import igs in pro/M

Is there any way I will import a step or iges file into pro/mechanica?
Been searching for it all afternoon...
I created a nurbs syrface in Rhino, and want to do a structural analysis
in pro/M. Niether *.step, nor *.igs works. I used small caracters in the
name. "Cannot read the file", is the constant answer.

Anybody wtih a solution?

Thnx, Pim.

 

No spaces in file names? There's also a max number of characters (32?).

 

: Is there any way I will import a step or iges file into pro/mechanica?
: Been searching for it all afternoon...
: I created a nurbs syrface in Rhino, and want to do a structural analysis
: in pro/M. Niether *.step, nor *.igs works. I used small caracters in the
: name. "Cannot read the file", is the constant answer.
:
Pim, I'm really an amateur in this part of Pro/e, but I would like to understand
what's possible, what problems people have with Mechanica. Maybe you could explain
some more what you mean by "importing" into Mechanica. How are you doing this. I'm
not acquainted with this. It's also helpful to the more experienced people to know
what you've done to know where to tell you to backtrack and branc in another
direction, for example. This kind of troubleshooting calls for more, not less,
information from the user.

David Janes

 

I too, am not certain of this. Have you tried opening the .igs in ProE
and then saving it as a .prt before firing up Mechanica? Does the file
need to be a solid? Does it at least need to be a completely closed set
of surfaces?

<G>

 

I agree on the part Daivd Janes wrote: "This kind of troubleshooting
calls for more, not less, information from the user." So here I go;

I know pro/E is not yet an suitable package for architecture, but -as I
understood- the developers are working on that. We as an architectural
firm want to keep the design in one software package. The parametric way
pro/E works is very conveniant with the architecture that we make.

For our architectural firm I'm working on the construction of a
non-standard form. To obtain an insight on the behaviour of the form in
a mechanical way, I need to see how the construction, represented as
shells, works. This way I can create a mesh, en get a colored graphical
output of the results, which communicated well with the other party's
involved. We than can adept the form to it's mechanical behaviour, a
process called "structural optimization".

This way of working is prety common in University's, but they use
different software. We believe working in only one package is more
reliable en secure. We work file-to-factory, so the construction in
pro/E will be sent a manufacturer of steel beams, who will read our 3d
model to produce the steel giders.


Now for my problems in pro/Mechanica. The only thing I managed to import
in pro/E was a dxf, containing straight lines. That is not good enough
to create my shells, because the forces will be guided through rounded
elements, so the internal moments in the construction will be less. A
part from this, I want to import the shells I develloped in pro/E,
because that is what we are going to build, and I am not sure the way
pro/M creates the surfaces is the same as pro/E.

There are different formats pro/M should be able to import. Simply
importing the .prt (part from pro/E) didn't work ("Cannot read the
file"), no surfaces, and no solids parts. So I used Rhinoceros to
simplify the model, and tried to import it as an *.step and *.igs (small
caps, file name < 32 caracters). Neither worked: "Cannot read the file".
Not as lines, not as surfaces...

So here I'm stuck, hopefully this more detailed text on the problem will
evocate the solution...

Greets, Pim Marsman.

 

I probably shouldn't even say anything as I'm ignorant of Mechanica (you
are talking about FEA?) and how it interfaces with Pro/E (where does
Pro/Mesh fit in here?), but what type entities are you trying to translate;
Brep / NURBS solids and surfaces or mesh entities?

Mesh entities created in Rhino will not translate out as IGES or STEP
unless you convert them to NURBS surface representations (MeshToNurbs
command ?). The NURBS surfaces would then have to be converted back to
elemental entities for analysis purposes.

What are you calling a "shells"?

Where did the dxf originate and what type entities were translated out?

