Import

Description

The import plug-in allows .step/.stp, .iges/.igs, or .brep part design files to be imported into the software and designed in any of the available part designers.

During the import process, the scale of the part can be increased or decreased and each bend can be assigned a different die.

How To

To import a .step, .iges, or .brep part, follow these steps:

Start Up

1.) First, click the import menu on the main tool bar and select the file extension of the part that will be imported.

2.)Select a part in the Import File window and click the open button.

Scale

3.)

Next, a message box (see image to the right) will open where the scale of the part can be adjusted if necessary. If the part was designed in any other unit other than millimeters, a scale will need to be applied to the part. For example, this can be used to convert parts that were created in inches to millimeters by using a scale value of ".03937". A scale of "1" will mean the part size will remain the same. Increasing or decreasing this scale value will change the size of the entire part. The die and material will also be adjusted accordingly. If the dies and materials available don't match up exactly with the scale provided, the die and material with the closest appropriate sizes will be chosen automatically in the import window.

To adjust the scale, enter a value into the scale field and click the green check to continue.

Import Controls and Options

4.)

Now, the import window will open. In some cases, the part may be automatically defined at this point. To tell if a part has been automatically defined, look at the part in the part display. If the part is shown in the selected material and it's not just the skeleton of the part, it has been already defined. See image to the right to see what this would look like. If no adjustments are necessary and the part has been auto defined, the green check button can be clicked at the part will be imported.

Part Display Controls

The view of the part in the part display can be adjusted using mouse controls and the icons in the upper left corner.

To zoom in and out, use the mouse scroll wheel. Scroll down to zoom in and scroll up to zoom out.

To pan/move the part around, click and hold both mouse buttons and move the cursor around the frame. The part will follow the cursor.

To rotate the part, click and hold down the right mouse button and move the cursor around.

To reset the part to the default view, click the house icon File:House.png in the top left corner.

To zoom all the way in on the current part orientation, click the magnifying glass icon in the top left corner. See image below.

Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination