Data Transfer

for CAD and Solid Imaging

StudioTools 9.5
Data Transfer for CAD and Solid Imaging. StudioTools 9.5.
© 2000 Alias|Wavefront.
Printed in the U S A by R.R. Donnelley, All rights reserved.

Studio Documentation Team: Mona Albano, Pat Anderson, Matt Chaput, Stephen Gaebel,
Karen Hoogsteen, Adam Kozyniak, Joanne MacPhail, Margot Meijer.

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 Introduction 1

Modeling for Successful Data Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

F i l e O p era tion s in Importing Operations 13

Studio Importing CAD Data Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Summary of File Formats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Trimmed Surface Optimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
IGES File Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
File Import Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Exporting Operations 37

Exporting Alias Files to CAD Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Save Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

S o l i d I m a g ing Solid Imaging Data Transfer 75

Exporting STL and SLC File Formats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

Preparations of Geometry for Solid Imaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81

C A D P a c k ages CATIA Data Transfer 87

CAT Direct Connect Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88

Transferring Alias to CATIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Transferring CATIA to Alias Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
CAT Direct Connect Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Supported Geometry and Data Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124

Pro/Engineer Data Transfer 133

ALIAS to Pro/ENGINEER via IGES/STEP . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134

Pro/ENGINEER to Alias via IGES/STEP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145
Pro/ENGINEER to Alias via Pro/RENDER. . . . . . . . . . . . . .149

SolidDesigner Data Transfer 153

Alias to SolidDesigner via IGES/STEP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154

Creating the IGES file in Studio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
SolidDesigner to Studio via IGES/STEP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

I-DEAS Master Series (SDRC) Data Transfer 159

Transferring Alias to I-DEAS for Master Series 6A. . . . . . . . 160

Transferring Alias to I-DEAS for Master Series 7 . . . . . . . . . 169

Unigraphics Data Transfer 177

Unigraphics Direct Connect Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

Using Unigraphics Direct Connect: Alias to Unigraphics . . 180
Using Unigraphics Direct Connect: Unigraphics to Alias Format
190
UG Direct Connect Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Supported Unigraphics Geometry and Data Mapping . . . . 203
 Introduction
1 Introduction
In This Section:

Modeling for Successful Data Transfer .............................................2

Introduction
1
 Modeling for Successful Data
Transfer
Most CAD systems that Studio users are transferring
geometry to are either solid modelers, or systems that are a
hybrid of solids and surfaces. The following is a description of
how geometry from a surfacing system such as Studio is
represented when passed to a solid modeler.

How Solids Works

A basic knowledge of solid modeling theory can help you
understand what is happening when you create a solid from
an Alias model.

Solid models usually contain two types of data: Geometric and

Topological:
● Geometric data—Surfaces contain the geometric data of a
solid model. The geometric data describes the basic shape
of an object and is represented using NURBS (Non-
Uniform Rational B-Spline).
● Topological data—Loops, edges, and vertices contain the
topological relationships between the individual surfaces
that form the solid model. Topological data describes how
the geometric components are connected together. In solid
modeling terminology, surfaces are called faces, and each
face is made up of loops, edges, and vertices.

Example

The solid model of a cube in the following illustration has six

surfaces (faces) labeled S1 to S6. Each of the surfaces has a

Introduction
2
Modeling for Successful Data Transfer
 loopset, but in this case each surface has only one loop. The

Introduction
loop for S1 has four edges and four vertices.

S6
S3 E1 S = Surface
V1 V2 E = Edge
V = Vertex
S4 S2 E4 S1 E2

V4 E3 V3
S1
S5

The edges are used to connect two loops from adjacent

surfaces. The vertices are used to connect two or more edges.

This solid box consists of six surfaces, twelve edges, and eight
vertices that form the geometrical and topological information
required to define it as a solid model. For example, if a hole is
placed in the box through S1 and S6, S1 and S6 would each
have a loopset containing two loops.

Modeling for Successful Data Transfer to a Solid

Modeler
When you import an Alias model into a solid modeler, you
provide the geometric and topological information of the
model. When creating a solid model, the solid modeler system
creates a valid data base from the supplied data, and the
supplied data must satisfy the solid modeler's rules for
topological and geometric data.

Getting the Geometry Right

To achieve the tolerance required by solid modeling, it is

important to manage the modeling units and tolerances when
creating your model. The mm (millimeter) or inch is generally
used as the base linear unit. Standards for tolerances have
been developed as they apply to engineering-based CAD
systems.

Introduction
3
Modeling for Successful Data Transfer
 Tip If you are not sure of the standards your companies or
clients use, ask your CAD system manager. Set up your
units and tolerances at the beginning of your modeling
session and save them as a preset in the Construction
Options box. The next time Alias is opened, the preset that
was in use when Alias was last exited, will be in effect.

To successfully join surfaces, the maximum distance or gap

between the surfaces of your model must be less than the
accuracy defined within the solid modeler. You can lower the
part accuracy when the gap exceeds the required tolerance,
but that may preclude the model from being used in other
downstream CAD processes. It is preferable to construct Alias
models within the accuracy defined by the engineering
requirements of the environment or project you are working
on.

Introduction
4
Modeling for Successful Data Transfer
You can specify various tolerances in the Construction Options

Introduction
window in Alias (found under the Preferences menu).

The Curve Fit Distance is the tolerance value in Alias which

most closely corresponds to the Point Coincidence tolerance in
Master Series. For example, the default tolerance in I-DEAS
Master Series is 0.01 mm. You should create Alias geometry at
a Curve Fit Distance tolerance of 0.005 mm or lower if you
plan to perform post transfer processes, such as stitching, after
transferring the geometry to I-DEAS Master Series. Since the
stitching tool is driven by the Maximum Gap Distance tolerance,

Introduction
5
Modeling for Successful Data Transfer
 this value should be set to the same value as the Curve Fit
Distance tolerance (0.005 mm).

Tip A tolerance of 0.005 mm should be adequate for the majority

of cases. When a tolerance of 0.005 mm is still not sufficient
to meet the requirements of post-import operations in I-
DEAS Master Series, you should experiment to get the
necessary tolerance. The Curve Fit Distance should not need
to be set less than 0.001 mm.

Rational and Non-rational Geometry

In the Construction Options window, you can specify whether or

not the new geometry being created will contain the rational
or non-rational component. Rational geometry contains CVs
that do not have a uniform weight, while the CVs of non-
rational geometry all have the same weight. Some CAD
systems that do not support rational geometry will rebuild the
rational element of geometry upon import. This will change
the intended design and therefore the user should know ahead
of time whether rational geometry is supported by the target
CAD system.

Rational fillets are created with fewer isoparms and the

tangency to the adjacent surface can be up to ten times more
accurate. While this is an advantage in Alias, it is even more
apparent when the geometry has been transferred to a solid
modeler. The closer adjacent surfaces are to exact tangency, the
further the geometry can be offset during the shelling
operation.

Once the above conditions have been met, you should try
several sample translations to verify that the geometry is being
passed from Alias successfully. Before modeling a project in
Alias that is intended for export, you should model several
sample pieces of geometry in mock modeling situations, then
transfer them and attempt the stitching operation in the target
CADS system. This will confirm that the model, when
completed, will transfer successfully.

Whether you are creating a model, verifying a model, or

debugging a translation, there are a number of Alias tools you
can use to check the quality of the geometry you have created.
The most useful tools are the surface continuity checker
(Evaluate > Continuity > Surface Continuity) and the Min/Max

Introduction
6
Modeling for Successful Data Transfer
measurement tool (Locators > Deviation Measures > Min/Max

Introduction
Deviation). Use these tools to check the maximum distance
between surface boundaries in Alias to confirm the integrity of
the model before transferring it to the target CAD system.

Getting the Topology Right

The topology of a model defines how each surface relates to all

other surfaces in the model. The important element of
topology for data exchange to solid modelers is that an edge
on one surface must have a “twin” edge on the adjacent
surface. Edges are defined by natural surface boundaries or
trimmed surface boundaries.

Using “Stitch” in Alias

The Surface Edit > Stitch tool in Alias creates a valid solid model
topology within the Alias modeling environment. Stitching
surfaces in Alias can greatly improve the robustness of the
interface to a solid modeler. The stitching process also
identifies surface boundaries that exceed the prescribed
tolerances. These problems can then be corrected prior to
translating the data to the solid modeling system.

In addition, the stitching process identifies the duplicate

surfaces in the model and orients the surface normals of the
completed shell.

The following illustration represents an Alias surface model

comprised of three individual surfaces (labeled S1, S2 and S3).
The edges of each surface are represented by dashed lines.

S1

S2 S3

Introduction
7
Modeling for Successful Data Transfer
 When models are constructed using the Alias advanced
surface tools (Swept, Birail, and Square), it is common to create a
number of smaller surfaces along the edge of one larger
surface. This modeling technique does not create the twin
edges required for a solid model. The stitching feature
automatically creates the twin edge topology required by the
solid modeler.

Notes
● Some modeling techniques, such as Trim, Intersect and
Round, create twin edges.

● If you are not successful in stitching the entire object,

return to the Alias model and re-investigate the boundary
conditions.

Meeting Geometry Requirements

All surface edges must be topologically matched before the
geometry meets the requirements of topologically described
geometry in CAD system.

In general, edges fail to match because of a mismatch in the

topology of two or more adjacent faces, or because the
maximum distance between two adjacent edges is greater then
the current accuracy defined in the CAD system. There may be
a gap existing between the adjacent surface edges, or the edges
may overlap to the extent that they are unable to be stitched.

You can fix this problem by lowering tolerances in Alias and

recreating the Alias geometry before re-importing the file into
the CAD system.

Creating Shells in Alias for Export

Creating solid geometry from imported Alias models is a

common work flow when integrating Alias and CAD systems.
When exporting the model from Alias, you must ensure that
the geometry is built to the correct tolerance and that it can
also be stitched. The stitching process in Alias identifies gaps
between surfaces so that you can repair the appropriate
geometry before writing out the export file.

During stitching, the surfaces are twinned. This means that the
surface boundaries may be split to accommodate adjacent

Introduction
8
Modeling for Successful Data Transfer
surfaces, and periodic geometry is detached into multiple

Introduction
surfaces. For this reason, you should save the Alias wire file
before stitching so that if further modifications are required to
be made to the Studio model, the construction history will be
intact. (Stitched geometry saved to an Alias wire file cannot be
unstitched to its original state.)

A typical workflow for stitching is:

1 Stitch the surfaces to perform a visual check to confirm
there are no gaps.

2 Undo the stitch operation.

3 Save the Alias wire file.

4 Stitch the surfaces again.

5 Export the stitched shell as an exportable file.

Introduction
9
Modeling for Successful Data Transfer
 Introduction
10
Modeling for Successful Data Transfer
F ile Op eration s in
S tu d io
 File Operations
2 Importing Operations
In this Section:

Importing CAD Data Files..............................................................14

Summary of File Formats ................................................................15
Trimmed Surface Optimization .......................................................17
IGES File Format.............................................................................18
File Import Options .........................................................................23

13
File > Open Importing CAD Data Files
The File > Open choice retrieves previously saved files, including
wireframe models and foreign data formats. For more information
on the basics of using this choice, see the Basic Tools book.

Filters are programs File > Open automatically attempts to read in files. If the file is not a
that read in an standard Data Transfer type, Alias tries to match the file extensions
arbitrary file format, to an input filter. If a filter is available, it reads the file in through
perform data
manipulations as the filter for that particular file format, according to your specified
required, and write out options.
the Alias WIRE file
format to standard To view or change options that determine how files are retrieved:
output.
1 Select File > Open-❐. The Open File Options window is
displayed.
This window lets you set options for each of the different file
formats, including filters. The file format options that are
available depend on the file format you select.

2 To view or change the options for a specific file format, click on

the arrow beside the File Format field.
The following summary points you to more information for
each of the file formats that may be available.

Keep Unit/Tolerances

To set units, use If ON, brings in units and tolerances from the wire file into the
Preferences > system, overriding the current settings.
Construction options >
Units. This option applies to files created in Version 7.0 or later. Its effect is
To set tolerances, use
Preferences > similar to restoring options from an option file.
Construction options-
❐.

Importing Operations
14
Importing CAD Data Files
 Summary of File Formats
.
The following table shows the types of file formats you can
retrieve and where you can find more information on them.

Format For more information...

File Operations
CATIA CATIA Options on page 32
C4 C4 Options on page 25 (see note 1)
DES DES Options on page 29
DXF The Basic Tools in Alias book
Encapsulated The Basic Tools in Alias book
PostScript
External Filters The Basic Tools in Alias book
IGES IGES File Format on page 18 (see
note 1)
Illustrator The Basic Tools in Alias book
Inventor Inventor Options (Available on IRIX
only) on page 35
JAMA-IS JAMA-IS Options on page 26 (see
note 1)
OBJ The Basic Tools in Alias book
Pro/E Render Pro/E Render Options on page 32
Quick Wire The Basic Tools in Alias book
SLA Exporting STL and SLC File Formats
on page 76
STEP STEP Format on page 30
Unigraphics Unigraphics Data Transfer on
page 177
VDAFS VDAFS Options on page 28
VDAIS VDAIS File Format on page 27 (see
note 1)
Wire The Basic Tools in Alias book

Importing Operations
15
Summary of File Formats
 Notes
● For options common to the IGES, C4, JAMA-IS and
VDAIS formats, see also Trimmed Surface Optimization on
page 17.
● There are no specific retrieve options for SLA; for details,
see Exporting STL and SLC File Formats on page 76.
● The following file formats may be purchasable options
depending on the version of Alias you own: CATIA, C4,
Unigraphics.
In addition, options for External Filters are provided to
extend support for currently unspecified file formats.
● There are no particular SDRC options. For details on
working with this format, see I-DEAS Master Series
(SDRC) Data Transfer on page 159 and the documentation
that comes with your I-DEAS Direct Connect product.

Importing Operations
16
Summary of File Formats
Trimmed Surface Optimization

(IGES, C4, JAMA-IS and VDAIS)

The trimmed surface optimizations options are available for

File Operations
the IGES, C4, JAMA-IS, or VDAIS file format options.

Shrink Surface
When ON, Alias detects trimmed surfaces whose trim
boundaries are the same as, or iso-parametric to, the
natural boundaries of the untrimmed surface. It then
converts these surfaces into Alias surfaces by shrinking
the untrimmed surface to the trim boundaries.
When OFF, Alias converts all trimmed surfaces of this type
to Alias trimmed surfaces.

Planar to FACE
When ON, Alias detects trimmed surfaces that are planar
and converts them to Alias faces from the model-space
(3D) boundary curves of the trimmed surfaces.
When OFF, Alias converts all trimmed surfaces of this type
to Alias trimmed surfaces.

Important Note

If you are using the Planar to FACE option in Alias when saving
IGES, VDAIS, C4, or JAMA-IS files in the sending CAD
system, ensure that the files contain model-space trim curves.

For example, ProEngineer has an IGES output option where

resulting files contain parameter-space (2D) trim curves, but
not model-space trim curves. Usually, this kind of file is
preferred because of its minimal file size. However, the Planar
to FACE option has no effect on files that are missing 3D trim
boundary curves, so this particular ProEngineer option must
be turned off.

Importing Operations
17
Trimmed Surface Optimization
 IGES File Format
IGES stands for Initial The first section of an IGES file typically describes the contents
Graphics Exchange of a file. Each line of this section is displayed on the
Specification. information line.

(If there is more than one line in the section, you can browse
the contents of the section after file retrieval is complete by
using the prompt history window, or by viewing the
comments section of the IGES logfile created by the retrieve
process.)

The IGES log file

For information on File > The Alias errlog file and IGES logfile contain a specific error
Show > Errlog, see Basic Tools message for each problem encountered.
in Alias.
Each error message includes the IGES entity type number and
a Directory Section line number where the entity occurs. The
errlog file is located at /usr/a1demo/errlog; you can
browse it with any UNIX text editor (for example, vi or jot).
The IGES logfile is located in the same directory as the
retrieved IGES file.

Summary of messages in the IGES logfile

● IGES file retrieved successfully
Indicates retrieval is finished, without errors or
unsupported entities.
● Errors detected during translation
Errors were encountered while processing the file.
● Unsupported entities detected
Unsupported IGES entities were found in the file.
(Displayed after errors were encountered.)
● IGES file retrieved: Refer to errlog file and/or
IGES logfile for details of errors.
Errors or unsupported IGES entities were found in the file.

Importing Operations
18
IGES File Format
IGES Support
IGES entities supported on import by Alias are listed in the
following table (along with their corresponding Alias entity).
All other entities with an entity use flag value (Definition) are
ignored by the input translator.

