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How to improve STEP Import performance? Is there a way to freeze features?
armandoRR
Member Posts: 14 PRO
I work with a lot of STEP files that are outputs from Altium and I'm looking to improve the large regen times.
The workflow is:
- Import STEP, wait for translation
- Delete Parts that I don't need
- Composite Part
- Add Mounting Holes
- Export DXF back to Altium
- Place STEP file in Assembly where used
As you can see, the main import is 9.78s. Every new feature add requires a rebuild, meaning that just adding a sketch is painful. The Part Studio is sluggish, rebuild time is not great, and otherwise not a fun time. I would love to be able to "Freeze" the Import feature as I really don't care about the linked functionality that comes with updating the imported STEP file. This is known as "Freeze Bar" in SOLIDWORKS (https://www.goengineer.com/blog/solidworks-feature-freeze)
I tried Deriving the part into another Part Studio, but that resulted in even worse performance of 21.89s regen.
Any advice on how to improve this performance?
Comments
Create a version and reference the version in the import
Have you tried IDF in/out of Altium and PCB Studio in Onshape? First import might take a while as it builds the component library in Onshape, but much quicker thereafter.
I'm unsure how to choose a version in the import. I tired referencing a version in the Derive and that somehow made the performance worse.
PCB Studio has been bug ridden since we switched over to Onshape. I tried again today and can't get passed the setup steps due to "internal error". I have opened a support ticket.
Odd that using a version for the derive doesn't help…
I guess the derive still has to create the bodies/faces in your new part studio but it shouldn't need to regen the "source" so it really shouldn't be any longer than the original import when using a version!