Imported parts in SAT format have discontinuous cylindrical surfaces - can't mate.

murray_1

To get a bit of a running start, I've imported an existing assembly from SW in SAT format and translated it into OS. It came in looking OK but obviously the mates have been lost in the process, so I've been reassembling them in OS and learning about mates in the process.

I notice that all of the cylindrical parts now show 2 split lines on opposite sides. Presumably they are still one body but with 2 curved surfaces in each instance where there used to be 1. You can see what I mean from the attached picture. The problem I'm finding is that I can't select the central axis of the shaft or the collar which makes reassembly of this group of parts impossible. This suggests that OS doesn't consider them concentric any more.

I'm guessing this is a result of the SAT export from SW, rather than the import into OS although that's just a guess. Is there some way to prevent this problem? Obviously I don't wish to remodel the leadscrew, nor the myriad bearings, collars etc. Every cylindrical surface shows this effect. Should I use a different format to export the assembly / parts or is there some setting I can change?

Thanks

julian_leland

I've experienced this problem as well. If I remember correctly, the solution wound up being to import directly from a SolidWorks format, instead of from an intermediate format. 

kevin_quigley

Why would you export from SolidWorks as SAT and import to OnShape as SAT? Both SolidWorks and OnShape use Parasolid, so by far the best format is Parasolid.

the splitting of cylindrical faces is common to the SAT format during import export...used to face this constantly in ACIS based systems. Another reliable format to use is STEP.

murray_1

@Julian_Leland It looks as if you can only import parts from SW, not assemblies. For assemblies, the help file says you can only import Parasolid, ACIS or step. Having read that before importing, I'm not sure how I ended up with SAT - perhaps you end up with this format if you ask SW for an ACIS file? Possibly just finger trouble on my part.

The answer seems to be to try Parasolid which I see is the kernal that OS uses, although it would seem commercially sensible for OS to be able to import SW assemblies directly at some point in the near future.

jakeramsley

Murray said:

@Julian_Leland It looks as if you can only import parts from SW, not assemblies. For assemblies, the help file says you can only import Parasolid, ACIS or step. Having read that before importing, I'm not sure how I ended up with SAT - perhaps you end up with this format if you ask SW for an ACIS file? Possibly just finger trouble on my part.

The answer seems to be to try Parasolid which I see is the kernal that OS uses, although it would seem commercially sensible for OS to be able to import SW assemblies directly at some point in the near future.

We should be posting something soon about importing SolidWorks assemblies directly to Onshape.

brucebartlett

JakeRamsley said:

Murray said:

@Julian_Leland It looks as if you can only import parts from SW, not assemblies. For assemblies, the help file says you can only import Parasolid, ACIS or step. Having read that before importing, I'm not sure how I ended up with SAT - perhaps you end up with this format if you ask SW for an ACIS file? Possibly just finger trouble on my part.

The answer seems to be to try Parasolid which I see is the kernal that OS uses, although it would seem commercially sensible for OS to be able to import SW assemblies directly at some point in the near future.

We should be posting something soon about importing SolidWorks assemblies directly to Onshape.

@JakeRamsley That will an nice improvement. 

murray_1

That worked and I can now get the mates to recognise cylindrical / circular features. Thanks for the help and look forward to direct import.

I see that the import generates an assembly on one tab that I can edit (move and mate parts but not edit properties like colour - see 1st attachment) and another that I can use to edit the parts (change colour etc but won't allow me to move the parts around - see second attachment).

The puzzling problem is that in the "parts" tab, all the parts are jumbled up and overlapping, making it difficult to see them - in some cases, small parts are completely lost inside larger parts. As I can't move them around and I didn't jumble them up myself, it's a complete mess and a pain in the 4ss. At least when I change properties (colour) in the parts tab, the assembly is updated which is good.

Why is the parts tab in such a mess and why can't I sort it out? And if I could modify the part properties in the assembly tab, this wouldn't be such an issue.