File Operations
Type Form IGES Entity Alias Entity
100 0 circular arc B-spline curve
102 0 composite curve B-spline curves
(group)
104 0-3 conic arc B-spline curve
106 1 copious data B-spline curve
106 2 copious data polyline
106 11 copious data polyline
106 12 copious data polyline
106 63 closed area polygon of polyset
108* 0* plane B-spline surface,
plane
108 1 plane face
110 0 line line
112 0 parametric curve B-spline curve
114 0 parametric surface B-spline surface
116 0 point control vertex
118 0-1 ruled surface B-spline surface
120 0 surface of revolution B-spline surface
122 0 tabulated cylinder B-spline surface
124 0 transformation matrix
126 0-5 rational B-spline curve B-spline curve
128 0-9 rational B-spline B-spline surface
surface
130 0 offset curve B-spline curve
140 0 offset surface B-spline surface
141 0 boundary entity trim curve

Importing Operations
19
IGES File Format
 142 0 curve on surface trim curve
143 0 bounded surface trimmed surface
144 0 trimmed surface trimmed surface
308 0 subfigure definition instance geometry
402 7,9 associativity instance group
406 1 property - definition multi sets
levels
408 0 singular subfigure instance geometry
instance
406 15 name node name

IGES Levels
All supported geometric IGES entities that are associated with
IGES level <n> are added to an Alias exclusive set called
LEVEL<n>. For example, if a 126 B-spline entity’s directory
entry indicates that it is on level 42, then it is added to Alias as
either Set 42, Layer 42, Layer 42 and Set 42, or as Level 42,
depending on the setting in the Level Mapping section of IGES.
(see IGES Options on page 23 for details).

An IGES 406 Form 1 Property Entity (Definition Levels) lists the

IGES level numbers to which an associated entity belongs. An
Alias multiset is created for each level number in the list, and
the associated object is added to each of the sets. For example,
if a 406 Definition Levels entity indicates that a particular surface
is on IGES levels 13, 26 and 39, then the multisets LEVEL13,
LEVEL26, and LEVEL39 are created and the surface is added
to each of these sets.

Example of the IGES Logfile

The translator automatically creates a logfile using the user-
defined filename with a default filename
extension.iges2alias. See the following example.

Importing Operations
20
IGES File Format
--- Alias IGES POSTPROCESSOR REPORT ---
Translation summary of file:
/usr/u/bclinton/user_data/demo/wire/part.iges

Comments
********
IGES file from SDRC I-DEAS V6.1

File Operations
System Information
*******************

Sending System: SDRC I-DEAS VI.i

Preprocessor Version: IGES 5.0
IGES Version: 5.0

Product Information
*******************

Product ID from Sender: IGES

Product ID for Receiver: SDRC I-DEASVI.i
Model Space Scale: 1.000000
Units: MM
Number of Line Thickness 1
Gradations:
Width of Thickest Line: 1.000000 MM
Time File Generated: 931015.112821
Model Space Tolerance: 0.010000
Approximate Maximum Coordinate 1170.41242123
Value:
Drafting Standard Code: 0
Author: bclinton
Author's Organization: White House CAD
Inc.
Time Created or Last Modified: <Not Specified>

IGES Entities Read

******************
Entity Form Description Count
Type Number
------ ------ ------------ -----

116 0 Point 25

Importing Operations
21
IGES File Format
 126 0 Rational B-spline Curve 41
126 1 Rational B-spline Curve 41
126 2 Rational B-spline Curve 26
126 3 Rational B-spline Curve 15
128 0 Rational B-spline Surface 8
128 1 Rational B-spline Surface 10
128 11 Rational B-spline Surface 1
141 0 Boundary 22
143 0 Bounded Surface 19
---------------------------------------------------
Total: 208

IGES Entities Skipped

*********************
Entity Form Description Count Error
Type Number Description
------ ------ ----------- ----- -----------
314 0 Color Definition 2 Entity not
supported
--------------------------------------------------
Total: 2

Alias Entities Created

**********************
Alias Entity Name Count
----------------- -----
Control Vertex 25
Trimmed Surface 18
B-spline Surface 19
B-spline Curve 123
----------------------------------
Total: 185
IGES_IN: The following errors were found retrieving
file:
/usr/u/bclinton/user_data/demo/wire/part.igs

An error occurred creating the bounded surface type

143 at DE 321.

Elapsed time (hh:mm:ss): 00:00:08

************ End of Log File *********************

IGES ASCII Format

The IGES translator imports ASCII format IGES files with or

without linefeed characters at the end of each record. Binary
IGES files are not supported.

Importing Operations
22
IGES File Format
File Import Options
The following options are in the Open File Options window
(File>Open).

IGES Options

File Operations
Create Section Data
If Create Section Data is on, degree 1 curves are imported
as section data (see the NURBS Modeling book).

Group
Determines how files stored in IGES file format are
retrieved. When ON, objects are retrieved as a single group
for easier manipulation.

Annotation
Enables (ON) or disables (OFF) the processing of
supported IGES entities that have been flagged for use as
annotation.

Coalesce Params
Enables (ON) or disables (OFF) multiple knot removal in
curve or surface geometry that is read from IGES files
containing parametric spline curves or surfaces.
The default is OFF.

Importing Operations
23
File Import Options
 Default Trim Curves
Specifies the trim curves that the processor will use. You
can select parameter space curves, model space curves, or
use the flag that is present in the.IGES file. If for any
reason the trimming fails, the translator will try and trim
with the alternative curves.

See the description on Scale Factor

Trimmed Surface Optimization Changes the size of models stored in IGES file format
on page 17 for more
information. when you retrieve the file.

Level Mapping
Determines how the level (layer) information associated
with an IGES entity is mapped to Alias Set and Alias
Layer information.

Level Mapping Options

Specifies the IGES level. The following table provides
more information, and compares the levels to Alias layers.

Layer IGES Level (Layer) Alias Layer

Set IGES Level (Layer) Alias Set
IGES 406 form 1, Property Alias Multi-
entity (Definition Levels) set
Layer and IGES Level (Layer) Alias Layer
Set IGES Level (Layer) Alias Set
IGES 406 form 1, Property Alias Multi-
entity (Definition Levels) set
None IGES Level (Layer) ignored
IGES 406 form 1, Property ignored
entity (Definition Levels)

Trimmed Surface Optimization Options

See Trimmed Surface Optimization on page 17.

Discrepancy in the Tolerances

If the linear units and tolerances stored in the STEP/IGES/
VDAIS/C4X/JAMA-IS files will be different from ones used
in the current Alias session, the user is notified with a warning

Importing Operations
24
File Import Options
window as follows based on the discrepancy in tolerance
values.

File Operations
Both the current Alias Curve Fit Distance and the IGES
Tolerance (called Minimum User-Intended Resolution (GP19)
are shown in the current Alias linear units.

It is important to keep in mind that if you change the current

Alias Curve Fit Distance to a smaller value, then geometry
existing in the Alias model before the import, must be rebuilt
to the new smaller tolerances. Otherwise, on re-export, this
geometry will not conform to the new tolerance and you may
later have problems with the geometry.
● If you select Yes, the current Alias Curve Fit Distance, as
well as the Trim Curve Fit and the Polyset Vertex
tolerances are changed based on the tolerance value stored
in the imported file.
● If you select No, the Alias tolerances are not changed.

C4 Options

Importing Operations
25
File Import Options
 Group
Determines how files stored in C4 file format are retrieved.
When ON, objects are retrieved as a single group for easier
manipulation.

Annotation
Enables (ON) or disables (OFF) the processing of
supported C4 entities that have been flagged for use as
annotation.

Default Trim Curves

Selects the trim curves that the processor will use. You can
select parameter space curves, model space curves, or use
the flag that is present in the.VDAIS file. If for any reason
the trimming fails, the translator will try to trim with the
alternative curves.

Scale Factor
Changes the size of models stored in C4 file format as you
retrieve the file.

Trimmed Surface Optimization Options

See Trimmed Surface Optimization on page 17.

JAMA-IS Options

Group
Determines how files stored in JAMA-IS file format are
retrieved. When ON, objects are retrieved as a single
group for easier manipulation.

Annotation
Enables (ON) or disables (OFF) the processing of
supported JAMA-IS entities that have been flagged for use
as annotation.

Importing Operations
26
File Import Options
 Coalesce Params
Enables (ON) or disables (OFF) multiple knot removal in
curve or surface geometry read from JAMA-IS files
containing parametric spline curves or surfaces. The
default is OFF.

If for any reason the Default Trim Curves

File Operations
trimming fails, the translator Lets you specify the trim curves the processor will use.
will try to trim with the
alternative curves. You can select parameter space curves, model space
curves, or use the flag that is present in the.JAMA-IS file.

Scale Factor
Changes the size of models stored in JAMA-IS file format
while you retrieve the file.

Level Mapping
Determines how the level (layer) information associated
with an JAMA-IS entity is mapped to Alias Set and Alias
Layer information.

Trimmed Surface Optimization Options

See Trimmed Surface Optimization on page 17.

VDAIS File Format

Group
Determines how files stored in VDAIS file format will be
retrieved. When ON, objects are retrieved as a single group
for easier manipulation.

Annotation
Enables (ON) or disables (OFF) the processing of
supported VDAIS entities that have been flagged for use as
annotation.

Importing Operations
27
File Import Options
 Coalesce Params
Enables (ON) or disables (OFF) multiple knot removal in
curve or surface geometry read from VDAIS files
containing parametric spline curves or surfaces.
The default is OFF.

If for any reason the Default Trim Curves

trimming fails, the translator Selects the trim curves that the processor will use. You can
will try to trim with the
alternative curves. select parameter space curves, model space curves, or use
the flag that is present in the.VDAIS file.

Scale Factor
Changes the size of models stored in VDAIS file formats
as you retrieve the file.

Level Mapping
Determines how the level (layer) information associated
with an VDAIS entity is mapped to Alias Set and Alias
Layer information.

Trimmed Surface Optimization Options

See Trimmed Surface Optimization on page 17.

VDAFS Options

Items in VDAFS files that were grouped using BEGINSET/

ENDSET are grouped in a hierarchy in Alias after retrieval.
Entity names are preserved.

Group
Determines how files stored in VDAFS file format are
retrieved. When ON, objects are retrieved as a single group
for easier manipulation.

Importing Operations
28
File Import Options
Coalesce Params
Enables (when ON) or disables multiple knot removal in
curve or surface geometry read from VDAFS files
containing parametric spline curves or surfaces. The
default is OFF.

Map Groups as Layers

File Operations
When ON, VDAFS groups are mapped to Alias Layers. All
items in the group are assigned to the created layer. The
name of the group becomes the name of the layer.

Default Trim Curves

Selects the curves that the processor will use to trim
surfaces. You can select parameter space or model space
curves. If for any reason the trimming fails, the translator
will try to trim with the alternative curves.

Scale Factor
Changes the size of models stored in VDAFS file format
when you retrieve the file.

DES Options

Create Section Data

If Create Section Data is on, curves are imported as section
data (see the NURBS Modeling book) converting the
linear segments to section data entities within Studio.

Group
Determines how files stored in DES file format are
retrieved. When ON, objects are retrieved as a single
group for easier manipulation.

Importing Operations
29
File Import Options
 Scale Factor
Changes the size of models stored in DES file formats as
you retrieve the file.

STEP Format

STEP File Format

ISO10303 is a standard for exchange of product information.

The standard is organized into a set of Application Protocols
(AP). There are 2 APs that are supported in this release:
ISO10303-203 (Configuration Controlled Design) conformance
classes 1-4, and ISO10303-214 (Core Data for Automotive
Mechanical Design Process) conformance classes 1-2. The
import and export of this data is supported via ISO10303-21
Physical file exchange.

Application Protocol Support

The geometric descriptions contained within ISO10303-203

and ISO10303-214 are identical and comprises the core of the
implementation of the translator.

The following table shows the mappings made by Alias.

STEP Entity Alias Entity

Cartesian Point Point

Line B-spline Curve
Circle B-spline Curve
Ellipse B-spline Curve
Parabola B-spline Curve
Hyperbola B-spline Curve
PolyLine B-spline Curve
Composite Curve B-spline Curve (Grouped)
Trimmed Curve B-spline Curve
B-spline Curve B-spline Curve
Plane B-spline Surface

Importing Operations
30
File Import Options
STEP Entity Alias Entity

Cylindrical Surface B-spline Surface

Conical Surface B-spline Surface
Spherical Surface B-spline Surface

File Operations
Toroidal Surface B-spline Surface
Surface of Linear Extrusion B-spline Surface
Surface of Revolution B-spline Surface
B-spline Surface B-spline Surface
Rectangular Trimmed Trimmed Surface
Surface
Curve Bounded Surface Trimmed Surface
Offset Surface B-spline Surface
Manifold Solid Brep Shell (Closed)
Shell Based Surface Model Shell (Open/Closed)

STEP Logfile

When retrieval is finished without errors, the following

message is displayed:
STEP files retrieved successfully.

If there are errors in the retrieval, this message is displayed:

Problem Reading Step File, refer to log file and/or
errlog for details.

The Alias errlog file and STEP logfile contain a specific error
message for each problem entity that is encountered, along
with the entity’s STEP ID and type.

Select File > Show > View errlog to view these messages.

STEP Options

Importing Operations
31
File Import Options
 Auto Stitch
If ON and the model in the STEP file is a brep or surface
shell, then the model will be imported stitched. If OFF, the
model is imported as a group of surfaces.

CATIA Options

View File Info

If ON and the model is a.CAI file, then the model will be
imported with the capacity to view the file information. If
OFF, the model is imported without the ability to view the
file information.

Browse Log File

If ON and the model is a.CAI file, then the model will be
imported with the capacity to browse the log file. If OFF,
the model is imported without the ability to browse the
log file.

Extended Log File

If ON and the model is a.CAI file, then the model will be
imported with the capacity to view the extended log file. If
OFF, the model is imported without the ability to view the
extended log file.

Pro/E Render Options

Importing Operations
32
File Import Options
Pro/Engineer Render Format files can be imported into Alias.
The translator converts the triangle data of the Pro/E Render
format into Alias Polysets. It is important that the Pro/E
designer assign each part of an assembly a different color, so
that each part will become a separate Polyset in Alias. The
colors are also translated into simple Alias shaders and these
shaders are assigned to the appropriate objects.

File Operations
Group
Determines how files stored in the Pro/E Render file format
are retrieved. When ON, objects are retrieved as a single
group for easier manipulation.

Input Units
If the units of the Pro/E Render coordinate data is known, it
can be set using one of the options in this popup menu so
that the data is properly converted to the linear units set in
Alias. The default is INCHES.

Scale Factor
Changes the size of models stored in the Pro/E Render file
format as you retrieve the file.

Keep Normals
Vertex normals in Pro/E Render files all point towards the
inside of objects. For rendering purposes in Alias, these
normals must point towards the outside of objects.
Consequently, the translator flips all vertex normals
during the translation.
The vertex normals of polysets are usually recalculated by
the Alias renderer before it renders polysets. By default,
the normals assigned to vertices in the Pro/E Render file are
“frozen” so that they are used by the renderer rather than
discarded and recalculated. This allows the renderer to
produce a better quality rendering.
To suppress this behavior, set Keep Normals OFF so that the
renderer will discard the Pro/E assigned normals and
recalculate them.
Warning: If vertex normals are retrieved, they are
considered “frozen” and they cannot be changed, so
vertex level editing, such as moving one vertex in relation
to its neighbors, may invalidate the vertex normal since it
will not be updated, and subsequent renderings will not
be correct.

Importing Operations
33
File Import Options
 Object level editing, such as translation, rotation,
proportional scaling, and deleting entire polysets are still
valid operations on frozen normals.

Merge Vertices
By default, the translator may merge the vertices of
triangles along apparent shared edges. If two vertices
have the same x,y,z position within a tolerance and have
the same normal within angular tolerance, they are
merged into one vertex. This allows Alias to do smooth
shading across the edges. If two vertices have the same
x,y,z position, but have different normals, then these
vertices are not merged to maintain the hard edge.
If set to OFF, no vertex merging occurs and all edges are
rendered “hard”.
If set to ON, the POSITION/NORMAL menu becomes
available.

POSITION/NORMAL
Determines how vertices and normals are merged.

List Item Description

POSITION + NORMAL vertices and normals are merged

based on their x, y, z position.
POSITION vertices only are merged based
on their x, y, z position. Normals
are not merged.

