Working with imported STEP files.

[DavidJ]

Seb - direct edit has not been removed, just rationalised. All the same functionality should remain. 'Move Face' is now used to move pocket or boss.

 

[bigseb]

Seb - direct edit has not been removed, just rationalised. All the same functionality should remain. 'Move Face' is now used to move pocket or boss.

Read your post and thought I'd try again and you're right, there were options I didn't take note of. Made me very happy that has.

Now if only direct editing weren't relegated to a dropdown because of poor people with small screens...

 

[jcdammeyer]

Have a look at this video:-

This is your hub face moved 5mm, the Square Block hole depth reduced by 5mm and the Square Block hole Dia changed, using the Direct Editing Tools :-

I'm running Alibre V23. Doesn't have the same Direct Edit tools as Alibre Atom. So I can't see how to change the hole diameter for example.

 

[HaroldL]

That video is kind of dated. If you have v23 you have the latest DE tools as they are after their update.

Check on the Release History page to find out when the changes were made.

 

[bigseb]

Its offset face. Don't think Atom has DE.

 

[jcdammeyer]

That video is kind of dated. If you have v23 you have the latest DE tools as they are after their update.

Check on the Release History page to find out when the changes were made.

The names of those operations and the options are very fusion360 like. As in obscure and not intuitive to me. Took three tries experimenting before I figured out how to change the radius of the hole on the square sample block. Even then I said to myself "Really?" But then I suppose for others it will be "Finally, it makes sense now!"

 

[Nick952]

I knew that the video is well out of date, that is why I included 3 example files in my posting.
It's going to be a lot of work, but these videos really need bringing up to date.

 

[HaroldL]

I knew that the video is well out of date, that is why I included 3 example files in my posting.
It's going to be a lot of work, but these videos really need bringing up to date.

Oops, I didn't see the files you uploaded, I was replying to the reply of @jcdammeyer to yours.

 

[jcdammeyer]

BTW, thank you everyone. I've learned a whole bunch more because of this. And in fact in searching for ways to modify or create a different kind of cup gear I stumbled onto this posting: Making Gears.

I use parametric design at a very elementary level. That post showed how to use the equation editor and with that it was suddenly simple to make a 1.0 module 70T gear only 10mm thick instead of the original 3.0 module, 20T and 20mm thick gear without restorting to the gearotec program.

Now to use that information to be able to create an internal spline gear that mates to that. An internal gear like the ones Sam Sokolik. created here : Sams New Thingiverse

 

[JST]

...............................................

However this example shows that the half cylinders are a function of step files. Create the part in Alibre and export as step and then import step file and save as part. What was a circle is now two half circles and no way to mend it back to being round. Which then has a dimension that could be changed. Even if just a 'knit' operation creates a sketch that overides the step part. Then we have a sketch with a circle that can be reduced in diameter.

To an amateur like me this sort of human factors ease of operation should be a no brainer.

Hmmmm. Well, I always assumed it was a "feature" of some programs. And it may be. But it does seem to be created in the STEP process.

I suppose that I never noticed because I don't open STEP files I made very often, and I DO get all the Solidworks files in as STEP files.

Your comment about "ease of operation" is very true, and is something that many CAD companies, and not just Alibre (but certainly not EXCLUDING Alibre) need to learn. I've been a real nuisance about that, as I continue to maintain that "computers should make the job easier", and that every function of a program should be evaluated to see if it is doing that, or if instead it is making things more complicated, requiring more clicks and mousing, etc, etc.

 

[jcdammeyer]

It's like the sqaureblock_step example I posted earlier. There is no intuitive reason that "Draft Surface" means anything other than adding draft to a casting part. Similarly "Offset Face" is a vague label that I find confusing. Then check the pull down list and see there's an option for "Final Radius". How that has anything to do with a face is just plain strange.

But even more interesting is if you select the two half cylinder faces along with "Final Radius" and set the dimension from 7.5mm to 7.501mm and tab out now the OK button is enabled. And it's no longer two half cylinders. Next select the cylinder and do it again setting the dimension back to 7.5mm and it's back to the same size and still a complete cylinder. So a heal option for STEP imports for selected lines might well be possible.

John

 

[HaroldL]

However this example shows that the half cylinders are a function of step files. Create the part in Alibre and export as step and then import step file and save as part. What was a circle is now two half circles and no way to mend it back to being round. Which then has a dimension that could be changed. Even if just a 'knit' operation creates a sketch that overides the step part. Then we have a sketch with a circle that can be reduced in diameter.

You can "knit" the split surfaces together using Delete Face but that still leaves the edges split. I would have thought the edges would get knit along with the surfaces.

 

[mmtech]

Hmm, I just imported from step a commercial part I want to add to a design - an electrical receptacle, which happens to show the wires protruding from the back, and I cannot delete those wires.
I can't trim or do anything, not even delete a Face.
It's imported as a big lump... which I can't break into smaller assemblies or face.

I am in version 23 and direct edit is gone. What is the procedure now?

Thanks

 

[DavidJ]

You may have an 'iffy import' - have you tried different import settings? Did you use Import Advisor and Check Part?

Direct Edit has not 'gone' - see posts #21 & #22.