Step file Attachment Points

[mmccall]

When importing a step file you may find that alot of the logical attachment points, expecially circle centers and quadrant points, can't be selected... meaning nothing works... or the tribal can't attach to them.

 

You can

1) change the step part properties in the "shape - set operation" to "remove material"

 

2) create a block around the imported step part

3) shape ---- hit the boolean

 

At this point you will have a block with the step part subrtacted from it ...

 

In essence you are making a "mold"

 

4) set your "mold" to "remove material"

 

5) put another block around the "mold" or subtracted area...

 

6) perform another boolean operation.

 

You can drag handles around to eliminate unwanted leftover material.

 

In several cases this brought back alot of the attachment points, but in almost every case I had to re-create holes in order for the triball to find the center and quadrant points.

 

It helps if you use transparency on some of your parts so you can see whats going on... you can also move handles so you can get to the inner parts since ironcad still knows the location of all the geometry.... but in my example I only went to an arbitrary point.... just make sure your mold encloses the entire imported feature.

 

Play around with the attached file.

step file mold.ics

[mmccall]

Try this file... it has the whole part... or you can make the handles show in the previous file by going into its intellishape properties and changing the sizebox to display all the handles for "part 10" in your feature manager.

 

 

Made a mistake in this file... forgot to lock aspect ratios !!!..

 

Well, I'm sure we all get the point...

 

step file mold 2.ics