Position Tol. (units)

The tolerance used for comparing vertex positions can be
specified using the Input Units option selected. The value
specified is in the same units as the data. For example, if
you specified 0.01 MILLIMETERS from the Input Units menu,
the tolerance for comparing vertex positions is 0.01
millimeters.
Note that if you change the units from the default inches,
then the default tolerance of 0.0001 may have to be
changed to make sense for the units specified.

Importing Operations
34
File Import Options
Normal Tol. (degrees)
The tolerance used for normal comparisons can be
specified in degrees and is the angle between the normals
of two vertices. The default is that two vertices will be
merged if their positions are equal within tolerance and
the angle between the normals is less than 1 degree.

File Operations
Inventor Options (Available on IRIX only)

Optimize ON/OFF
Optimizes the inventor file for improved retrieval and
model performance within Alias. If model structure is
important, switch this option OFF.

Group
Determines how files stored in Inventor file format are
retrieved. When ON, objects are retrieved as a single group
for easier manipulation.

Scale Factor
Changes the size of models stored in Inventor file format as
you retrieve the file.

Importing Operations
35
File Import Options
 Importing Operations
36
File Import Options
 File Operations
3 Exporting Operations
In this Section:

Exporting Alias Files to CAD Formats ...........................................38

Save Options....................................................................................39

Exporting Operations
37
 Exporting Alias Files to CAD
Formats
For more information on The File > Save and File > Save as choices let you store Alias
using the File > Save and wireframe scene information to a selected disk file either in the
File > Save as choices, see default Alias Wire format, or in another supported format.
the Basic Tools book.
To store wireframe scene information in a different format
from the default Alias Wire file format:
1 Select File > Save as-❐. The Save All Options window
appears.

The selections available 2 Click on the button next to the File Format field. A menu
depend on the Alias options appears listing the formats available to you.
you have purchased.
See the following summary to find out where to access
information on the various CAD options.

3 When you enter suitable values, click the Save button at

the bottom of the Save Options window.

Definitions
The following terms are used throughout this section:

High Degree

Curves or surfaces that are higher than degree 3 in either

parametric direction. Such objects may exist as a result of data
transfer from other systems.

Non- rational

Curves or surfaces on which the weight of all CVs are equal to

a weight value of 1.

Rational

Curves or surfaces on which some CVs have weight values

less than or greater than 1.

Exporting Operations
38
Exporting Alias Files to CAD Formats
Save Options

File Format For more information...

File Operations
CATIA CATIA Options on page 32
C4 C4 Options on page 50
DES DES Options on page 49
DXF Basic Tools in Alias
Filter Basic Tools in Alias
IGES IGES Options on page 41
Inventor INVENTOR Options (Available on IRIX
only) on page 52
PRO/E Render PRO/E Render (Available on Windows NT
only) on page 53
JAMA-IS JAMA-IS Options on page 52
OBJ Basic Tools in Alias
STEP STEP Options on page 40
Unigraphics Unigraphics Data Transfer on page 177
VDAIS VDAIS Options on page 46
VDAFS VDAFS Options on page 44
Wire Basic Tools in Alias

Notes
● Purchasable options include:
◆ The DES, VDAIS, VDAFS file formats are available in
SurfaceStudio and AutoStudio and are purchasable
options for other Alias products.
◆ The IGES and JAMA-IS file formats are available in
SurfaceStudio and AutoStudio and are purchasable
options for other Alias products.
◆ The C4 and CATIA file formats are purchasable
options.

Exporting Operations
39
Save Options
 STEP Options
ISO10303 is a standard for exchange of product information.
The standard is organized into a set of Application Protocols
(AP). There are 2 APs that are supported in this release these
being ISO10303-203 (Configuration Controlled Design)
conformance classes 1-4, and ISO10303-214 (Core Data for
Automotive Mechanical Design Process) conformance classes
1-2. The import and export of this data is supported via
ISO10303-21 Physical file exchange.

Application Protocol
Select either AP214 or AP203 to output the desired STEP
file. The default is AP214.

Model Type
The user can save the model and all the geometry in an
Alias Stage, into a STEP product. This is performed by
choosing the Hybrid Models option (the default).
If, because of contractual or system limitations on the
receiving side, a Hybrid model cannot be used, you can
select single model representations, as explained in the
following table.

Any Alias Geometry Hybrid Models

Alias Shells (Closed) G5 BREP Solids

Alias Shells (Closed/Open) G3 Manifold Shells
Alias Surface G2 Wireframe Models
Alias Curves G2 Wireframe Models

Note that there is an inherent loss of information

outputting an Alias Shell as a wireframe. Also note that if
the Alias model is a set of trimmed surfaces; the model
cannot be output as a BREP Solid.

Exporting Operations
40
Save Options
 Trim Curves
Valid when outputting Hybrid Models and G2 Surface
Models, this option allows you to output either 2D or 3D
trimming curves.
The default is Parameter Space Trimming.

File Operations
STEP Header Information
Allows you to attach configuration data to your STEP file.

IGES Options
IGES (Initial Graphics When storing an IGES file, the following options are available:
Exchange Specification) is a
data exchange format
between CAD/CAM
systems.

For more information on Tips

IGES see page 49
● The IGES By Vendor and IGES File Header Information
options are not displayed in this diagram, but are also
available for IGES file formats. See Common File Format
Descriptions page 44 for more information on the By Vendor
and File Header Information options.
● Spline Type, Output Style, Surface Type, and Rebuild Geometry
are automatically set to the appropriate values when you
select a specific vendor from the vendor list. See the
description of the By Vendor window for more information.

Exporting Operations
41
Save Options
 To temporarily override any or all three settings for a
vendor, select the vendor first and then set the options. See
Common File Format Descriptions page 44 for more
information on the By Vendor window.

Spline Type
Determines the types of curves and surfaces to be created
in the IGES file: either B-spline or parametric.
◆ If you select B-SPLINE, curves are written as NURBS
curves (entity 126) and surfaces as NURBS surfaces
(entity 128).
◆ If you select PARAMETRIC, curves are written as
parametric curves (entity 112) and surfaces as
parametric surfaces (entity 114). The default is B-
SPLINE.
Note that the PARAMETRIC options for IGES do not
support high degree or rational geometry. When using
this option, any high degree and/or rational geometry
is automatically rebuilt to be at most cubic and non-
rational.

Output Style
Lets you preserve surfaces or convert them to curves for
some drafting packages. If you choose CONVERT TO
CURVES to convert surfaces to curves and have set the
patch precision to a number greater than the default, all
isoparms are stored in the file. The default is PRESERVE
SURFACES.

Surface Type
Determines whether trimmed surfaces are written as
trimmed or bounded. The default is TRIMMED SURFACES.
◆ If you select TRIMMED SURFACES, trimmed surfaces
are written as trimmed surface entities (entity 144)
and trim curves are written as curve on surface
entities (entity 142) in the IGES file.
◆ If you select BOUNDED SURFACES, trimmed surfaces
are written as bounded surface entities (entity 143)
and trim curves as boundary entities (entity 141) in
the IGES file.

Exporting Operations
42
Save Options
Level Mapping
Determines whether Alias layer or set information is
exported as IGES Level information and can be recognized
by each IGES entity.
◆ If you select LAYERS, Alias Layers Number information
is exported. Alias SET information is ignored (that is,

File Operations
it is not exported).
◆ If you select SET, Alias Set information is exported.
Alias Multi-sets information are exported as IGES (type
406, form 1) Property entity definition levels. Alias
Layer information is ignored (that is, it is not
exported).

Include Comments
Determines whether or not comments entered in the Edit
File Comments section (found in the IGES File Header
Information window) are included in the exported file. The
default is OFF.
See File Header Information page 46 for details.

Rebuild Geometry
Modifies your models so that all curves and surfaces are
compatible with CAD systems or neutral file formats that
cannot fully support NURBS geometry by:
◆ reducing high degree curves and surfaces to degree 3
◆ making non rational curves and surfaces where
rational ones existed before
When set OFF (the default), the degree of the resulting
curve on surface does not change, nor do the weights on
the CVs.
When set ON, the resulting curve or surface is forced to be
at most degree three, with the weight of all CVs equal to a
value of 1.
For example, if your model contains curves or surfaces
that are rational (with some weights that are not equal to
1.0) or high degree (higher than cubic or bi-cubic), then it
is sampled at a number of checkpoints and the data is fit
with a cubic or bi-cubic, non-rational curve or surface.
Knots are inserted until the fit is within the specified
tolerance.

Exporting Operations
43
Save Options
 Scale Factor
Lets you save the wire model at a scale other than it was
constructed. 1.0 is the default value.

Significant Digits
The number of significant digits for coordinate data in the
exported file can be specified in this field. The minimum
number is 1 and the maximum number is 15.

Output Units
Lets you choose any of the data unit types supported by
the IGES standard, including miles, feet, inches, mils,
microinches, kilometers, meters, centimeters, millimeters,
and microns. The exported coordinate data is converted
from the current linear units set in Alias to the units
selected here.
An additional choice is available called MODEL, which
keeps the output units in the exported file the same as the
linear units in Alias.

Filename Extension
Some receiving systems require that CAD files have a
specific filename extension before they can be recognized.
The filename extension specified here is automatically
appended to the filename of the exported file. The default
is.iges.

IGES Version
Use the items in this menu to set the IGES version number
in the exported IGES file to 5.0 for systems that require it.
The default is IGES version 5.0 or 5.3.

VDAFS Options
Alias supports VDAFS version 2.0.

Exporting Operations
44
Save Options
Note The VDAFS File Header Information options are not
displayed in this diagram, but are also available for VDAFS
file formats. See Common File Format Descriptions page 44 for
more information on these options.

File Operations
Include Comments
Determines whether or not comments entered in the Edit
File Comments section (found in the VDAFS File Header
Information window) are included in the exported file. The
default is OFF. See File Header Information for details.

Export Layers
Determines whether or not Alias Layers map to VDAFS
groups. The Alias Layer Number is mapped to the group
name. The default is OFF.
For example, a layer number of 1 would map to a group
name of Layer 001.

Rebuild Geometry
Modifies your models so that all curves and surfaces are
compatible with CAD systems or neutral file formats that
cannot fully support NURBS geometry by:
◆ reducing high degree curves and surfaces to degree 3
◆ making non rational curves and surfaces where
rational ones existed before
When Rebuild Surface is set ON, the resulting curve or
surface is forced to be at most degree three, with the
weight of all CVs equal to a value of 1.
For example, if your model contains curves or surfaces
that are rational (with some weights that are not equal to
1.0) or high degree (higher than cubic or bi-cubic), then it
is sampled at a number of checkpoints and the data is fit
with a cubic or bi-cubic, non-rational curve or surface.
Knots are inserted until the fit is within the specified
tolerance.

Note When Rebuild Geometry is set OFF, rational geometry is

automatically rebuilt to be non-rational because the VDAFS
format supports high degree geometry but not rational
geometry.

Exporting Operations
45
Save Options
 Scale Factor
Lets you save the wire model at a scale other than it was
constructed. 1.0 is the default value.

Filename Extension
Some receiving systems require that CAD files have a
specific filename extension before they can be recognized.
The filename extension specified here is automatically
appended to the filename of the exported file.
The default is .vda.

Note There is no Output Units option for VDAFS because

coordinate data exported to VDAFS files is always in
millimeters, regardless of the linear units set in Alias. This is
a requirement of the VDAFS standard.

VDAIS Options
VDAIS format is a subset of
the IGES standard.

Note The VDAIS By Vendor and VDAIS File Header Information

options are not displayed in this diagram, but are also
available for VDAIS file formats. See Common File Format
Descriptions page 44 for more information on these options.

Exporting Operations
46
Save Options
Tip Spline Type, Output Style, Surface Type and Rebuild
Geometry are automatically set to the appropriate values
when you select a specific vendor from the vendor list. See
Common File Format Descriptions page 44 for more
information on the By Vendor window.

File Operations
Spline Type
Lets you choose between B-spline or parametric forms of
curves and surfaces to be created in the VDAIS file.
◆ For B-SPLINE, curves are written as NURBS curves
(entity 126) in VDAIS and surfaces as NURBS surfaces
(entity 128). This is the default.
◆ For PARAMETRIC, curves are written as parametric
curves (entity 112) and surfaces as parametric surfaces
(entity 114).

The PARAMETRIC option does not support high degree or

rational geometry. When using this option, any high
degree and/or rational geometry is automatically rebuilt
to be, at most, cubic and non-rational.

Output Style
Converts surfaces to curves for some drafting packages. If
you choose to convert surfaces to curves and have set the
patch precision to a number greater than the default, all
isoparms are stored in the file.
The default is PRESERVE SURFACES.

Surface Type
Determines whether trimmed surfaces are written as
trimmed or bounded. The default is TRIMMED SURFACES.
For TRIMMED SURFACES, trimmed surfaces in the modeler
are written as trimmed surface entities (entity 144) and
(trim) surface curves are written as curve on surface
entities (entity 142) in the VDAIS file.

Level Mapping
Determines the type of Alias information exported as
VDAIS Level information.

Exporting Operations
47
Save Options
 For LAYER, Alias Layer number information associated to
each entity is exported as IGES Level information in the
Directory Entry of this VDAIS entity in (field number 5).
In this case, Alias SET information is ignored and not
exported to VDAIS.
For SET, Alias Set information is exported as IGES Level
information. If an Alias Set is given a name of the form
LEVEL<n>, where <n> is an IGES level number and
greater than 0, then the corresponding VDAIS entity for
each member of the Alias Set is assigned to level<n> in the
VDAIS file.
For example, the VDAIS entities corresponding to each
member of the set LEVEL42 are assigned to level 42 in the
VDAIS file. Alias Multi-sets information is exported as
VDAIS (type 406, form 1) Property entity definition levels.
If an Alias object is a member of several multi-sets that
conform to this naming convention, then the VDAIS file
contains a Property Entity 406 form 1 (Definition Levels)
listing the VDAIS levels to which the corresponding entity
belongs. In this case, Alias Layer information is ignored
and not exported to VDAIS.

Include Comments
Determines whether or not comments entered in the Edit
File Comments section (found in the VDAIS File Header
Information window) are included in the exported file. The
default is OFF. See File Header Information page 46 for
details.

Rebuild Geometry
When set OFF (the default), the degree of the resulting
surface and the weights on the CVs do not change.
When set ON, models are updated so that all curves and
surfaces are compatible with CAD systems or neutral file
formats that cannot fully support NURBS geometry by:
◆ Reducing high degree curves and surfaces to degree 3.
◆ Making non rational curves and surfaces where
rational ones existed before.

The resulting curve or surface is forced to be at most

degree 3, with the weight of all CVs equal to a value of 1.0.

Exporting Operations
48
Save Options
 For example, if your model contains curves or surfaces
that are rational (with some weights that are not equal to
1.0) or high degree (higher than cubic or bi-cubic), then it
is sampled at a number of checkpoints and the data is fit
with a cubic or bi-cubic, non-rational curve or surface.
Knots are inserted until the fit is within the specified
tolerance.

File Operations
Scale Factor
Lets you save the wire model at a scale other than it was
constructed. 1.0 is the default value.

Significant Digits
Lets you specify the number of significant digits for
coordinate data in the exported file. The minimum
number is 1 and the maximum number is 15.

Filename Extension
Some receiving systems require that CAD files have a
specific filename extension before they can be recognized.
This filename extension specified is automatically
appended to the filename of the exported file. The default
is.iges.

Note There is no Output Units option for VDAIS because

coordinate data exported to VDAIS files are always in
millimeters, regardless of the linear units set in Alias. This is
a requirement of the VDAIS standard.

DES Options

Output Units
Lets you store a DES file with either METRIC or
IMPERIAL (miles, feet, inches) units of measure.

Exporting Operations
49
Save Options
 Scale Factor
Lets you save the wire model at a scale other than the scale
at which it was constructed. The default is 1.0.

Filename Extension
Some receiving systems require that CAD files have a
specific filename extension before they can be recognized.
This filename extension specified is automatically
appended to the filename of the exported file. The default
is .des.

C4 Options

Note The C4 File Header Information options are available for C4

file formats. See Common File Format Descriptions page 44 for
more information.

Output Style
Choose to preserve surfaces or (depending on your
drafting packages) convert them to curves.
If you choose to convert surfaces to curves and have set
the patch precision to a number greater than the default,
all isoparms are stored in the file.
The default is PRESERVE SURFACES.

Exporting Operations
50
Save Options
Include Comments
Determines whether or not comments entered in the Edit
File Comments section (found in the C4 File Header
Information window) are included in the exported file. The
default is OFF. See File Header Information page 46 for
details.

