Problem with saving as STP

[ctschermi19]

Hello Community, 

i have a problem with saving a part as a stp. 

If i open this stp.data with an other CAD-Programm i  only get a surface geometry  and no solid.

Has someone the same problem or maybe a solution for it? 

thanks

[remy]

This looks like a classic CAD data translation issue.

Potential scenarios:

1. models is surfaces from the start and saved to surfaces
2. model is solid and saved to surfaces 
3. model is solid and saved to solid but what you call an other CAD program cannot open solid and open the model in surfaces

You need to identify your scenario to apply appropriate corrective actions.

Scenario 3, PTC cannot be held accountable.

Scenario1 and 2, refer to the documentation and the knowledge base.

[ctschermi19]

Scenario 3: 

i only have this problem by a few parts, 

what i found out at the moment is, that Creo has a problem with the radius. 

If i delete all radii i don't have the problem, when i save the part as stp and open it with Catia for example

[remy]

Thank you.

This confirms this is not a Creo issue but a Catia issue.

Have you tried another CAD than CATIA.

Have you tried Onshape?  does the STEP created with Creo opens correctly there?

Without preaching for my own church CATIA STEP module has always been known for its flaws (even before I joined PTC). 

I suspect that the STEP radius Creo makes is not supported by CATIA. 
Which is not surprising.

This thread becomes geeky but Creo saves radii as cylinders versus CATIA considers all surfaces as NURBS. There is a dicrepancy there by nature.

The best thing to do when it comes to data exchange is to try everything: did you try all STEP protocols? Did you try all the options offered when exporting and importing.

[ctschermi19]

I tried it with 3D-tool viewer, i also get the feedback from suppliers that they had the same problem with the 3D-model (i don't know which CAD-program they have). 

I created the same part with catia - with the same radii - with this 3D-model i had no problem

i tried to export with every stp -protocol - always the same result.

Sometimes i also got wrong geometries.

[Pettersson]

Maybe try IGES instead of STEP?

[ctschermi19]

Same result 

[Pettersson]

Another thing worth trying (no idea if it'll work, but with these things it's worth trying different things) is looking at the accuracy. Set your part to absolute accuracy before saving it to STEP. then see if you can get CATIA to use the same absolute accuracy when importing (don't know what the settings look like in CATIA). STEP files use an accuracy setting, just like Creo, and making sure to sync that can help for some things.

Otherwise you might just have to rely on the repair tools in CATIA. I believe they are quite good in Solidworks, and not very good in Creo. Don't know how CATIA stacks up.

[ThoRig]

I do not know what version of Creo you're using, or if you are even using Creo.  It is possible that you are saving a solid file with the STEP controls set to surfaces.  Check and see.