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Limitations of the 3D-Premium Import

The following limitations apply to CATIA V4/V5, Pro/E, Inventor, Solidworks, UG, STEP, IGES, VDA, and SAT files during the Premium-Import into the 3D-Tool Viewer and during conversion using the 3D-NativeCAD Converter.

Common

  • Assembly attributes
    Attributes assigned on the assembly level are not read by the viewer or the converter, for example: Colors assigned on the assembly level get lost and elements hidden on the assembly level will be loaded.
  • Assembly features
    Features (e.g. cuts, bodies, holes) added on the assembly level are not supported and ignored by the viewer or the converter. The support of patterns added on the assembly level is limited in the viewer or the converter.
  • Product Manufacturing Information
    PMI-data is not supported by the viewer or the converter.
  • 2D-data / 2d-sketches
    2D-data and 2D-sketches are not supported by the viewer or the converter.
  • Visualization data / Facetted data
    Visualization data and facetted data embedded in CAD files are not supported by the viewer or the converter.
  • Layers
    Layers are not displayed in the viewer. In the converter the translation of layer information is limited.
  • Free parts, faces, and curves
    The converter supports free parts, faces, and curves only on the top assembly level and not within sub-assemblies.
  • Axes, planes, and local coordinate systems
    The support of axes, planes, and local coordinate systems is limited in the converter.
  • User-defined views
    User-defined views, component views, and simplified views are not supported by the viewer or the converter.

Catia V5

  • File names may only contain characters of the ISO-646 character set. Additionally the characters < > * : " ? \ | / cannot be used.
    During the conversion to CATIA V5 all invalid characters in file and part names will be replaced by an underscore.
  • During the conversion to CATIA V5 the attributes line-type and line-thickness will only be translated for free wires and curves, not for edges.
  • Due to hardware requirements, it may not be possible to view and to convert CATIA V5 files when using an older computer (approx. before 2003). If you plan to use the CATIA V5 import on such a system, request a free Trial Key to test the import.

IGES

  • Binary and compressed IGES files are not supported by the viewer or the converter.

Inventor

  • All parts and sub-assemblies of an assembly file (*.iam) have to be in the same folder, otherwise they will not be read by the viewer or the converter.
  • Attributes, such as color and layer, are not read by the viewer or the converter. This also applies to the hidden attribute. Hidden elements will always be displayed and converted.
  • Some special Inventor features, such as "Lofting" and "Weld Symbols", are not supported by the viewer or the converter.
  • Sketches are not supported by the viewer or the converter.

Pro/Engineer

  • All parts and sub-assemblies of an assembly file (*.asm) have to be in the same folder, otherwise they will not be read by the viewer or the converter.
  • Instances in family tables are read by the viewer or the converter only if the corresponding XPR and XAS files are present, even though these are only optional in Pro/E. Without the XPR and XAS files always the generic parts are read.
  • The converter translates local coordinate systems only to file formats that support assemblies (CATIA V5, STEP, IGES, ASAT).
  • The curves "using equation" and "local push" are not supported by the viewer or the converter.
  • Cosmetic features are not supported by the viewer or the converter.

Solidworks

  • Colors are supported by the viewer or the converter starting with Solidworks 2004.
  • Colors assigned to instances of parts and assemblies are not read by the viewer or the converter.
  • The units of a model are read by the viewer or the converter starting with Solidworks 2001. With earlier versions the units are always assumed as meters.
  • Hidden bodies and features within parts are not supported by the viewer or the converter.
  • The attributes "Show", "No-show" and "Hidden" will be read by the viewer or the converter starting with Solidworks 2004.
  • When reading assemblies (*.SLDASM) and parts (*.SLDPRT) there is no selection of configurations available in the viewer or the
    converter. Generally, the default configuration will be read. However, the parts within assemblies are displayed correctly and converted in accordance with the assembly configuration. Such assembly configurations are supported starting with SolidWorks98Plus.
  • In order to display and convert a part within an assembly in its correct configuration, the according configuration must be saved in the part file. This is not necessarily the case, especially not, if older parts have been opened and saved with a newer version of SolidWorks. If configurations are missing, open the part in Solidworks, activate each configuration, and save the part.
  • Coordinate systems, work planes, free curves, and free points are not supported by the converter.

VDA

  • Errors can occur when reading VDA files with the viewer or the converter, especially if the accuracy of the VDA data is insufficient. If such errors occur, as much data as possible is read.

Limitations of the 2D-Import

The following limitations apply to DXF, DWG, and HPGL files when loaded into the 3D-Tool viewer.

  • Embedded pictures
    The display of embedded pictures in the viewer is limited.
  • Filled polylines
    Filled polylines (Trace entities) are not supported by the viewer.
  • AEC Objects
    AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) objects are not supported by the viewer.
     
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