File Operations
Rebuild Geometry
When set OFF (default is OFF) the degree of the resulting
surface and the weights on the CVs do not change.
When set ON, your models are modified so that all curves
and surfaces are compatible with CAD systems or neutral
file formats that cannot fully support NURBS and/or high
degree geometry by:
◆ Reducing high degree curves and surfaces to degree 3.
◆ Making non rational curves and surfaces where
rational ones existed before.
When set ON, the resulting curve or surface is forced to be
at most degree 3, with the weight of all control vertices
equal to a value of 1.0.
For example, if your model contains curves or surfaces
that are rational (with some weights that are not equal to
1.0) or high degree (higher than cubic or bi-cubic), then it
is sampled at a number of checkpoints and the data is fit
with a cubic or bi-cubic, non-rational curve or surface.
Knots are inserted until the fit is within the specified
tolerance.

Scale Factor
Lets you save the wire model at a scale other than it was
constructed. 1.0 is the default value.

Significant Digits
The number of significant digits for coordinate data in the
exported file can be specified in this field. The minimum
number is 1 and the maximum number is 15.

Output Units
Lets you choose either millimeters or inches as the data
units used for exported coordinate data. The exported
coordinate data is converted from the current linear units
set in Alias to the selected units. MILLIMETERS is the
default.

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Save Options
 The C4 standard allows only inches and millimeters, so
these are the only two choices available.

Note The C4 standard requires the file extension of a C4

conforming file to be .c4x. This file extension is
automatically appended to the filename of the exported file

JAMA-IS Options

See IGES Options on page 41 for details on the JAMA-IS

options.

For details on the JAMA-IS File Header Information, see File

Header Information (IGES, VDAFS, VDAIS, C4, JAMA-IS) on
page 56.

INVENTOR Options (Available on IRIX only)

Output Units
Click to the right of the heading to display the menu from
which you can choose any of the data unit types
supported by the INVENTOR standard. These include

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Save Options
 miles, feet, inches, mils, microinches, kilometers, meters,
centimeters, millimeters, and microns. METERS is the
default.
The exported coordinate data is converted from the
current linear units set in Alias to the selected units.

File Operations
Scale Factor
Changes the size of models stored in Inventor file format as
you save the file.

PRO/E Render (Available on Windows NT only)

Option

Common File Format Descriptions

By Vendor Window (IGES and VDAIS)

To choose the specific software product to which you are

transferring your model, first choose the file format (either

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53
Save Options
 IGES or VDAIS), then click and hold on the arrow beside
“format” By Vendor. The By Vendor window is displayed.

When you choose a specific vendor, your output file is

customized to optimize data exchange for the target system.
The data exchange parameters (output environment variables)
are modified. The active vendor is highlighted.

WARNING:
If you create in StudioTools a surface of revolution with
negative angle sweep (the starting angle or/and angle
negative) this surface of revolution will be exported to
IGES format as a Rational B-Spline Surface (IGES entity
type 128) or a Parametric Spline Surface (IGES entity type
144) based on the value of the IGES Spline Type Option
and not an IGES Suface of Revoultion (IGES entity type
120).

You can also change the values of the environment variables

for a specific vendor by bringing up the $ALIAS_LOCATION/
IGES.config directory and editing the desired ASCII file.

The following shows an example of a vendor file.

Vendor Configuration File # AutoCAD Release 12

# 0-1 polyline or b-spline trim curve output.
setenv IGES_OUT_BS_TRIM 0
# 0-1 polyline or parametric trim curve output.
setenv IGES_OUT_PAR_TRIM 0
# 1-15 the number of digits of precision.
setenv IGES_OUT_PRECISION 10
# 0-999 surface patch limit.
setenv IGES_OUT_MAX_SPANS 0

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Save Options
# 0-999 trimmed surface patch limit.
setenv IGES_OUT_MAX_TRIM 0
# 0-2 For Trimmed Parametric Surface (144/142) output:
# 0 = output both model space and 2D parametric trim curves.
# 1 = output 2D parametric trim curves only.
# 2 = output model space trim curves only.
setenv IGES_OUT_2D_TRIM 0

File Operations
# 0-1 For Bounded Surface (143/141) output:
# 0 = output model space curves only.
# 1 = output both model space and 2D parametric trim curves.
setenv IGES_OUT_2D_BOUNDARY 1
# 0-1 convert splines to polygonal geometry.
setenv IGES_OUT_POLY 1
# 0-1 output all surfaces as trimmed surfaces.
setenv IGES_OUT_SURF_AS_TRIM 0
# 0-1 output Alias instances as duplicated and transformed geometry.
setenv IGES_OUT_INSTANCE_COPIES 1
# 0-1 Spline entity type:
# 0 = Rational B-Spline Curve/Surface (126/128).
# 1 = Parametric Spline Curve/Surface (112/114).
setenv IGES_OUT_SPLINE_TYPE 1
# 0-1 Output multi-span linear spline curve (polyline) as:
# 0 = Copious Data (106).
# 1 = Rational B-Spline curve (126) or Parametric Spline curve (112).
setenv IGES_OUT_POLYLINE_TYPE 0
# 0-1 Surface output style: 0 (PRESERVE SURFACES) or 1 (CONVERT TO CURVES).
setenv IGES_OUT_OUTPUT_STYLE 0
# 0-1 Trimmed surface entity type:
# 0 = output Trimmed Parametric Surface (144).
# 1 = output Bounded Surface (143).
setenv IGES_OUT_SURFACE_TYPE 0
# 0-1 Rebuild Geometry option: 0 (OFF) or 1 (ON).
setenv IGES_OUT_REBUILD_GEOMETRY 0
# 0-1 Output montone 2D trim curves: 0 (OFF) or 1 (ON).
setenv IGES_OUT_MONOTONE_2D_TRIM 0
# 0-1 Degree raise all 2D trim curves to cubic (1) or not (0).
setenv IGES_OUT_CUBIC_2D_TRIM 0
# 0-1 Output linear 2D trim curves that lie on surface boundaries as:
# 0 = Line Entity (110).
# 1 = Rational B-Spline curve (126) or Parametric Spline curve (112).
setenv IGES_OUT_LINEAR_2D_TRIM 0
# 0-3 Preferred Curve on Surface representation (PREF flag of IGES entity 142):
# (0 = Unspecified; 1 = S o B (2D); 2 = C (3D); 3 = 2D and 3D are equally
# preferred).
setenv IGES_OUT_CONS_PREF 1
# 0-1 Output Analytic IGES entities if possible. These entities include
# Circular Arc Entity 100, Conic Arc Entity 104,Unbounded Plane Entity 108,
# Line Entity 110, Surface of Revolution Entity 120, Transformation Matrix
# Entity 124.
# (0 = OFF; 1 = ON)

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Save Options
setenv IGES_OUT_ANALYTICS 1
# 0-3 Output degenerate model space trim curves.
# (0 = None; 1 = Poles only; 2 = Seams only; 3 Poles and Seams).
setenv IGES_OUT_DEGEN_TRIM 2
# 6 or 8 IGES Version to output.
# (6 = IGES V4.0; 11 = IGES V5.3) No other values are supported.
setenv IGES_OUT_VERSION 8
# Output Units.
# 1 = INCHES 6 = METERS 11 = MICROINCHES
# 2 = MILLIMETERS 7 = KILOMETERS
# 3 = MODEL 8 = MILS
# 4 = FEET 9 = MICRONS
# 5 = MILES 10 = CENTIMETERS
#
# No other units supported.
# If set to 3 (i.e. MODEL) then the linear units set in the Alias Modeler
# will be used.
#
setenv IGES_OUT_UNITS 1
# File extension used for output file.
# First character of specified extension must be '.'.
setenv IGES_OUT_FILE_EXT .igs

You can create new vendor files or remove files (except the
default) and the By Vendor window is updated accordingly.

Note The system does not recognize a vendor file without an

appropriate header. Create a new vendor file by copying,
renaming, and modifying an existing one.
An appropriate header has the text “Vendor Configuration
File” followed by a number sign (#) and the vendor’s name.
It is important to note that the placement of the vendor’s
name must follow the space after the number sign (#) on the
first line.

File Header Information (IGES, VDAFS, VDAIS, C4, JAMA-

IS)

If you select the IGES, VDAFS, VDAIS, C4, or JAMA-IS file

formats, the Save Options window expands to display the
following:

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Save Options
 Edit File Header
When you click on this field, a File Header Information menu
is displayed with fields specific to the file format you’ve
chosen. Use these fields to communicate information
about the model being exported and the sender and
receiver of the data. This information is exported in the file
header of the file.

File Operations
These fields are optional.

IGES

C4

Exporting Operations
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Save Options
 VDAFS

VDAIS

JAMA-IS

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Save Options
 Edit File Comments
When you click in this field, an editor window is
displayed where you can type comments specific to the
file you are saving. This editor window can be specified in
the Editor Options section of the Alias Preferences window
(Preferences > User Options > Alias preferences).

File Operations
More about IGES

Storing Alias Faces as Trimmed Surfaces

Alias faces are stored as IGES trimmed or bounded surfaces

according to the Surface Type options you select. For a face to
be stored in IGES file format, the curves that comprise the face
must meet the following requirements:
● All curves must lie in the same plane.
● The curves cannot intersect or touch each other.

Alias will not store a face that is not planar. An error message
is displayed and that object is ignored. If a face contains curves
which intersect, the curves are output as separate IGES
trimmed or bounded surfaces.

If a face contains curves that are not all contained within an

!
outer curve, as in an exclamation point, the face is output as
separate IGES trimmed or bounded surfaces.

Alias Sets and IGES Levels

Alias set information is only exported in files for IGES, VDAIS,

or JAMA-IS, if the option Level Mapping is set to SET. If an Alias
set is given a name of the form of LEVEL<n>, where <n> is an
IGES level number (and greater than 0), then the
corresponding IGES entity for each member of the Alias set is
assigned to level<n> in the IGES file. For example, the IGES
entities corresponding to each member of the set LEVEL245 is
assigned to level 245 in the IGES file.

If an Alias object is a member of several multisets that conform

to this naming convention, then the IGES file contains a
Property Entity 406 form 1 (Definition Levels) listing the IGES
levels to which the corresponding entity belongs.

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Save Options
 ASCII IGES

IGES format files that are output by the translator contain a

fixed record length of 80 ASCII characters, followed by a
linefeed character. The IGES translator saves ASCII IGES
format files. Binary IGES files are not supported.

The Alias system supports a subset of version 5.0 IGES. The

following table shows how Alias entities are converted to
IGES entities.

Mapping of Alias Entities to IGES Entities

Note A transformation matrix is output for each simple closed

planar curve that doesn’t lie in the xy plane

Alias Entity Type Form Entity Name

arc 100 0 circular arc

line arc 102 0 composite curve
b-spline curve (conic) 104 1,2,3 conic arc
plane 108 0 plane
b-spline surface (exact revolve) 120 0 surface of revolution
polyline 106 12 copious data
106 63 simple closed planar curve
polyset (one polygon) 106 63 simple closed planar curve
124 0 transformation matrix
polyset (with more than one polygon) 106 63 simple closed planar curve
124 0 transformation matrix
402 7 associativity instance
single segment polyline 110 0 line
b-spline curve 112 0 parametric curve
b-spline surface 114 0 parametric surface
single control vertex 116 0 point
b-spline curve 126 0 b-spline curve
b-spline surface 128 0 b-spline surface

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Save Options
Alias Entity Type Form Entity Name

trim curve 141 0 boundary entity

trim curve 142 0 curve on surface
trimmed surface 143 0 bounded surface

File Operations
trimmed surface 144 0 trimmed surface
face 141 0 boundary entity
face 142 0 curve on surface
face 143 0 bounded surface
face 144 0 trimmed surface
group 402 7 associativity instance
multi sets 406 1 property-definition levels

IGES/VDAIS Output Environment Variables

This table summarizes IGES output environment variables.

More detailed descriptions follow.

Note that these environment variables can only be set from

within an IGES or VDAIS Vendor file.

Variable Default Range Description

IGES_OUT_BS_TRIM 0 0-1 Specifies copious data or b-spline trim

curve output.
IGES_OUT_PAR_TRIM 0 0-1 Specifies copious data or parametric
spline trim curve output.
IGES_OUT_PRECISION 12 1-15 Specifies the number of digits of
precision for double precision values.
IGES_OUT_MAX_SPANS 0 0-999 Reports surfaces exceeding this limit
for the number of patches.
IGES_OUT_MAX_TRIM 0 0-999 Reports trimmed surfaces exceeding
this limit for the number of patches.
IGES_OUT_2D_TRIM 0 0-2 Specifies the output of model space and
2D parametric trim curves for Trimmed
Surfaces (144/142).

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Variable Default Range Description

IGES_OUT_2D_BOUNDARY 1 0-1 Specifies the output of both model and

parameter space boundaries for
Bounded Surface output (143/141).
IGES_OUT_POLY 0 0-1 Specifies the conversion of splines to
polygonal geometry.
IGES_OUT_SURF_AS_TRIM 0 0-1 Specifies whether or not all surfaces are
output as trimmed surfaces
IGES_OUT_INSTANCE_COPI 1 0-1 Specifies whether or not Alias instances
ES are written out.
IGES_OUT_SPLINE_TYPE 0 0-1 Specifies output spline type
0 = B-spline (126/128)
1 = Parametric (112/114)
IGES_OUT_POLYLINE_TYPE 0 0-1 Specifies IGES entity type of multi-span
linear spline curve (polyline).
IGES_OUT_OUTPUT_STYLE 0 0-1 Specifies surface output style
0 = Preserve surfaces
1 = Convert to curves
IGES_OUT_SURFACE_TYPE 0 0-1 Specifies trimmed surface entity type:
0 = Trimmed surface (142/144)
1 = Bounded surface (141/143
IGES_OUT_REBUILD_GEOME 0 0-1 Specifies whether or not high degree or
TRY rational geometry is to be rebuilt to
degree 3 and non-rational
IGES_OUT_MONOTONE_2D_ 0 0-1 Specifies output of parameter space
TRIM trim curves in monotone increasing/
decreasing pieces.
IGES_OUT_CUBIC_2D_TRIM 0 0-1 Specifies the degree raising of
parameter space trim curves from
degree 1 and 2 to degree 3.
0=Do not Degree Raise
1=Degree Raise
IGES_OUT_LINEAR_2D_TRIM 0 0-1 Specifies IGES entity type to use for
linear parameter space trim curves the
lie on surface boundaries.
0=Line (110)
1=Rational Bspline (126) or Parametric
Spline (112)

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Save Options
Variable Default Range Description

IGES_OUT_CONS_PREF 1 0-3 Specifies the value of the “PREF” flag

to be used for IGES entity type 142
Curve on a Parametric Surface.
IGES_OUT_ANALYTICS 1 0-1 Enables the output of IGES analytic

File Operations
type entities (e.g. 100 Circular Arc).
IGES_OUT_DEGEN_TRIM 2 0-3 Enables removal of degenerate model
space trim curves.
IGES_OUT_VERSION 8 6,8,11 Specifies IGES version of output file.
IGES_OUT_UNITS 3 1-11 Specifies the units of measure to be
used in the output file.
1=IN, 2=MM, 3=MODEL, 4=FT,
5=MILES, 6=M, 7=KM, 8=MILS,
9=MICRONS, 10=CM,
11=MICROINCHES
IGES_OUT_FILE_EXT .iges .<ext> Specifies the file extension for the
output file.

IGES/VDAIS Output Environment Variables Definitions

IGES_OUT_BS_TRIM – Linear Trim Curve Output

When the Spline Type option is set to B-SPLINE, this
variable controls the type of IGES entity used for multi-
span linear (that is, polyline) trim curves.
When set to 1, linear trim curves are output as IGES entity
type 106 form 12 Copious Data. When set to 0, linear trim
curves are output as IGES entity type 126 Rational B-spline
Curves.

IGES_OUT_PAR_TRIM – Linear Trim Curve Output

When the Spline Type option is set to Parametric, this
variable controls the type of IGES entity used for multi-
span linear (that is, polyline) trim curves. When set to 1,
linear trim curves are output as IGES entity type 106 form
12 Copious Data. When set to 0, linear trim curves are
output as IGES entity type 114 Parametric Spline Curves.

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Save Options
 IGES_OUT_PRECISION - Double Precision Significant Digits
Changes the number of digits of double precision stored
in IGES or VDAIS files produced by Alias. The default is
12 digits of precision, but can be changed to any number
between 1 and 15.

