Creating part from assembly

[hspaulding]

I have received a step file assembly from one of our suppliers. Instead of cluttering up our Windchill server with all sorts of misc parts I want to somehow turn this assembly into a part.

I have tried a shrinkwrap (surface subset), it leaves too many surfaces missing no matter what Quality Level or Special handling options I use.

I have tried a shrinkwrap (Merged Solid), it always gives a "Could not create model <insert model name>. Aborting" message.

I have tried to open the step file as a part and Creo gives me the "NOT RESPONDING" message and the only way to get out is to End Task. I have waited up to 30 minutes for Creo to continue responding with no happy ending.

Does anyone have a solution?

Creo 3.0

M010

Thanks in advance,

Herb Spaulding

Miller Industries

[TomD.inPDX]

Open the STEP as an assembly; add a new part to the assembly; merge/inheritance (get data) on each component to the newly created part, and uncheck the dependent option for each merge.

This process will also let you know what part it is choking on.

Save often!

[TomU]

This is exactly the approach I use, with one additional step. After all the parts have been merged into the single new part, I export it as a new STEP file, and then bring it back in again to another part. I don't want the any evidence of the original assembly left around (ghost objects in Windchill).

I've even gone so far as to create a simple SmartAssembly (3rd party automation program) that does this for me. It simply iterates through each model in the assembly and adds a merge feature to the newly created model.

[dschenken]

Opening a STEP assembly as a part used to result in all the components getting placed with their origins aligned - like all the parts are shaken into one corner of a box.

I guess it depends on the detail that's needed - you may try to export the assembly as an STL and then reimport that. You may need to process it through MeshLab or Meshmixer to eliminate overlapping surfaces.

[hspaulding · Accepted solution]

Thanks to everyone that responded.

The method that worked best for me and my situation was provided by our friends at the PTC help.

Their method:

Open the *.stp file with assembly mode, save the assembly as *.igs file, open the *.igs file with part mode.

All assembly parts "merged" into one part.

Thanks

Herb Spaulding

Miller Industries

[Dale_Rosema]

Herb,

Glad you found a solution. Don't forget to mark your answer as correct for those who search on this post in the future.

Thanks, Dale

[TomD.inPDX]

I'll have to try that...

I tried a fairly complex assembly using merge as I suggested above and it does fail fairly often.

[TomD.inPDX]

Okay, I had partial success with this. A little better than the merge but the shoes still failed.

3 errors in IDD in the resulting step file (20mb) from the iges (100mb) solidify.

Final part file... 8mb solid.

Colors preserved from the original solid assembly.

[Adam_048]

This did not work for me, unfortunately.

No matter what I try (STEP to IGES, IGES to STEP, SW TO STEP/IGES, STEP to SW to IGES etc.), and I am still able to exclude/isolate individual parts..  Frustrating.

Am I doing something wrong, or maybe you think the method is a solution w/o realizing it is not (?)

Can you share some simple sample assembly, but complicated enough to test if unwanted details are exposed?

Kind Regards,

Adam

[StephenW]

This is a 5+ year old post so I wouldn't expect an answer from the original users.

I suspect there is no answer that will solve every users requirements in one click.

I use a hidden config.pro option to import assemblies as parts.

intf3d_in_as_part YES

Beware that you can still turn surfaces of the components on/off using IDD.

Depending on the purpose of the export file, I typically save as a shrinkwrap using the "fill holes" option and also as a surface model only. Then export the shrinkwrap using the export desired.

It's not a one size fits all solution. I will typically modify the shrinkwrap before exporting to include interface features needed for the use of the receiver of the export.

Along the way, I typically do various x-sections along the way so I understand exactly what information I am exporting.

I experimented extensively to come up with my solution.