get to the Properties button. Clicking on that will give you more information about your card, including the Driver.
      
      Jerry Steiger
      
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Re: Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009

Alin Vargatu Feb 25, 2010 12:01 AM (in response to Alexandra Kovac)

Also, try to create a simple part (not assembly) in SWX, export it as an IGES and re-import it. What do you get?
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- Re: Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009
  
  Alexandra Kovac Feb 25, 2010 12:49 AM (in response to Alin Vargatu)
  
  I can reimport my own saved IGES part... Maybe it's to do with where the files are coming from?
  Except I seem to have issues with every other file that I don't create myself.
  
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  - Re: Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009
    
    Deepak Gupta Feb 25, 2010 1:42 AM (in response to Alexandra Kovac)
    
    I too didn't got any errors. Your profile says your are on SP 0, Try updating to a higher SP, preferably 4.1 or above and then check.
    
    Also is there any other machine near by you where you can do a import test of the same file to make sure that its not only your machine doing so.
    
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Re: Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009

Andrew Mattocks Mar 1, 2010 3:06 AM (in response to Alexandra Kovac)
Hi Alexandra,

I have just had exactly the same problem.

See post from Kenneth Barrentine

"also, under tools> options> default templates> do you have prompt selected?"

My import was not finding a default template and I just OKed the "use the empty one" dialogue box and I ended up with an assembly with no geometry in it. When I set the "prompt user to select document template", and then picked my usual template in the list, it worked fine.

I have recently upgraded to SW2009 and have not got around to setting my templates up properly yet. It looks like it needs a template of some description to achieve geometry. I used the templates I had been using from SW2007 and it worked fine.

empty.jpg 47.1 KB
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- Re: Importing IGES files/assemblies into Solidworks 2009
  
  Alexandra Kovac Mar 1, 2010 5:19 PM (in response to Andrew Mattocks)
  
  Thanks Andrew it finally worked! Just one one those weird SW things I guess.
  Thanks also Kenneth, and apologies that I didn't properly understand your email in the first place!
  
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