IGES_OUT_2D_TRIM
Setting this variable to 1 specifies the output of 2D
parametric trim curves only. The default of 0 outputs both
2D and 3D trim curves. Setting this value to 2 specifies the
output of model space trim curves only.

IGES_OUT_2D_BOUNDARY
When set to 1, both 3D model space and 2D parametric
space boundary curves are output if the Surface Type
option has been set to BOUNDED SURFACE. When set to 0,
only model space boundary curves are saved in the IGES
or VDAIS file.

IGES_OUT_MAX_SPANS
This variable specifies the limit for the maximum number
of patches for a single surface. The number of patches in U
multiplied by the number of patches in V must be less
than or equal to the defined value n for any surface.
Surfaces that exceed this limit are stored, but reported in
the logfile in the following format:
WARNING! The object <object name> contains <n >
patches.
Maximum allowable patches is defined as <m >.
To keep surfaces within the patch limit, return to the
modeler, pick the entity by name and detach it to produce
an acceptable object. The default of 0 outputs no message.

IGES_OUT_MAX_TRIM
This variable specifies the limit for the maximum number
of trimmed patches for a single surface. The number of
patches in U multiplied by the number of patches in V
must be less than or equal to the defined value n for any
surface.
The surface is stored “as is” and a warning message
appears in the logfile.
WARNING! The trimmed object <object name>
contains <n > trimmed patches.

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Save Options
 Maximum allowable trimmed patches is defined as
<m >.
To solve this problem, return to the modeler, pick the
entity by name and detach it to produce an acceptable
object. The default 0 outputs no message.

File Operations
IGES_OUT_POLY
This variable produces polygon data from arbitrary
degree curves and surfaces for the IGES or VDAIS format.
When set to 1 and used in conjunction with the CONVERT
TO CURVES option:
◆ All curves and surface isoparms higher than degree 1
are converted to linear curves and output as IGES
entities 106, copious data form 12.
When set to 1 and used in conjunction with the PRESERVE
SURFACE option:
◆ All curves higher than degree 1 are converted to linear
curves and output as IGES entities 106, copious data
form 12.

See NURBS Modeling for a ◆ Surfaces higher than degree 1 are converted to linear
description of Object Edit > b-spline surfaces and output to IGES entities 128, b-
Patch precision. spline surface or 114 parametric surface. The linear
mesh is defined by the surface isoparms, and the
density of the mesh is controlled using Object Edit >
Patch precision.

IGES_OUT_SURF_AS_TRIM
Setting this variable to 1 causes all untrimmed surfaces to
be output as trimmed surfaces. The default of 0 produces
no change in surface output.

IGES_OUT_INSTANCE_COPIES
With the default of 1, Alias instances are output as
transformed copies of the geometry that they instance.
When set to 0, Alias instances are not stored.

IGES_OUT_SPLINE_TYPE
With the default of 0, Alias spline curves are output as
IGES entity 126 and all spline surfaces are output as IGES
entity 128. When set to 1, spline curves and surfaces are
output as IGES Parametric entities, 112 and 114
respectively. The value of this variable is reflected in the

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Save Options
 IGES or VDAIS Spline Type option. Setting
IGES_OUT_BS_TRIM=1 overrides this variable for trim
curves, and setting IGES_OUT_POLY=1 overrides this
variable for all curves.

IGES_OUT_POLYLINE_TYPE
With the default of 0, multi-span linear spline curves
(polylines) are output as copious data IGES entities (106),
and when set to 1, as IGES entity Rational B-spline curve
(126), or parametric spline curve (112), according to the
value of the IGES_OUT_SPLINE_TYPE or the IGES/VDAIS
Output Style option.

IGES_OUT_OUTPUT_STYLE
When set to 1, surfaces are converted to curves. With the
default of 0, surfaces are preserved in the IGES or VDAIS
file. The value of this variable is reflected in the IGES or
VDAIS Output Style option.

IGES_OUT_SURFACE_TYPE
With the default of 0, Alias trimmed surfaces are written
as IGES entity 144 and curves on surface are written as IGES
entity 142.
When set to 1, trimmed surfaces are written as IGES
Bounded Surface entities (143), and curves on surface are
written as IGES Boundary entities (141). The value of this
variable is reflected in the IGES or VDAIS Surface Type
option.

IGES_OUT_REBUILD_GEOMETRY
When set to 1, high degree or rational geometry is rebuilt
to be of degree 3 and non-rational.
With the default of 0, no rebuild is done. The value of this
variable is reflected in the IGES or VDAIS Rebuild Geometry
option.

IGES_OUT_MONOTONE_2D_TRIM
This variable controls the output of 2D parametric space
trim curves. When set to 1, 2D parametric space trim
curves are output in monotone increasing/decreasing
pieces. When set to 0, these trim curves are output whole.

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Save Options
 IGES_OUT_CUBIC_2D_TRIM
When set to 1, all 2D parametric space trim curves are
degree raised to cubic if necessary. When set to 0, these
trim curves may be of degree 1, 2 or 3.

IGES_OUT_LINEAR_2D_TRIM

File Operations
When set to 0, linear 2D parametric space trim curves that
lie on a natural surface boundary are output as IGES
entity type 110 Line. When set to 1, these curves are output
as linear b-splines in the form of IGES entity type 126
Rational B-Spline Curve, or IGES entity type 112
parametric spline curve, according to the value of the
IGES_OUT_SPLINE_TYPE or the IGES/VDAIS Spline Type
option.

IGES_OUT_CONS_PREF
Controls the value of the “PREF” flag (preferred
representation in sending system) of IGES entity type 142
Curve on a Parametric Surface. Some receiving systems
require a specific value for this field. The set of values for
this variable correspond to the valid range of values for
the “PREF” flag.
The values are: 0 = Unspecified; 1 = 2D parameter space
curve; 2 = Model Space Curve; 3 = Both 3D and 2D curves
equally preferred.

IGES_OUT_ANALYTICS
Controls the output of IGES analytic type entities: 100
Circular Arc, 104 Conic Arc, 102 unbounded, 108 Plane,
110 Line, and 120 Surface of Revolution.
When set to 1, lines, arcs, and unbounded line-arcs
constructed using some of the Curve functions, or lines,
arcs, and unbounded curves previously retrieved via
IGES, are output as IGES entity 110 Line, 100 Circular Arc,
124 transformation matrix, and 102 Composite Curve
respectively. Conic arcs previously retrieved via IGES and
represented in Alias as B-splines are output as IGES entity
104 Conic Arc if unmodified in Alias.

For more on Surfaces > Planes and surfaces of revolution previously retrieved via
Revolve, see NURBS IGES or created by using the Exact option in the Revolve
Modeling . Options box (Surfaces > Revolve-❐) and unmodified in
Alias, are output as IGES entity 108 unbounded Plane and
entity 120 Surface of Revolution, respectively.

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Save Options
 When set to 0, all lines, arcs, and unbounded line-arcs and
surfaces are output based on the Spline Type option setting.

IGES_OUT_DEGEN_TRIM
When set to 0, degenerate 3D model space trim curves
(that occur at the poles and seams of periodic geometry)
are removed from trim boundaries before these
boundaries are output to IGES or VDAIS.
When set to 1, degenerate 3D model space trim curves are
not removed (0=none, 1=poles, 2=seams, 3=poles and
seams).

IGES_OUT_VERSION
This variable controls the version of IGES used for the
output file. When set to “6,” the output file conforms to
IGES V4.0. When set to 8, the output file conforms to IGES
V5.0. When set to 11, the output file conforms to IGES v5.3.
No other versions of IGES are supported on output (this
parameter is not applicable for VDAIS). For VDAIS files,
this variable always has a value of 6.

IGES_OUT_UNITS
This variable controls the units of measure used for the
model in the output file.The valid ranges of values for
units are:

Value Unit Value Unit

1 Inches 7 Kilometers
2 Millimeters 8 Mils
3 Model 9 Microns
4 Feet 10 Centimeters
5 Miles 11 Microinches
6 Meters

No other units are supported. If set to 3, then the linear

units set in the Alias Modeler are used. For VDAIS
compatibility, this parameter is ignored since the units
must be millimeters.

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 IGES_OUT_FILE_EXT
This variable specifies what the file extension of the
output file will be. It can be set as anything valid for
UNIX, but the value must begin with a '.'. For example,
some systems require “.igs”. If the value is invalid or not
present, the default “.iges” is used.

File Operations
IGES/VDAIS/C4/JAMA-IS Logfile
The translator automatically creates a logfile using a user-
defined filename with a default filename extension.

When storing format files, the default filename extensions are

as follows:

For IGES:
.alias2iges (filename.alias2iges)

For VDAIS:
.alias2vdais (filename.alias2vdais)

For C4:
.alias2c4x (filename.alias2c4x)

For JAMA-IS:
.alias2jamais (filename.alias2jamais)

The following example shows a sample logfile,

part.alias2iges, produced after storing the IGES file
part.igs.

--- Alias IGES PREPROCESSOR REPORT ---

Translation summary of file:
/usr/u/bclinton/user_data/demo/wire/part.igs

Comments
********

Alias Studio version 9.5 IGES version 5.3

Comments that you enter via "IGES File Header Options - Edit File"
will be reproduced here in this report, as well as being included in
the Start Section of the IGES file.

System Information

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 *******************

Sending System: Alias Studio-Version 9.5

Preprocessor Version: 9.5
IGES Version: 5.3
Target System: pro_engineer

Product Information
*********************
Product ID from Sender: Air Force One
Product ID for Receiver: AF1
Model Space Scale: 1.000000
Units: INCH
Number of Line Thickness Gradations: 1
Width of Thickest Line: 0.003937 INCH
Time File Generated: 970820.162312
Model Space Tolerance: 0.000394
Approximate Maximum Coordinate Value: 44.425251915748
Drafting Standard Code: 0
Author: Bill Clinton
Author's Organization: White House CAD Inc.
Time Created or Last Modified: 20000820.162312

Configuration Parameters
************************
Parameter Value
IGES_OUT_VERSION 8
IGES Version Number IGES Version 5.0
IGES_OUT_UNITS 1 (user over-ride)
Output Units Inches
IGES_OUT_SPLINE_TYPE 0
Curve/Surface Spline Type Rational B-Spline Curve/Surface (126/128)
IGES_OUT_OUTPUT_STYLE 0
Surface Output Style Surfaces preserved
IGES_OUT_POLY 0
Linearize spline geometry NO
IGES_OUT_POLYLINE_TYPE 0
Linear Spline Curve Type Copious Data (106)
IGES_OUT_SURFACE_TYPE 0
Trimmed Surface Type Trimmed Parametric Surface (144)

Exporting Operations
70
Save Options
IGES_OUT_PRECISION 12
Real Number Precision Output 12 digits to right of decimal
IGES_OUT_MAX_SPANS 0
Surface Patch Limit NO LIMIT
IGES_OUT_MAX_TRIM 0
Trimmed Surface Patch Limit NO LIMIT

File Operations
IGES_OUT_2D_TRIM 1
Trimmed Surface Trim Curves Parameter space curves only
IGES_OUT_2D_BOUNDARY 1
Bounded Surface Boundaries N/A for Trimmed Surface (144)
IGES_OUT_INSTANCE_COPIES 1

Instanced Geometry Duplicated/transformed

IGES_OUT_MONOTONE_2D_TRIM 0
Monotone Parameter Space Trim Curves NO
IGES_OUT_CUBIC_2D_TRIM 0
Degree of Parameter Space Trim Curves Quadratic and Linear
IGES_OUT_LINEAR_2D_TRIM 0
Linear Parameter Space Trim Curve Type Line (110)
IGES_OUT_CONS_PREF 1
Curve on Surface Preference Parameter space preferred
IGES_OUT_DEGEN_TRIM 2
Degenerate Model Space Trim Curves May exist
IGES_OUT_REBUILD_GEOMETRY 0
Rebuild high-degree/rational splines NO
IGES_OUT_ANALYTICS 1
Output IGES Analytic Entities YES
IGES_OUT_SURF_AS_TRIM 0
All Surfaces As Trimmed/Bounded NO
IGES_OUT_BS_TRIM 0
Trim/Boundary Curve Type Rational B-Spline Curve (126)
IGES_OUT_PAR_TRIM N/A
IGES_OUT_FILE_EXT .igs
File Extension .igs

Alias Entities Processed

************************
Alias Entity Name Count
Line 1

Exporting Operations
71
Save Options
 Control Vertex 25
Trimmed Surface 18
B-Spline Surface 1
B-Spline Curve 4
----------------- --
Total: 49

Alias Entities Skipped

**********************
None.

IGES Entities Created

*********************
Entity Form Type Description Number Count
102 0 Composite Curve 18
110 0 Line 37
106 0 Point 25
126 0 Rational B-Spline Curve 39
128 0 Rational B-Spline Surface 19
142 0 Curve on Parametric Surface 18
144 0 Trimmed Parametric Surface 18
---- -- ---------------------- ---
Total: 174

Elapsed time (hh:mm:ss): 00:00:03

***************************** End of Log File **************************

Exporting Operations
72
Save Options
S o lid Imaging
 Solid Imaging Data Transfer

In this Section Exporting STL and SLC File Formats

Preparations of Geometry for Solid Imaging

Solid Imaging

Solid Imaging Data Transfer

75
 Exporting STL and SLC File Formats

slc.options
ExportSTL

This feature is available in all Alias products.

Purpose For STL, to create an SLA (StereoLithographyApparatus)

triangle format ASCII or binary file.

For SLC, to create a SLC (StereoLithography Contour) file.

Some Definitions What is Solid Imaging

Solid Imaging is a sector of Rapid Prototyping which uses a

database to translate three-dimensional geometry into
physical models or parts using a variety of resins and other
materials. The file formats used by Alias for outputting files
for Rapid Prototyping are the STL and SLC file formats.

What is an STL File?

An.stl file is a tessellated file (binary or ASCII), which means

the NURBS surface is described by a series of triangles. The
resolution of this polygonized data base is defined in Alias by
the subdivision characteristics of the original NURBS surface.
Once the tessellated geometry is sent to the SI technology, the
geometry is sliced, and then those slices are used to describe
the physical model that will be produced. With STL as the
transfer format, you can send geometry to most SI
technologies while controlling the resolution of the finished
model by setting the subdivision characteristics.

The STL file exported from Alias conforms to 3D systems file

format version 2.0. When you export a model as an STL file,
Alias displays:
● the tessellation of the model in the views

Solid Imaging Data Transfer

76
Exporting STL and SLC File Formats
 ● the number of triangles in the prompt line.

You can adjust the tessellation of the model in the STL Options
box, and the tessellation display and triangle count will
update interactively.

Solid Imaging
The procedure for exporting an STL file is as follows:

Note If you are working in units such as inches, the final result
will be in inches. Confirm that your target machine
understand the units you are working in.
1 Select File > Export > STL-❏.

2 Pick the shell or polyset that you want to export. (You can
only export a single shell in an STL file.)
If you have polysets already generated you can export by
STL but the geometry can not be re-tessellated.

3 Click the Go button.

STL Options The STL Options box is as follows.

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77
Exporting STL and SLC File Formats
 Format
The format of the output STL file (ASCII or Binary). The
default setting is Binary.

Tolerance
The maximum difference (in centimeters) between the
original shell and the tessellated shell output to the STL
file.
Adjust the Tolerance value to control the number of
triangles on the tessellated shell. The lower the Tolerance
value, the greater the number of triangles.
The slider range is 0.0001 to 1. The default value is
0.01.

What is an SLC file?

An.slc file (StereoLithography Contour) cuts 2D contours of

the 3D data base. These contour lines are polylines. The
advantage to using this file format is that the NURBs
geometry description in Alias is directly sliced and therefore
fewer iterations are required between the original geometry
and the data sent to the SI machine to be built.

SLC Options The SLC Options box is as follows.

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78
Exporting STL and SLC File Formats
 Solid Imaging
Output Units
Indicates in which units you want to output the SLC data.
This choice (millimeters or inches) will be reflected in the
output .slc file’s header’s keyword “-UNIT”. By default
the value will be inches.

Model Type
Specifies the StereoLithography model type.
◆ Part or Support—must be closed contours (polylines).
By default, the model type is Part.
◆ Web type—can be open polylines or line
segments.Typically used to support cantilever regions
on parts.
The choice will be reflected in the output .slc file’s
header’s keyword “TYPE”.

Auto Range
If toggled ON (default) this option uses the bounding box
of the object to determine where to compute the slices
(contour data). The slices will be produced for the entire
object, no matter what its position is in space, If toggled
OFF, two extra sliders are displayed.

