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Saving Step Files

Acara

Member
Hello all, I wish I would have used this much more when I was paying for my maintenance lol. I'm currently trying to import a part from McMaster as a step file and when I go to save it's asking me to save off all of my features along with it. Is there a way to prevent that from happening? My server is currently being flooded with a bunch of features that I feel don't need to be there. I would even be okay with keeping them as a dumb solid to prevent any problems if need be. I believe I also tried the save all as button last night but don't remember it working either.
 

Acara

Member
Also worth noting that I am running version 21 to work through projects with my friend who didn't buy a maintenance package.
 

HaroldL

Alibre Super User
Hello all, I wish I would have used this much more when I was paying for my maintenance lol. I'm currently trying to import a part from McMaster as a step file and when I go to save it's asking me to save off all of my features along with it. Is there a way to prevent that from happening? My server is currently being flooded with a bunch of features that I feel don't need to be there. I would even be okay with keeping them as a dumb solid to prevent any problems if need be. I believe I also tried the save all as button last night but don't remember it working either.
What do you mean by "save off all my features along with it"? Have you imported the STEP file into an assembly?
When you download from McMaster Carr are you given the option to open the file with Alibre or save the file? If you choose to open it in Alibre then after it opens in Alibre save the file to a location then insert it into the assembly.

If you just save the download file you still need to open it and save it to the location of your choice. I usually download hardware so my files get saved to a Hardware folder, even if I add features to them.
 

Acara

Member
What do you mean by "save off all my features along with it"? Have you imported the STEP file into an assembly?
When you download from McMaster Carr are you given the option to open the file with Alibre or save the file? If you choose to open it in Alibre then after it opens in Alibre save the file to a location then insert it into the assembly.

If you just save the download file you still need to open it and save it to the location of your choice. I usually download hardware so my files get saved to a Hardware folder, even if I add features to them.
step download.PNGimported.PNGsave as.PNG
 

DavidJ

Administrator
Staff member
They are parts in an assembly (even if strangely named).

You could consider producing an assembly boolean to give a single part - if that suits your needs.
 

HaroldL

Alibre Super User
You'll see that with multi-part components from McMaster Carr. IF you create the Boolean, as @DavidJ suggests, you could create configurations of different assembly states, like installed and released.
BRKT INSTALLED.png

BRKT RELEASED.png
 

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fabcadmz

Senior Member
You can download as a .sat directly from McMaster. Use the 3-D SAT filetype. This will download a dumb solid of the entire thing. This is the same end result as an assembly boolean created from a STEP.
 

HaroldL

Alibre Super User
This is the same end result as an assembly boolean created from a STEP.
Albeit without any ability to create configurations if you need them. For some models that's okay, but latches, for example, having configurations is handy for showing Open/Closed positioning. And if Exploded Views are needed in the assembly having some multi-part assemblies can be an issue. Plan each part download format for it intended use.
 

Acara

Member
Albeit without any ability to create configurations if you need them. For some models that's okay, but latches, for example, having configurations is handy for showing Open/Closed positioning. And if Exploded Views are needed in the assembly having some multi-part assemblies can be an issue. Plan each part download format for it intended use.
So if I actually download something that I want to edit such as a part that was created in SOLIDWORKS, will this do the same thing causing me to have to save individual features or create a Boolean for the part?
 

HaroldL

Alibre Super User
If you import a part created in SolidWorks it will come in as a STEP model. It is my understanding the models from McMaster Carr are all created with SolidWorks but you can choose a different format on download but none of them will import with any features listed in the Design Explorer.
 

Acara

Member
If you import a part created in SolidWorks it will come in as a STEP model. It is my understanding the models from McMaster Carr are all created with SolidWorks but you can choose a different format on download but none of them will import with any features listed in the Design Explorer.
Guess I'll have to stick to places like Automation Direct. Are there any others out there that would give some parts listed in Alibre? Just that alone would give them my business just due to the annoyance of not being able to convert these files to be usable in some cases.
 

HaroldL

Alibre Super User
Well you can look at Traceparts but just so you know, Automation Direct is powered by Traceparts. I don't think you'll find any parts to download that are native Alibre parts. I just downloaded a switch from Traceparts and selected Alibre format. It came in as an Alibre assembly with Alibre AD_PRT files but each one contained an imported STEP file.

Here's the assembly:
1647939234419.png

and here's one of the parts:
1647939292599.png

But at least you have individual parts, if that's what you want. Be aware though that you will need to apply constraints to all the parts or just anchor them in place in the assembly.
 

Jim T.

Member
Good morning HaroldL and everyone else:

So I've had issues with .step files that I have imported as well. They seem to constantly loose their constraints in the assembly, and if I use more than one instance in the assembly, it wants to save the files and replace them each time I open the assembly (I guess because there's two of them). The step files come in as an assembly plus all the sub-assemblies and parts that make up the main assembly. So I have all of these sub-assembly and part files that I don't really need. Is there a way to save all of this stuff as one Alibre part file so that I don't have all of these files laying around cluttering up the directory and making it confusing to tell what belongs to what?

Thanks,

Jim
 

simonb65

Alibre Super User
From memory, I don't think STEP file data contains constraints, sub parts are only usually defined by their absolute locations in 3d space.

You can make one single part from your assembly items by doing a boolean operation, but that leave a single 'dumb' solid as it's output.
 

HaroldL

Alibre Super User
The step files come in as an assembly plus all the sub-assemblies and parts that make up the main assembly. So I have all of these sub-assembly and part files that I don't really need. Is there a way to save all of this stuff as one Alibre part file so that I don't have all of these files laying around cluttering up the directory and making it confusing to tell what belongs to what?
Confirming what Simon said STEP assembly files never contain any constraints, IF you want to use a STEP assembly as an assembly then you need to apply the necessary constraints once you have the model open in Alibre (or whatever CAD program you're using).

If you just need the assembly be a dumb solid then:
You can make one single part from your assembly items by doing a boolean operation, but that leave a single 'dumb' solid as it's output.
I've used STEP assembly files both ways. Sometimes I want the assembly to be moveable and sometimes not. IF you have Configurations available then you can mimic an alternate position or operation of a STEP assembly by setting up a configuration such as a latch in its open and closed positions.
 

Jim T.

Member
Thanks guys, I used the assembly boolean for the first time following the help button in Alibre, always wondered what that was for, now I know. A dumb assembly (part) representing a blower with a 7hp electric motor and a whole bunch of parts is exactly what I needed. Now I can get rid of alll the other parts of the assembly that came in with the .step file!

Thanks again,

Jim
 
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