Creating part from assembly

Forum|Forum|11 years ago
December 5, 2014
3 replies
25882 views

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

Assembly Design

Best answer by hspaulding

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

T

TomD.inPDX

17-Peridot

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!

T

TomU

23-Emerald IV

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.

D

dschenken

1-Visitor

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.

H

hspaulding

AuthorAnswer

1-Visitor

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