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79
Exporting STL and SLC File Formats
 Thickness
Specifies the spacing (in cm) of the slices (contoured
layers). By default the value is 0.01 cm.

The Header Section

The header section of the .slc file is an ASCII character string

(up to 2048 bytes) containing global information about the
model.

The output in the header provides the following information:

● SLC file format version number (-SLCVER2.0)
● Output units (-UNITS<INCH/MM>
● Type of model (-TYPE<PART/SUPPORT/WEB>)
● Vender package and version number (which produce the
SLC file (-PACKAGE ALIAS STUDIO V9.0)
● Calculations and sets from SLC output x,y,z extends of the
model (-EXTENTS mx,Mx,my,My, mz,Mz)
● Header keywords (CHORDDEV, ARCRES, SURFTOL,
GAPTOL, MAXGAPFOUNS, EXTLWC, STHICK, STARD
and ENDD) are set to 0.0.

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80
Exporting STL and SLC File Formats
 Preparations of Geometry for Solid
Imaging

Purpose This section documents the process of preparing Alias wire

geometry to be used to create .stl files and .slc files.

It describes the STL and SDL formats, and how to troubleshoot

Solid Imaging
the geometry in Alias before doing the conversion.

Overview Alias wire files exist as NURBS data. To use that data to create
physical models using solid imaging technologies, you must
translate the NURBS to either the .stl or .slc format so that the
geometry can be read by the solid imaging machine’s
software. Included in the list of solid imaging technologies is
SLA (Stereolithography), SLS (Selective Laser Sintering), LOM
(Laminated Object Manufacturing), SGC (Solid Ground
Curing), FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) and others.

Converting the Alias geometry to the .stl format or the .slc

format can be done from within Alias. Note that, in preparing
geometry for creation of either .stl files, the NURBS geometry
must be in the positive octant (positive x, y, and z).

This means that, for the Alias geometry to be included in the

calculation of the .stl or .slc file, it must reside in the volume
described by the cube shown in the illustration at left. The size
of the volume will be dependent on the vat size being used to
build the part, but will always scale from the co-ordinates 0, 0,
0.

In addition, the geometry must be able to reside inside this

volume without coming within 0.1 cm of the extents of the
volume. This is to allow for accurate reflection of the laser
which cures the resin.

The 0, 0, 0 co-ordinate in the Alias work environment is

equivalent to the bottom, front, left corner of the vat in which
the part will be built. Therefore, unless the geometry is in this
positive octant when being processed in Alias, it will not be

Solid Imaging Data Transfer

81
Preparations of Geometry for Solid Imaging
 within the building volume of the solid imaging machine
when transferred.

Tip Consult with the operator of the solid imaging machine in

order to optimize the transfer of data.

How To Use To export Alias geometry to STL:

1 Select File > Export STL in the Alias interface. To specify
options, select File > Export STL-❐. (The options are
described below.)
The translation of Alias geometry to the .stl format is an
automatic process.

2 Read the .stl file into the solid imaging software; there it
is sliced at the resolution at which it will be built.

Alias to SLC Format (.slc When using the Save SLC command a file in the .slc format
Files) is created.

These files differ from the .stl format principally in that the
NURBS geometry is sliced in Alias, to a resolution at which
the part will eventually be built. This means that there is only
one abstraction of the original NURBS geometry. It also means
that there is an increased responsibility on the part of the Alias
user to confirm the integrity of the NURBS geometry before
creating the .slc file.

I. Stitching

Stitching is the process that drives the creation of the SLC file
intersects a plane with the model and creates a polyline where
the plane intersects the first NURBS surface. For this reason,
before the calculation is carried out, all of the NURBS surfaces
must be stitched together using Shell Stitch, to be read as one
piece of geometry by the Alias slicing code.

A by-product of stitching the surface geometry is that you can

see surface boundaries with gaps that would cause problems
when the slicing operation takes place. If the stitching
operation identifies surface boundaries that are not within a
tolerance acceptable to the stitching code, then the gaps would
also be recognized as a gap large enough to produce broken

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82
Preparations of Geometry for Solid Imaging
 polylines and therefore unusable in the building of the part.
Surface boundaries that do not stitch together must be
recreated with a lower curve fit tolerance.

A good work flow is to model a small part of the model which

is typical of the geometry to be produced and test-stitch it to
ensure the chosen tolerances before a lot of time is spent
modeling. The stitching process uses the tolerance in
calculating whether or not surfaces exhibit the necessary
conditions to stitch together.

When geometry is stitched unsuccessfully (you can see that

the interior surface boundaries did not stitch together), you

Solid Imaging
can use the key command, Control-z, to undo the stitch
command. This is different from using the Shell Unstitch
command in that during the stitch operation NURBS
geometry may be altered; the geometry is not returned to its
original state when "Unstitched".

To stitch geometry:

For more on stitching, see 1 Select Stitch > Stitch-❐ from the Surface Edit palette. The
NURBS Modeling. Shell Stitch Options window appears.

2 Choose the following options:

◆ Detach periodic surfaces—When stitching trimmed
periodic geometry (for example, a primitive sphere or
a surface of revolution), enable this option for the
system to detach these surfaces into two pieces,
ensuring a successful stitching operation.
◆ Detach single curve boundaries—Addresses the passing
of stitched geometry from Alias to CAD packages. If a
closed trim curve exists, as would result from
intersecting a plane with a primitive cylinder and
trimming back the plane, this option will detach the
closed curve into two pieces.
◆ Shrink surfaces—ensures that any trimmed surfaces are
reduced in physical size to the minimum needed to
represent the trimmed portion of the surface.

Solid Imaging Data Transfer

83
Preparations of Geometry for Solid Imaging
 II. Slicing

For details on the SLC 1 Select File > Export > SLC.-❐. The Export SLC Options
options, see SLC Options). window appears.

2 Set Output units according to the units the solid imaging

software will be using to process the STL file (millimeters
or inches). The default units are inches.

Almost exclusively, the 3 Decide whether the geometry should be sliced according
Model Type will be Part, to the volume of the geometry bounding box (which is the
which is the intended default setting, Auto Range on). If you want to define the
selection for creating .slc
model files. (Support and minimum and maximum Z height of the volume to be
Web files will be created by processed, click Auto Range off.
the solid imaging technology
operator.) 4 Set Thickness to set the distance between contour lines that
will be used to build the part. The average is between
0.006 inches and 0.003 inches, but can go as low as 0.0005
inches for some technologies. This value should be
determined in conjunction with the person who will
actually be building the part.

5 Click Go.
The .slc file can be read back into Alias and will be
created as an Alias wire file upon doing so. For this reason
you should avoid reading .stl files of a high resolution
back into Alias as the size and density of information will
make the geometry unmanageable

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84
Preparations of Geometry for Solid Imaging
CA D P a cka ges
4 CATIA Data Transfer
In this Section:

CAT Direct Connect Overview .......................................................88

Transferring Alias to CATIA...........................................................89

CATIA
Transferring CATIA to Alias Format ............................................103
CAT Direct Connect Reference......................................................105
Supported Geometry and Data Mapping ......................................124

87
 CAT Direct Connect Overview
Alias CAT Direct Connect is a stand-alone utility that allows
the exchange of 3D model data between Studio and CATIA
using the CATIA/Alias neutral format CAI.

Software Requirements
● Version 4.2n of CATIA
● SurfaceStudio, AutoStudio, or StudioTools.

Workflows
Before transferring geometry between Alias and CATIA, you
should consider the purpose of the transfer in order to plan an
appropriate workflow. Two common workflows are:
● Geometry (describing mechanical components) is
transferred from CATIA to Alias for concept design
surfacing, then transferred back to CATIA.
● An Alias model is transferred to CATIA, and both Alias
and CATIA databases are developed independently. Later,
the modified Alias model is transferred again to CATIA,
replacing the Alias geometry from the first transfer. In this
scenario, all work done in CATIA on the first Alias model
transfer will affect the new, modified geometry.

There are many variations on these two examples. Whatever

the transfer scenario, you should carefully plan the transfer
process, to ensure that the appropriate data is written out and
is useful.

CATIA Data Transfer

88
CAT Direct Connect Overview
Transferring Alias to CATIA
This section describes the process of transferring an Alias
model to CATIA:
● Creating the CAI file in Alias on page 89
● Importing the CAI file into CATIA on page 91
● Using a Skin in CATIA on page 95
● Working in CATIA with Geometry Imported from Alias on
page 97
● Summary on page 101

Creating the CAI file in Alias

Follow these steps to create a CAI file in Alias for transfer to
CATIA:
1 Select the object you want to export, to make it active.

CATIA

CATIA Data Transfer

89
Transferring Alias to CATIA
 2 Select File > Export > Active As-❐

3 The Save Active Options window appears. Select CATIA from

the File Format menu under Basic Save Options.

CATIA Data Transfer

90
Transferring Alias to CATIA
 If you want the comment file to be included with the CAI
file, select Include Comments from the Save Options window.
If you select Edit File Comments, a shell will be displayed in
which you can create or update the comment.
The CATIA file comment is restricted to 70 characters per
line and a maximum of 500 lines. However, because Edit
Comment uses a user-defined editor, you are not bound by
these limits when creating/updating the comment.
The file comment that is exported from Alias will be
altered to conform to these restrictions if necessary. That
is, lines over 70 characters in length will be wrapped and
the comment will be truncated at 500 lines.

4 Click Save and specify the CAI file name. The file is now
ready to be read into CATIA.

Importing the CAI file into CATIA

The following sections describe how to import Alias CAI files

CATIA
into CATIA, view them and prepare them to be used in
downstream CATIA operations.

To import a 3D Alias file into CATIA and create useful

geometry for the CATIA engineer, you must follow two main
steps:
1 The Alias-created CAI file is read into CATIA, where a
.model file is generated on import.

2 The model’s surface geometry is converted into a skin,

depending on available data in the Alias CAI file, by
joining surfaces and trimmed surfaces (or faces). The skin
can then be used for a variety of downstream processes in
CATIA.

Note If the Alias geometry is exported as an Alias shell, CATIA

automatically creates a skin from it. In other words, the
successfully imported CATIA geometry is made up of
surfaces and faces, as well as a CATIA skin. This
significantly reduces the amount of time the CATIA
operator must spend preprocessing the Alias model to be
used in CATIA.

CATIA Data Transfer

91
Transferring Alias to CATIA
 Step 1: Creating an Alias CAI file

Create the Alias CAI file as described previously in the section

Creating the CAI file in Alias on page 89.

Step 2: Creating a CATIA model file

Everything imported from the Alias CAI file will be translated

to make up the CATIA .model file.

Follow these steps to import the Alias CAI file into CATIA and
create a model file:

Starting CATIA
1 Start the CATIA session. When CATIA is running, the
following window and menu areas are displayed:

This main Graphics window is the area where you work

with the model and its associated menus.

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92
Transferring Alias to CATIA
 2 From the MenuBar select File > Open.

3 The Open window appears. Select the CAI option from the
File Format menu.
The Open CAI File window appears:

CATIA
4 Define the path to the directory containing the CAI files.
Select the Info button to define the Header Information as
well as to display the CAI file’s physical characteristics.
You can either replace the model with the geometry being
imported, or add the model being imported to the
geometry in the current work session:
◆ Create a New CATIA Model. You replace the model in the
current work session with the geometry in the .cai
file being imported.
◆ Import in Active Model. The .cai file being imported
will be added to the model in the current work
session.

For more on the extended In the Conversion Options area you can specify if you want
log file, see Extended Log File to use the CAI file’s tolerances or generate an Extended
on page 115. Log File.

5 When the necessary parameters have been defined, select

OK to open the converted CAI file.

For more on the log file, see A log file documenting the conversion of the Alias CAI file
Short Log File on page 113. to the CATIA Model file file_name.log_AC is generated,
and can be found in the catusr directory.

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93
Transferring Alias to CATIA
 The following window appears if the CAI file was
successfully converted:

Changing a file name

You may want to change the name of a model file once you
have opened it:
1 From the menu bar select File > File Manager > Rename. The
File Selection Box-Rename is displayed, and you can select
the file to be renamed.

2 The Rename window will be displayed. Type the new

name for the file and select OK.

Step 3: Creating a Skin

Before using the imported Alias geometry in many of the

downstream CATIA operations, a skin must be generated from
CATIA face entities. A CATIA model file that has been
generated from an Alias CAI file is made up of surfaces,
curves and faces (trimmed surfaces). If the Alias geometry has
been exported successfully as a shell, then a CATIA skin is
automatically created. If a CATIA skin has not been generated
automatically, you must create the logical links between faces.

To join faces into a CATIA skin, do the following:

CATIA Data Transfer

94
Transferring Alias to CATIA
1 From the Function menu select LIMIT2. Select the Skin option.
At the prompt, select one of the faces that are adjacent to,
or within, the set of faces you intend to use to create the
skin.

2 With the face highlighted, select the Auto Search button to

identify and select all other faces that can be included with
the originally selected face and are also eligible to be used
for skin creation.
Eligibility for selection using AutoSearch depends on the
adjacent face’s positional continuity in relation to the
original face. If the order of faces being picked is
ambiguous, or if a logical link between the faces does not
exist, you may need to manually select the faces.

3 When the desired configuration of faces is highlighted,

select the Yes button from the bottom right corner of the
screen. A skin will be created (defined by all of the
selected faces) and added to the work session in the
present workspace.

CATIA
Once you have created a skin from the available geometry, you
can then define the skin as either a closed solid (volume), closed
surface model, or an open surface model.
● Closed Solid — Geometry that describes a solid volume.
Additional solid features can be added to the solid part
and manipulated parametrically.
● Closed Surface Model — Multiple surfaces or faces which
have been used to create a skin. A closed surface model
can be converted to a closed solid by creating a shell from
the surface model.
● Open Surface Model — Surface geometry in which some or
none of the surface entities have topology relationships to
adjacent surfaces.

Using a Skin in CATIA

Once the skin has been created, it can then be used for a
variety of downstream applications:
● performing Finite Element Analysis (FEA) functions
● performing moldflow analysis
● creating solid imaging (SLA) files

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95
Transferring Alias to CATIA
 ● creating 2D and 3D drawing sets
● generating CNC toolpaths
● passing the model back to Alias for further design
iterations.

Creating a Solid

For some downstream operations (for example, FEA and the

creation of 2D and 3D drawings) you may be required to
create solid geometry from the CATIA skin. This can be done
using one of two techniques:
● assembling a series of skins and creating a solid, or
● offsetting a skin to create a solid.

Assembling a Solid

The skin that has been created can be “capped” to define a

solid. You can then use this solid in boolean operations.

Offsetting to Create a Solid

You can perform this operation using the CATIA offset

functionality (FORMTOOL > OFFSET, or SOLID > OFFSET).

There is no guarantee that the skin will meet all CATIA

prerequisites for an offset. Underlying adjacent faces (and by
extension, the surfaces) must not self-intersect during the
offset. As well, the continuity between faces must be of a
certain standard in order for CATIA to successfully offset the
eventual skin.

Creating a Mesh

For creation of tessellated Solid Imaging files (such as .stl) you

can create a mesh from the skin. Then, using the CATIA solid
imaging functionality, offset the mesh to create a solid mesh.
You can then send this file to the solid imaging technology
operator for creation of the physical part.

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96
Transferring Alias to CATIA
Creating a Toolpath

From the skin, you can generate a toolpath to send to a CNC

milling machine. This is usually the way in which prototype
tooling is analyzed.

Working in CATIA with Geometry Imported from

Alias
The following sections describe how to verify imported
geometry for use in downstream processes such as offsetting
and the creation of toolpaths.

Selecting geometry

In order to make the desired geometry type pickable, you may

need to make the interior isoparms of the geometry visible. By
default, the face boundaries are not displayed. Even if they
were displayed, they would be positionally coincidental with

CATIA
the curve entities. You must modify the display configuration
so that the curves are out of the way, then display the face
boundaries and interior isoparms:
1 Use the Show/NoShow functionality to display the curves
on the NoShow layer.
In order to select a face by clicking on it, the face’s interior
isoparms and boundaries must be displayed.

2 Select Function > Graphic > Mod Spec. You are prompted to
select the elements for this operation.

3 Since you intend to display the boundaries and interior

isoparms of all the faces in the currently displayed
geometry, type “fac in the Dialog zone. The Face Attributes
window appears and the geometry changes color to
indicate that it is selected:Transferring.

4 Configure the Face Attributes window so that the

boundaries and isoparms are visible and pickable. To
accept the selection, press the YES key in the bottom right
corner of the screen.
The face entity’s boundaries and isoparms are now visible
and pickable.