 

:
: > Now for my problems in pro/Mechanica. The only thing I managed to
: > import in pro/E was a dxf, containing straight lines. .....
: > ..... and I am not sure the way pro/M creates the surfaces is the
: > same as pro/E.
: >
: > There are different formats pro/M should be able to import. Simply
: > importing the .prt (part from pro/E) didn't work ("Cannot read the
: > file"), no surfaces, and no solids parts. So I used Rhinoceros to
: > simplify the model, and tried to import it as an *.step and *.igs (small
: > caps, file name < 32 caracters). Neither worked: "Cannot read the file".
: > Not as lines, not as surfaces...
:
: I probably shouldn't even say anything as I'm ignorant of Mechanica (you
: are talking about FEA?) and how it interfaces with Pro/E (where does
: Pro/Mesh fit in here?), but what type entities are you trying to translate;
: Brep / NURBS solids and surfaces or mesh entities?
:
: Mesh entities created in Rhino will not translate out as IGES or STEP
: unless you convert them to NURBS surface representations (MeshToNurbs
: command ?). The NURBS surfaces would then have to be converted back to
: elemental entities for analysis purposes.
:
: What are you calling a "shells"?
:
: Where did the dxf originate and what type entities were translated out?
:
Thanks, Pim, the additional info was helpful, but I agree with Jeff, there are
still pieces of the puzzle missing. The first one I have, especially since you've
expressed an interest in doing everything within a single package which offers the
decided advantage of not having to do data translation, is why not do this part in
Pro/e!?! Why even mess around with other packages and translating. When you've
made the part (surface or solid, conventional surfaces or NURBS), you just go to
'Applications>Mechanica', it confirms the system of units to use and you're
offered the choice of Structural, Thermal, etc. to analyze the model.

Even if you were going to go the less direct route, such as using IGES data, you
would open it in Pro/e first, either directly with the 'File>Open' and setting the
filter to show all file types, or by creating a new part then using 'Insert>Shared
Data>From file' and reading the IGES data. Then such a file can be analyzed by
Mechanica. There may be a way, as Jeff says, of reading meshed data, but that is
so round about, the only reason I could see for bothering with it is as a last
resort. But, exhaust your other options first. Especially try modelling the part
in Pro/e first. If it is something like a concrete form or an extrusion die
profile, it wouldn't be that difficult. We'd be glad to guide you through any such
modelling challenge.

David Janes

 

Hello Jeff Howard,

I'm trying to import NURBS; polygonal meshes will always be divided in
flat elements, and that's just what we don't want, because the
mechanical flow of forces will than result in internal bending moments.
(And for as far as I know Nurbs to mesh is a one way translation).
I mensioned the *.dxf format because that's the only thing I managed to
import.

Pro/Mechanica uses Finite Element Methode (FEM) to calculate. By
"shells" I mean the constructional type that the surface will represent:
On the NURBS surface I want to create a mesh (this is a
constructional mesh, something different than the polygonal mesh!!), and
run that through my analysis. This is a common way of working, as I
stated before, so pro/Mechanica should be able tot do this without any
trouble. Problem: I can't import anything but a dxf (with straight line
segments) in pro/M. That is just not good enough!

Greets, Pim.

 

On the NURBS surface I want to create a mesh (this is a

I have no idea what a constructional mesh is. Are you talking about
analysis element mesh?

Let's go back to basics.
Create or import a simple example (solid or surface model in Pro/E) then
follow David's suggestion (Menu: Applications / Mechanica) and let's go
from there. I think you are missing something fundamental, but don't know
enough about the subject to fathom what it might be based on what you say.

 

.... an additional thought: Search Google for [mechanica stress tutorial]
and pick one that looks good.

 

David, is there a "stand alone" version of Mechanica?

 

One last thought and then I'm outta here... Is it possible that while in
Mechanica all you can import is analysis entities; e.g. not model geometry?

 

There used to be. I think it got retired by 2001. There's also a mesher in Pro/M,
but as far as I know, it's one way ~ to export meshed surfaces. In any case, you
can't even open Pro/M without a part or assembly file open. That kind of limits
your options.

: David, is there a "stand alone" version of Mechanica?