alibre STEP exporter lacking..?

[jhiker]

Is the Alibre STEP file exporter/converter working properly?

I've exported this wheel model to Hypershot in three different STP formats and none came out satisfactorily.
Only the exported IGS model loaded into Hypershot correctly.

I've noticed this before with models having quite a few curves - had the same problem with a moulded panel recently.
The IGES get-around is OK for single parts but there's no IGES export for assemblies.

 

[Ralf]

Jeff,

Was this part created with Alibre or is it an imported part?

 

[mshideler]

I have also had that same issue.

Since Hypershot does not allow face selecting I could not tell if a face normal was flipped (I could see right through an area that should have been solid) or if the faces were just missing.

My original parts and assembly were all Alibre models.

 

[Ralf]

Would be helpful to see examples.

HyperShot can assign materials to faces without problems, but this faces must be created within the 3 CAD application.
1 x Part has 1x Surface within Alibre.
Some 3D CAD applications can create "layers" on each surface -> Manually.

Alibre workaround: Part -> Assembly -> Project to sketch -> Add a very thin surface/extrusion

Professional Solution-> UV Mapping: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UV_mapping

UV Mapper example:
http://www.uvmapper.com/

One of the best: Blender
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender_3D ... Map_Basics
http://vegastrike.sourceforge.net/wiki/ ... in_Blender

 

[HaroldL]

Is the Alibre STEP file exporter/converter working properly?

I've exported this wheel model to Hypershot in three different STP formats and none came out satisfactorily.
Only the exported IGS model loaded into Hypershot correctly.

I've noticed this before with models having quite a few curves - had the same problem with a moulded panel recently.
The IGES get-around is OK for single parts but there's no IGES export for assemblies.

This sure sounds familiar. I posted this same issue some time ago (with an example image at this link viewtopic.php?f=10&t=9567). Although the model I was working on is not as complex.

I did find, and tried, an .obj export add on for Alibre from Sycode.com. Unfortunately, the add on does not allow for setting the resolution for the output file, so you get a severely faceted model on import into HyperShot. So I would avoid it like the plague as the rendered model is totally unacceptable.


From what I've seen and read about v12, you should be able to assign colors to features, (and faces?). The question is, will that coloring carry over in an IGES file export when it is brought in to HyperShot? Maybe those doing the beta testing can verify that.

H,
v11.2

 

[Ralf]

Harold,

Can you upload the 3D part as native Alibre part?

 

[HaroldL]

Ralf,
Here is the assembly and parts.

And, by the way, here is the render I was working on when I first noticed the problem. You can "see" the missing face, or at least where it should be.


H.
v11.2

 

[jhiker]

Jeff,

Was this part created with Alibre or is it an imported part?

Hi Ralf,
Created entirely in Alibre.

Here's the file if you'd care to take a look at it.
Many thanks.

 

[Ralf]

Hi Jeff,

Please have a look:
.

 

[jhiker]

Sorry Ralf - I'm still on v11.2. Not using the beta v12 so I can't open it in Alibre.
It comes into Hypershot just fine though.

Have you done anything to the file?

 

[MilesH]

From what I've seen and read about v12, you should be able to assign colors to features, (and faces?). The question is, will that coloring carry over in an IGES file export when it is brought in to HyperShot? Maybe those doing the beta testing can verify that.

Feature Colors don't appear in either STEP AP214 or IGES Exports.

 

[Ralf]

Hi Jeff,

Sorry I hate my bad English knowledge.
I have made two "changings" and I hope any other English speakers can describe it better than me.

 

[jhiker]

Well, I can see you've got two mirror operations in there that I didn't have, though I don't know why without an explanation.
Was there something fundamentally 'odd' about the way I constructed my model - it looked pretty simple really.

Still doesn't answer the question I posed originally - I can't see why the STEP exporter failed in the first place :cry:

And your English is excellent, by the way.

 

[Ralf]

Jeff,

There were 2-3 important changes:
.

 

[Ralf]

Hi Harold,

Please have a look...

I have used HS standard materials.
.

 

[HaroldL]

From what I've seen and read about v12, you should be able to assign colors to features, (and faces?). The question is, will that coloring carry over in an IGES file export when it is brought in to HyperShot? Maybe those doing the beta testing can verify that.

Feature Colors don't appear in either STEP AP214 or IGES Exports.

Miles,
That going to be a real bummer if Feature or Face color mapping won't carry over to HyperShot from Alibre. I remember reading somewhere that the STEP214 format carried color information from the model. Whereas STEP203 was "color blind". Can it be that Alibre does not support that function or am I misinformed? I was counting on some expanded functionality in AD v12.

Will parts with any colored faces/features import into HyperShot and allow those faces/featues to have material mapped to them independent of the part? Has anyone tested that in v12 beta yet?
What I'm thinking is a part with text (logo) that is extruded (boss or cut) on one of the faces. Can that text feature have a material applied to it inside HyperShot different than the base part? Like an embossed logo on a surface, or to illustrate an over molded part (in lieu of making it an assembly).

Hi Harold,

Please have a look...

I have used HS standard materials.
.

Ralf,
I appreciate the file conversion. I have a few questions though...
How did you get the Driver Head to import into HyperShot without losing the face? Is it because you used v12?
What are the standard materials you used? I have HyperShot Web and can't seem to find any materials that are close to what you have applied.
What is the significance of increasing the Scale in HyperShot to 8?
Which Environment did you use?

H.
v11.2

 

[MilesH]

Harold,

It's Feature defined only (not Faces).

I don't know if there's any way to carry forward Feature Colors into AP 214, or not - or whether this would be of any use in HyperShot. What happens with SolidWorks sub-Part colors?

For many situations, you can create the logo etc. as a separate Part.

I expect material assignment by face will come to HyperShot, soon.

 

[Ralf]

Harold,

I want to start with your first question:
The 3D Fillet <10> was too big/large, that`s all.
.

 

[Ralf]

Harold,

What are the standard materials you used? I have HyperShot Web and can't seem to find any materials that are close to what you have applied.

Please have a look:
.

 

[Ralf]

Harold,

What is the significance of increasing the Scale in HyperShot to 8?

I try to explain, and I hope you can understand my Google-English.

As with a photo camera -> Normal usage -> the lens focal length -> most common is 50.
In your example, without a scale factor, your focal lenght is: 500 -700
A focal lenght in a range: 500 -700 is the area of "telefoto lens" and the photos are looking "flat",
and the reflections of the HS Environment looks scattered.

The best range for parts in HS is 35 -> 120, if you need a closer view/look, then you can scale x2, x3 ....

Which Environment did you use?

I use an add. HDRI Environment bundle : Bathroom-Bath_Large.hdr -->> "Warm lighting for number of objects, not just bathroom accessories"

Btw.: The most HS Standard Environments are "CAR Environments of shiny fantasy limousines " :lol: , but for the representations of mechanical designs -> not so well suited.