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Transferring Alias to CATIA
 Confirming Geometry Status

To confirm that the surface geometry imported from Alias

exhibits a degree of curvature that allows it to be milled or
offset, use the following two evaluation tools:
● Tools > Analyze > Curvature
● Analysis > Numeric

Using the Curvature function

1 Select Tools > Analyze > Curvature.

2 In the Curvature Analysis window, set the curvature to

Limited.

3 Set the Minimum radius to 1.0.

4 Select the faces of the model by typing *fac. By displaying

the shaded mode, you can see where the geometry of the
model has a curvature radius greater than the input value.

5 If there are no areas displayed in red, continue to modify

the curvature value to find the threshold of curvature for
the model that has been imported.

Using the Numeric function

1 Select Function > Analysis > Numeric.

2 Select the surface.

3 In order to display the AlphaNumeric window, select Alt

and the + key from the numeric keypad on the keyboard.

4 With the left mouse button, select the surface. With the
middle mouse button, select the point on the surface
where the information is required.
The AlphaNumeric window displays the pertinent
information for the selected geometry.
You can continue to select multiple points to query using
the middle mouse button, or select another surface using
the left mouse button.

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98
Transferring Alias to CATIA
Meeting geometry requirements

All surface edges must be topologically matched before the

geometry meets the requirements of either a Closed Solid or a
Closed Surface Model.

In general, edges fail to match because of a mismatch in the

topology of two or more adjacent faces, or because the
maximum distance between two adjacent edges is greater then
the current accuracy defined in CATIA. There may be a gap
existing between the adjacent surface edges, or the edges may
overlap to the extent that they are unable to be stitched.

You can fix this problem by lowering tolerances in Alias and

recreating the Alias geometry before re-importing the file into
CATIA. Alternatively, the re-intersection of surface geometry
can be done in CATIA. By accessing the surface entities and
retrimming them, you will re-establish a logical link between
the faces and their edges.

CATIA
Replacing Alias geometry in CATIA

A common workflow using Alias and CATIA together is one

where you replace existing Alias geometry in a CATIA model
file with updated Alias geometry. This workflow allows you to
continue working in Alias, modifying a model that has
already been passed over to CATIA.

When you want to update the CATIA database with the

completed changes, the surfaces that have been modified are
passed to CATIA as a CAI file. You import the new Alias
geometry and then redefine the skin that includes the faces in
question using the Limit2 > Skin > Create/Modify tool.

A skin is made up of adjacent faces that meet parameters such

as positional and tangent continuity. If you want to make
changes to a face or surface in Alias and then include that
modified surface in the CATIA model, you only have to
redefine the skin to its members. That is, this time you leave
out the original face and include the new Alias-modified face.
This way Alias geometry can be used to modify CATIA
models at any point throughout the product development
cycle.

To replace Alias geometry in CATIA:

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99
Transferring Alias to CATIA
 1 Open the CATIA model file and then import the modified
Alias geometry.

2 Select Limit2 > Skin > Modify. When prompted, select the
skin that includes the face(s) to be replaced.

3 When you have picked the new set of faces (including the
newly modified geometry), select the YES button. The skin
is now defined by the set of faces that include the
modified geometry.

4 If you want to create multiple skins from one skin, the

same process can be used (a combination of Modify and
Create).

Alias/CATIA Geometry

The Curve Fit Distance is the tolerance to which trim boundaries

are rebuilt to (or approximated). The default positional
tolerance in CATIA is .1 mm, and the Alias Curve Fit Distance
setting should be set to 0.01mm.

This Curve Fit Distance setting should normally be accurate. If

you find that it is not resulting in Studio geometry that can be
successfully used in CATIA, then experiment with the Curve
Fit Distance—it can set to as low as 0.005 mm. This setting will
enhance the success of post transfer processes, such as
skinning, that are to be carried out once the geometry is in
CATIA.

Tip The Curve Fit Distance tolerance in Alias should not be set
at less than 0.001 mm. Lower than this will impact
processing time.

Whether you are creating a model, verifying a model, or

debugging a translation, there are a number of Alias tools you
can use to check the quality of the geometry you have created.
The most useful tool is the Min/max measurement tool in the
Locators menu, found within the Tool Palette. Use this tool to
check the maximum distance between any two surface
boundaries. (See NURBS Modeling in Alias for more
information.)

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Creating Shells for export in Alias

Creating a ‘skin’ and offsetting (or creating solid geometry from

imported Alias models) is a common workflow when
integrating Alias and CATIA. When exporting the model from
Alias, you must ensure that the geometry is built to the correct
tolerance and that it can also be stitched. The stitching process
in Alias identifies gaps between surfaces so that you can repair
the appropriate geometry before writing the file out to CATIA.

During stitching, the surfaces are twinned. This means that the
surface boundaries may be split to accommodate adjacent
surfaces, and periodic geometry is detached into multiple
surfaces. For this reason, you should save the Alias wire file
before stitching so that if further modifications are required to
be made to the Studio model, the construction history will be
intact. (Stitched geometry saved to an Alias wire file cannot be
unstitched to its original state.)

A typical workflow follows:

CATIA
1 Stitch the surfaces to perform a visual check to confirm
there are no gaps.

2 Undo the stitch operation.

3 Save the Alias wire file.

4 Stitch the surfaces again.

5 Export the stitched object to a CAI file.

Note Geometry not stitched prior to export from Alias will not
automatically create a skin upon import into CATIA.

Summary
Use the following summarized list of modeling practices
discussed in this section as a quick reference guide if problems
arise.

Before you create the model

● Units should be set to mm.

In the Construction Settings window:

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Transferring Alias to CATIA
 ● The Rational geometry flags should be toggled OFF.

Tolerances should be set as follows:

● Curve Fit Distance =.01 mm (lower as necessary)

● Curve Fit Checkpoints = 10

● Max Gap Distance = .01 mm (this value should remain the

same as Curve Fit Distance)
● Trim Curve Fit =.005 mm (lower as necessary)

While you create the model

● Use degree 5 curves and surfaces to achieve curvature
continuity between surfaces and successful data transfer.
● Surfaces should be overbuilt and trimmed back before
export.
● Fillets and other detail geometry should be deleted from
the Alias model before export. Fillets and detail geometry
should be built in CATIA to improve the success of the
transfer and give you parametric control of the fillet and
detail geometry while using CATIA.
● Models should be transferred periodically from Alias to
CATIA during construction to manage the quality of the
model being created.
● The Alias model must be successfully stitched before
export, but you should also periodically stitch the
geometry to ensure that the model meets all tolerance
requirements.
● Avoid using Attach and Join curve since these functions
create multiknots in Alias geometry that are not supported
by CATIA.
● Avoid using Skin and Patch functions between trimmed
surface boundaries, since excessive amounts of data are
created in the resulting surface. If Skin and Patch are used
between trim boundaries, the resulting surfaces should be
checked for multiknots before export.
● Use surface building tools such as Square and Birail to
ensure and control curvature continuity between surfaces.

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Transferring CATIA to Alias
Format
This section describes the process of creating a CAI file in
CATIA.

Creating the CAI file in CATIA

Follow these steps to create a CAI file in CATIA for transfer to
Alias:
1 Select File/ Save As and under the File Format menu select
CAI.

CATIA
2 Specify the file name and select OK. The Save As CAI File
window appears.
Under Conversion Options you can choose to include the
CATIA Model Comment with the CAI file by making the
appropriate selection from the File Format pull-down.
Also available is the ability to exclude geometry elements
on the NO SHOW layer and the ability to write out an
extended log file with the CAI file (see Extended Log File
page 122 in the Reference section of this manual).
New in this release of the CAI functionality is the ability to
filter the layers of the worksession. This will enable the
user to simulate doing iterative updates by exporting only
the layers that have changed geometry on them.

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Transferring CATIA to Alias Format
 3 Select OK.
At this point the CAI file is created and a window appears
with the status of the created file. If the CAI file was
created successfully, it can then be read into Alias. If the
CAI file was not created successfully, check the log file for
more details

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Transferring CATIA to Alias Format
CAT Direct Connect Reference

Overview
The Alias CAT Direct Connect product allows the exchange of
3D model data between Alias and CATIA using the CATIA/
Alias neutral format CAI. There are two interfaces for the
product:
● a graphic interactive interface via the standard file
import/export capability within the Alias Studio-based
interactive products
● a UNIX command-line interface designed to facilitate
batch conversion of data files.

This section contains information on:

● Interactive User Interface on page 105
● Unix Command Line Interface on page 111

CATIA
● Translation Log File on page 113
● Supported Geometry and Data Mapping on page 124

Interactive User Interface

Importing and exporting a CAI file is as simple as importing
and exporting any geometry file into Alias. Please refer to the
File Operations section in the Basic Tools in Alias book for
information on importing a file into Alias. The following
subsections contain information specific to importing and
exporting a CAI file.

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 Importing a CAI File
You can import a CATIA CAI file into Alias by selecting File >
Open or File > Import File.

Linear Units and Tolerances

As a first step in the CAI file import process, the linear units
and tolerances stored in the CAI file are examined and
compared with the current linear units and tolerances in the
Alias modeler. The linear units and tolerances stored in the
CAI file are those that were used by CATIA in the creation of
the geometry in the CAI file.

If the linear units stored in the CAI file are different than those
in Alias, a confirm window is displayed indicating both
CATIA and Alias linear units.

You are asked if you want to change the current Alias linear
units to those stored in the CAI file. If you select YES, the

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current Alias linear units are changed to the units indicated,
and processing continues. If you choose NO, the current Alias
linear units do not change and the translation process
continues. If you choose CANCEL, then the current Alias linear
units do not change and the translation process is aborted.

If the tolerance stored in the CAI file is different from that of

the current Alias modeling tolerance, a confirm window is
displayed, containing both the CATIA Curve Tolerance from the
CAI file and the corresponding current Alias Curve Fit Distance
Tolerance.

CATIA
You are asked if you want to change the current Alias Curve Fit
Distance Tolerance to be the same as the CATIA Curve Tolerance
stored in the file.

Note If you change the current Alias Curve Fit Distance to a

smaller value using this process, geometry existing in the
Alias model prior to the import must be rebuilt to the new
smaller tolerance.
Otherwise, on re-export to CATIA, this geometry will NOT
conform to the new tolerance and CATIA may have
problems either importing or working with this geometry.

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 CATIA Import Options

View File Info

When you turn this option ON, any user information

contained in the imported file is displayed in a confirm
window. After reviewing this information, you can choose to
continue with the translation by selecting OK, or abort the
translation by selecting CANCEL.

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 CATIA
The Comment File is one of the pieces of information included
in the File Info. The Comment File is a text file where you can
input information pertaining to the development of a project.
In addition, if the import of a CAI file is completed with an
included comment, then that comment will be added to the
existing Comment File.

Browse Log File

This option controls the automatic display of the import

translation log file once the transfer has been completed. If you
turn this option ON, the log file will be displayed in an editor
window after the translation has been completed. (Please see
the Translation Log File section on page 112 for more
information on the log file name and format).

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 Extended Log File

This option controls the generation of a verbose log file. The

log file is always produced. If you turn this option ON, the log
file includes detailed entity mappings, Info, Error and Warning
messages, and entity count tables. If you turn this option OFF,
then the terse form of the log file is generated. It contains Info,
Error and Warning messages, and entity count tables only.

Exporting a CAI File

Export a CAI file from Alias for import into CATIA by
selecting File > Save As or File > Export > Save Active and
selecting CATIA from the File Format popup window.

The filename extension CAI will be added to the specified

filename on export. This file extension is required by CATIA.
A log file containing details of the translation process is
produced for both import and export.

CATIA Export Options

Browse Log File

See CATIA Import Options on page 108 for more information on

controlling the display of the export translation log file.

Extended Log File

See CATIA Import Options on page 108 for more information on

controlling the contents of the export translation log file.

Include Comments

This option controls the display of user-supplied comments in

the exported CAI file. The CATIA file comment is restricted to
70 characters per line and a maximum of 500 lines.

Because Edit Comment uses a user-defined editor, you are not

bound by these limits; however, the file comment that is
exported from Alias will change to conform to these
restrictions, if necessary. That is, lines over 70 characters in
length will be wrapped and the comment will be truncated at
500 lines.

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CATIA File Header Information: Edit File Header

When you click on this field, the CAI File Header Information
window is displayed. In this window, you can provide a short
comment that might include a description of the model, the
name of your organization and company, an authorization
code, and your name as the author of the exported model.
Entering information in this window is optional.

CATIA File Header Information: Edit File Comments

When you click on this field, an editor window appears. In it,

CATIA
you can type more detailed comments about the model. The
comments are included in the exported file only if you select
the Include Comments option.

The CATIA file comment is restricted to 70 characters per line

and a maximum of 500 lines. Since Edit Comment uses a user-
defined editor, you are not bound by these limits; however, the
file comment that is exported from Alias will be altered to
conform to these restrictions, if necessary. That is, lines over 70
characters in length will be wrapped and the comment will be
truncated at 500 lines.

Unix Command Line Interface

The utilities CaToAl and AlToCa provide the Alias CAT Direct
Connect translation functionality at the UNIX command line
level. As in the interactive versions, these utilities produce
either a brief or extended log file. The log file can also be
displayed on the screen during translation.

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 CaToAl

This utility converts a CAI file to an Alias Wire File. To display

the usage information, type the following in a UNIX shell
window:
CaToAl -h

The usage information will be printed as follows:

CaToAl - Convert CAI (CATIA/Alias Interoperability)
files to wire files.

Usage:
CaToAl [-h] [-b] [-x]
-i<InputCAIFile> -o<OutputWireFile>
● -b — print log file to screen during execution
● -h — display help information, then exit
● -x — produce extended log file
● -i — input CAI file name, which must be specified.
● -o — output wire file name; if the name is not specified,
stdout is used.

AlToCa

This utility converts an Alias Wire file to a CAI file. To display

the usage information, type the following in a UNIX shell
window:
AlToCa -h

The usage information will be printed as follows:

AlToCa - Convert Alias Wire files to CAI (CATIA/
Alias Interoperability) files.

Usage:

AlToCa [-b] [-h] [-x]

◆ -i<InputWireFile> -o<OutputCAIFile>
◆ -b — print log file to screen during execution.
◆ -h — display this help information, then exit
◆ -x — produce extended log file.

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 ◆ -i <InputWireFile> — Wire filename; if not specified,
stdin is used.
◆ -o <OutputCAIFile> — CAI filename; must be
specified.

Translation Log File

The translation log file is produced during both import and
export of CAI files. This log file contains entity mappings,
entity counts, and Information, Error, and Warning messages.

Interpreting the Import Log File

On import of a CAI file, a translation log file is created in the

same directory as the CAI file. The file name of the log file is
the same as that of the CAI file with the extension.catia2alias
added to it.

CATIA
Short Log File

If you have chosen to use a short log file via the interface
options, the log file will contain:
● the pathname of the imported CAI file and the name of the
current Alias stage into which the CAI model is being
imported.
● the contents of the CAI file. This is a table that documents
the number of each type of CAI entity in the file. This table
includes all entities in the CAI file.
● any information, warning, or error messages that may
occur during the translation.
● a table that documents the number of each type of
independent CAI entity in the CAI file that was converted
or not. In Alias, it documents the geometry node.

If an error or problem occurs while processing an entity, the

CAI entity’s type name, user identifier name, and instance
name (STEP file line number) are printed, followed by the
error or warning message.

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 Here is an example of a short import log file:
--- CATIA TO ALIAS TRANSLATION REPORT ---

CAI Filename: /nfs/machineid/v/home/catusr/db/userid/wheel_fcat2.cai

translated to

Alias Stage: Stage

Contents of CAI File

********************
CAI Entity Type Number of Instances
--------------- -------------------
Detail 2
BsplineSurface 9
Ditto 6
FaceElement 9
--------------- ----------------
Total 26

CAI to Alias Conversion Statistics

----------------------------------

Entity Type Converted Failed

----------- --------- ------
Detail 2 0
Ditto 6 0
FaceElement 9 0
----------- --------- ------
Total 17 0

***** End of Report ******

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Extended Log File

If you have chosen to have an extended log file produced, then

the log file will contain the same information as the short log
file, with the addition of:
● the Detailed Entity Mapping Report. This report contains a
mapping description line for each entity processed. The
format of the mapping description line is printed at the
beginning of the report
● a table that documents the number of each type of CAI
entity processed and contained within the detail.

