STL to IGES converter

[beatbop]

Hi, I am currently working on exchanging models. There are several exchanges involved between machines and software.

 

Most commonly, I am receiving an STL file and applying it in solid works. I was wondering if anyone knew of any type of simple converter that goes from STL to IGES. The way I understand it, there are two outputs that can be acheived. One is a wire frame IGES and the other would be a surfaced polygon frame in IGES.

 

I beleive that when dealing with point clouds and thus STL, that there is not enough information to interpet a surface. However I was wondering if anyone knew of a program, that would quite simply convert STL framework into an acceptable IGES output.

 

I have had minor success in FormZ with this task, but I do not like the program, and I am truly more interested in the single task of conversion so we may beable to utilize this transformation in other software application.

 

Thanks for reading through.

[Cad64]

You might want to check out PolyTrans by Okino. They have a limited use demo that you can try out to see if it will work for you.

[beatbop]

thanks by the way, this reply has been extremely helpful.

 

 

On another note, I was was wondering about another problem I have run into. I have a model that is curved and and along that curve there are various features. Next I need to project that curve onto a plane and also at the same time I need to preserve the origional features. Do you know of any way or program to do this? Also, is solidworks capable of this operation? I assume I need a fit-to-plane operation that has an option of a range that will enable me to save my origional features. Thanks

[Mahdi Sohrabi]

Hello.

I can suggest you "Geomagic Studio", professional reverse engineering software. use it beside CAD Software like CATIA. real fine result obtain if having enough skill.

See the Image of an conversion (better to say "Creating Surface" instead of "Conversion").

 

[venkey355]

Dear Mahdi Sohrabi , If you dont mind will suggest which software if effective for .obj file to Solid ( IGES or STEM )

[Cad64]

The obj file format is a universal format used mainly for transferring a model from one program to another. I do not believe there is any way to directly convert an obj file to iges. You need to import the obj file into whatever program you have available and then save or export to iges format. Or use a 3rd party conversion program that works with whatever program you have. So, what programs do you have?

[Brad777]

Well the original question is quite old, but I think it is worth stating that you cannot go from a polygonal format (known as a VisRep format) like OBJ to a CAD format (known as a Brep format) with any normal CAD software. None of the major CAD solutions will do it, nor will the various translators. The reason is that the true design information has been lost, and now you are dealing with just a polygon shell; it has no intelligence about what it is, in terms of cylindrical surfaces or planes. It is like a dumb piece of clay.

 

However, Mahdi did suggest Geomagic and I believe Geomagic can do it because they are built upon turning scans into CAD geometry, there are high-level algorithms necessary to infer CAD geometry, but keep in mind it is a guess, the resulting geometry will be an approximation.

 

Whenever possible, you want to go from CAD to CAD, and as high up on the CAD Format Ladder as possible. If you don't know what the CAD Format Ladder is, you can google it for my article.

 

Best,

Brad

http://www.transmagic.com