Rhino 3 to AutoCAD Mechanical Desktop 4 (XchangeWorks?)

[BillyDoc]

Hi Everyone,

I have both Rhino 3 and AutoCad Mechanical Desktop 4 and would like to be able to design in Rhino and then move the file into Mechanical Desktop — but so far I have not had any luck with the data translation. The SolidWorks people claim to have produced a program that will get past this problem called XchangeWorks which they offer free if you call and talk to a salesperson. I called several weeks ago and the salesperson promised to drop the program in the mail that day, but I still haven’t received the program.

So my question is, does XchangeWorks actually work? And if it does, does anyone know where I could download a copy? I can’t seem to find it on the web, everything points back to SolidWorks — and they won’t provide it as a download. Or, does anyone know some other way to get a file from Rhino to Mechanical Desktop?

Thanks!

Bill

[Raggi_Thor]

MDT has a command "IgesIn" to import igs files.

[CGN]

Xchangeworks, works really good is basicly a lower version of solidworks, does not allows to create assemblys, but for single parts works realy good, I'm sure they will send you your copy.

[BillyDoc]

I have tried the IGESin command, and it does import a file, but it is corrupt. I get an error message like this: "Entities processed 49 (File contains 223)" and the image on the screen is a mess. And this is for a single part.

I think that my older version of MD may not be compatible with the newer Rhino, or some such thing.

[Raggi_Thor]

Maybe you can choose an older version of Iges when you export in Rhino?
I see that you can select "MDT Surfaces" and "MDT Solids" in the export dialog.
What about STEP?
can MDt import that?

[BillyDoc]

MD version 4 doesn't import STEP files, or anyway my version doesn't. There is a STEP option on the "insert" menu, but it is grayed out. There must be some add-on that I don't have.

I have tried a bunch of IGES versions, including the MD solids, MD surfaces, MD3 solids and surfaces, even CATIA . . . and I can't seem to come up with a combination that works.

I guess I have to wait and hope that XchangeWorks shows up.

Anyway, thanks again for your kind suggestions!

Bill

[Raggi_Thor]

Well, I hope you work it out.
Maybe you have to upgrade to Inventor :-) :-)

[archnav.de]

Mechanical_Desktop is an ACIS based software (Version 4.0) not higher.

You can save Rhino-files as ACIS 4.0.

Then go to Mechanical_Desktop Insert - ACIS. That's it. Iges is always problematic.

As input into Rhino a step_file is the best. There is no ACIS import.

Up to 5MB you can use the free convertion service from Step Tools http://www.steptools.com/strepo/logi...slate%2Ecgi%3F

to convert files between STEP, ACIS, and Parasolid. Log in as anonymous.

I have attached the overall situation. If you have the model in STEP, ACIS and Parasolid without any mistakes you will have not any problem in the different CAD-systems.

[BillyDoc]

Thank you archnav, I just tried the ACIS approach and it worked!

Now I'm in business again.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Bill

[Raggi_Thor]

Argh, why didn't I think of that,
Good to see that it worked out, though :-)