Each line in the Detailed Entity Mapping Report is indented

according to the entity’s position within the CAI Detail
hierarchy structure. Entities of the CATIA Master detail are
presented with the least number of indentation spaces.

The first reference to a Ditto of a detail workspace will cause

the entities of the detail workspace to be converted first,
followed by the ditto. Subsequent dittos of the same detail

CATIA
workspace will not cause the mapping description lines for the
detail to be printed.

The mapping description line in an extended import log file

contains:
● the CAI entity type name (e.g. BsplineSurface)
● the CAI entity’s user id (e.g. WHEEL, or <NONE> if the
entity does not have a name)
● the CAI entity instance identifier
● the string converted to, indicating that the following
information pertains to the Alias entity
● the Alias entity type name (e.g. Trimmed Surface)
● the Alias node name (e.g. WHEEL or node#50 in the case of
a CAI entity name of <NONE>).

Here is an example of an extended import log file:

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--- CATIA TO ALIAS TRANSLATION REPORT ---

CAI Filename: /nfs/machineid/v/home/catusr/db/userid/wheel_fcat2.cai

translated to Alias Stage:
Stage Contents of CAI File
********************

CAI Entity Type Number of Instances

--------------- -------------------

Detail 2
BsplineSurface 9
Ditto 6
FaceElement 9
--------------- ----------------
Total 26

Detailed Entity Mapping Report

******************************

[CAI Entity Type Name] [CAI Entity User Name] [CAI Line Number] converted to
[Alias Node Type Name] [Alias Node Name]

Detail MASTER #1
Ditto NODE #2 of Detail NODE
Detail NODE #3
FaceElement <NONE> #19 converted to region of Trimmed Surface XSHELL
FaceElement <NONE> #30 converted to region of Trimmed Surface XSHELL#9
FaceElement <NONE> #43 converted to region of Trimmed Surface XSHELL#8
FaceElement <NONE> #79 converted to region of Trimmed Surface XSHELL#7
FaceElement <NONE> #96 converted to region of Trimmed Surface XSHELL#6
FaceElement <NONE> #113 converted to region of Trimmed Surface XSHELL#5
FaceElement <NONE> #137 converted to region of Trimmed Surface XSHELL#4
FaceElement <NONE> #152 converted to region of Trimmed Surface XSHELL#3

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 FaceElement <NONE> #163 converted to region of Trimmed Surface XSHELL#2

Conversion Statistics For Detail: NODE

Entity Type Converted Failed
----------- --------- ------

FaceElement 9 0
----------- --------- ------
Total 9 0

converted to Instance NODE#15

Ditto <NONE> #164 of Detail NODE converted to Instance NODE#16
Ditto <NONE> #165 of Detail NODE converted to Instance NODE#18
Ditto <NONE> #166 of Detail NODE converted to Instance NODE#19
Ditto <NONE> #167 of Detail NODE converted to Instance NODE#20

CATIA
Ditto <NONE> #168 of Detail NODE converted to Instance NODE#21

Conversion Statistics For Detail: MASTER

Entity Type Converted Failed
----------- --------- ------

Ditto 6 0
----------- --------- ------
Total 6 0

CAI to Alias Conversion Statistics

----------------------------------

Entity Type Converted Failed

----------- --------- ------

Detail 2 0

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Ditto 6 0
FaceElement 9 0
----------- --------- ------
Total 17 0

***** End of Report ******

Interpreting the Export Log File

On export of a CAI file, a translation log file is created in the

same directory as the CAI file. The file name of the log file is
the same as the CAI file with the extension .alias2catia added to
it.

Short Log File

If you have chosen to have a short log file via the interface
options, the log file will contain:
● the name of the current Alias stage from which the model
was exported (or the name of the Alias Wire file if the
command line interface was used) and the pathname of
the exported CAI file
● any Information, Warning, or Error messages that may occur
during the translation
● a table that documents the number of each type of Alias
entity converted or not converted to a CAI file entity.

If an error or problem occurs while processing an entity, the

Alias entity’s type name and node name are printed, followed
by the error or warning message.

Here is an example of a short export log file:

--- ALIAS TO CATIA TRANSLATION REPORT ---
Alias Stage: Stage

translated to

CAI Filename: /nfs/machineid/v/home/catusr/db/userid/wheel.cai

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CAI Info: This is an original Alias model.
There is no previously imported CATIA tolerance information available.

Alias to CAI Conversion Statistics

----------------------------------

Entity Type Converted Failed

----------- --------- ------

Trimmed Surface 9 0
Group 1 0
Instance 6 0
----------- --------- ------
Total 16 0

CATIA
***** End of Report ******

Extended Log File

If you have chosen to have an extended log file produced, then

the log file will contain the same information as the short log
file with the addition of:
● the Detailed Entity Mapping Report. This report contains a
mapping description line for each entity processed. The
format of the mapping description line is printed at the
beginning of the report.

Each line in the Detailed Entity Mapping Report is indented

according to the entity’s position within the Alias dag
hierarchy structure. Each time an Alias group node is
encountered, its type name and node name are printed. On
subsequent lines, each mapping description line
corresponding to a node belonging to the group is indented.
Group nodes themselves are not converted to a CAI entity.
Only instance nodes of grouped geometry are converted (to
CAI dittos).

In the case that an Alias entity maps to more than one CAI
entity, the mapping description line for this Alias entity is

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CAT Direct Connect Reference
 continued by printing additional lines containing only the
information of the additional converted CAI entities.

Here is an example of an extended export log file:

--- ALIAS TO CATIA TRANSLATION REPORT ---
Surface

Alias Stage: Stage translated to

CAI Filename: /nfs/pfunk/v/home/catusr/db/blair/wheel.cai

CAI Info: This is an original Alias model.

There is no previously imported CATIA tolerance information available.

Detailed Entity Mapping Report

******************************

[Alias Node Type Name] [Alias Node Name] converted to [CAI Entity Type Name]
[CAI Entity User Name] [CAI Line Number]

Group node
Group node#2
Trimmed Surface xshell converted to FaceElement <NONE> #4
Trimmed Surface xshell#9 converted to FaceElement <NONE> #20
Trimmed Surface xshell#8 converted to FaceElement <NONE> #31
Trimmed Surface xshell#7 converted to FaceElement <NONE> #44
Trimmed Surface xshell#6 converted to FaceElement <NONE> #80
Trimmed Surface xshell#5 converted to FaceElement <NONE> #97
Trimmed Surface xshell#4 converted to FaceElement <NONE> #114
Trimmed Surface xshell#3 converted to FaceElement <NONE> #138
Trimmed Surface xshell#2 converted to FaceElement <NONE> #153
converted to Detail node #2
Instance node converted to Ditto node #163 of Detail node #2
Instance node#12 converted to Ditto <NONE> #164 of Detail node #2
Instance node#10 converted to Ditto <NONE> #165 of Detail node #2

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 Instance node#8 converted to Ditto <NONE> #166 of Detail node #2
Instance node#6 converted to Ditto <NONE> #167 of Detail node #2
Instance node#4 converted to Ditto <NONE> #168 of Detail node #2

Alias to CAI Conversion Statistics

----------------------------------

Entity Type Converted Failed

----------- --------- ------

Trimmed Surface 9 0
Group 1 0
Instance 6 0
----------- --------- ------

CATIA
Total 16 0

***** End of Report ******

Debugging a CAI file

If the log file identifies an error during translation between

Alias and CATIA in either direction, you can trace the
information in the error message back to the problem
geometry. In some cases once the piece of geometry has been
isolated, the nature of the problem will be visually obvious
and you will need only to delete or manually fix the surface in
question.

Alias to CATIA
For example, in the following excerpt from a .log_CA file that
was generated during import of an Alias CAI file, an error in
the translation of a FaceElement has occurred.
(FaceElement, NONE, #356)
(BsplineSurface, NONE, #355) converted to (Bspline surface, *SUR55, 5.2)

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 (BsplinePcurve, NONE, #358) converted to (Edge, NONE, 12.1)
(BsplinePcurve, NONE, #360) converted to (Edge, NONE, 12.1)
(BsplinePcurve, NONE, #362) converted to (Edge, NONE, 12.1)
(BsplinePcurve, NONE, #364) converted to (Edge, NONE, 12.1)
(BsplinePcurve, NONE, #366) converted to (Edge, NONE, 12.1)
(BsplinePcurve, NONE, #368) converted to (Edge, NONE, 12.1)
CATAliasGeometryACFace
Entity : (FaceElement, NONE, #356)
GCWFAC(Error) : 2997 ERROR IN SURFACE SOFTWARE
GCWFAC(Error) : 2997 A SURFACE SOFTWARE ROUTINE RESULTED IN A NON-ZERO RETURN
GCWFAC(Error) : 2997 CODE.
GCWFAC(Error) : 2997 ERROR NUMBER = 0
GCWFAC(Error) : 2997
failed : ERROR IN SURFACE SOFTWARE

The first line in the excerpt describes the type of CATIA

element, the name of the element (in this case NONE since the
Alias element had been given no name and therefore took the
node# as its name) and the line # in the .alias2catia logfile at
which the error occurred. In order to find out the identity of
the Alias geometry which resulted in an error, you should go
to the .alias2catia file and find the identity of the geometry
on the specified line number.

In the following excerpt from the .alias2catia log, the line #356
has been found and the geometry entity from that line is
node#12. Trimmed Surface node#14 converted to FaceElement
<NONE> #330
Trimmed Target Surface node#13 converted to
FaceElement <NONE> #341
CrvSrf
<NONE> #354
Trimmed Surface node#12 converted to
FaceElement <NONE> #356
Trimmed Surface node#11 converted to
FaceElement <NONE> #371
Trimmed Target Surface node#10 converted to
FaceElement <NONE> #386
CrvSrf
<NONE> #403

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You then go to the Alias application, select Pick > Object and
type node#12 in the prompt line to highlight the geometry
responsible for the error message in the .log_CA file. You can
now inspect it for reasons that may have caused problems in
the translation. If there are no visible problems, often the
geometry simply needs to be untrimmed and retrimmed, or
regenerated from curves.

CATIA

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 Supported Geometry and Data
Mapping
The following sections describe the mapping process used for
geometry types and non-geometric data that can be
transferred between Alias and CATIA via the CAI file.

Supported Alias Geometry Types

The following Alias geometry types can be exported to
CATIA. Non-geometry entities such as Lights, Cameras,
Textures, Windows, Shaders and Animation are not supported
by the translator. The numbers in the table entries refer to
Notes For Table 1 below.

Alias Entity CAI File Entity CATIA Entity

Construction Plane Axis(1) 8.1 3-axis system

Polyset Not supported at this time. N/A
Arc RationalCurve 46.1 Rational B_spline curve
Circle RationalCurve 46.1 Rational B_spline curve
Line Line (partially supported) (2) 2.1 space line
Curve BsplineCurve 3.2 B_spline polynomial space
RationalCurve curve
46.1 Rational B_spline curve
Face FaceElement (3) 6.1 face
Surface BsplineSurface 5.2 B_spline polynomial surface
RationalSurface 47.1 Rational B_spline surface
Target Surface CrvSrf (4) 12.1 edge (curve on surface)
Trimmed Surface FaceElement (5) 6.1 face
Trimmed Target FaceElement and CrvSrf (6) 6.1 face and
Surface 12.1 edge (curve on surface)
Shell OpenShell 13.1 skin

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Supported Geometry and Data Mapping
Notes For Table 1
1 The scale component of the Alias Construction Plane is
not transferred. That is, its orientation and position will
remain the same, but its size will not. After a round trip
translation (Alias > CATIA > Alias), an Alias Construction
Plane with original scale values Sx, Sy, and Sz, will return
with scale values of 1, 1, 1.

2 An Alias Line created by Curves > Line and related tools is

not supported on export to CAI as a CAI Line primitive,
but is supported as a CAI BsplineCurve. However, on
import to Alias of a CAI Trimmed Curve whose basis
curve is a CAI Line (this maps to a CATIA limited Line),
an Alias Line is created. Such a Line will be exported as a
CAI Line. This ensures the original CATIA limited Line is
preserved.

3 An Alias Face element is converted to a Trimmed Surface

temporarily and then exported as such (see note (5)
below).

CATIA
4 An Alias Target Surface contains one or more Curves-on-
Surface. A CrvSrf entity is exported for each curve-on-
surface. On import to Alias, multiple CrvSrf entities that
reference the same base surface will be converted to one
Alias Target Surface containing multiple curves-on-surface
that correspond to these CrvSrf entities.

5 An Alias Trimmed Surface is exported as one or more

FaceElements (one FaceElement for each region of the
trimmed surface). On import to Alias, multiple
FaceElement entities that reference the same base surface
are converted to an Alias Trimmed Surface, with multiple
regions corresponding to these FaceElements.

6 An Alias Trimmed Target Surface also contains curves-on-

surface that have not yet been used for trimming. Similar
to the descriptions in Notes 2 and 3, it is exported as a
combination of CrvSrf and FaceElement entities.

Supported CATIA Geometry Types

The following CATIA geometry types can be imported to

Alias. The letters and numbers in parentheses refer to Notes
For CATIA Entities in Table 2 and Notes For Alias Entities in Table
2, respectively, below.

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CATIA Entity CAI File Entity Alias Entity

8.1 3-axis system (fixed) Axis Construction Plane

1.1 space point Point Curve and Locator (1)
2.1 space line (1) Line Line
3.1 polynomial space curve (1) BsplineCurve Curve
3.2 B_spline polynomial space curve (1)
20.1 space circle (1)
21.1 space ellipse (1)
22.1 space parabola (1)
23.1 space hyperbola (1)
46.1 Rational B_spline curve (1) RationalCurve Curve
4.1 plane Plane Surface (2)
4.24 plane (2)
5.1 polynomial surface BsplineSurface Surface
0 unspecified
1 sphere
2 cylinder
3 cone
4 torus
5 unspecified surface of revolution
6 tabulated cylinder
7 ruled surface
5.2 B_spline polynomial surface BsplineSurface Surface
47.1 Rational B_spline surface RationalSurface Surface
12.1 edge (face boundary) (3) OrientedEdge Trim Curve (3)
12.1 edge (curve on surface) CrvSrf Target Surface (4)
6.1 face FaceElement Trimmed Surface (5)
13.1 skin OpenShell Shell
7.1 volume (4) OpenShell(s) Shell(s)
17.2 exact solid (5) OpenShell(s) Shell(s)
28.1 space ditto Ditto Instance (6)

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Notes For CATIA Entities in Table 2
1 For all CATIA curves whose limits have been modified, a
CAI Trimmed Curve instance may be created when
exporting.

2 For CATIA planar faces, some 4.24 planes may be

transferred as they are used as the base face surface.

3 The curve associated with the edge in CATIA is converted

into a B-spline Curve, used by the Oriented Edge. The
parametric definition of the CATIA edge is converted to a
B-spline Pcurve used by the Oriented Edge.

4 The domains of the CATIA volume are converted to open

shells.

5 The Boundary representation of the solid is extracted and

converted to CAI elements (open shells, curves, etc.). Prior
to exporting the exact solid, make sure that this solid is
up-to-date.

CATIA
Notes For Alias Entities in Table 2
1 A CAI Point is converted to a degree 1 curve composed of
two coincident points and a Locator that identifies the
location of this curve. On export to CAI, this construction
is converted back to a CAI point.

2 A CAI Plane describes an infinite plane and is converted

to a unit Alias Surface. This Surface will be re-exported as
a CAI Plane.

3 The CAI Oriented Edge maps to a trim curve of a trimmed

region of an Alias Trimmed surface.

4 A CAI CrvSrf entity maps to one Alias curve-on-surface

for a particular surface. Multiple CAI CrvSrf entities in the
CAI file referencing the same surface will cause multiple
Alias curves-on-surface to be added to one Alias Target
Surface.

5 A CAI FaceElement maps to one region of an Alias

Trimmed Surface. If multiple CAI FaceElements in the
CAI file reference the same surface, then an Alias
Trimmed Surface will be created with multiple regions.

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 6 A CAI Ditto is imported as an Alias instance node, with
the CAI Ditto transformation, of the Alias group
representing the CAI Detail (see Supported Non-Geometric
Data, Groups/Instances below).
However, if at least two CAI Dittos of the same CAI Detail
each belong to different parent CAI details, then those
dittos are “exploded”. That is, each geometric entity of the
detail is copied and transferred by the transformation of
the CAI Ditto.

Supported Non-Geometric Data

The following non-geometric data can be imported and
exported between Alias and CATIA.

Groups/Instances

How an Alias Group is exported depends on whether it is

instanced or not. An Alias Group that is not instanced has its
component geometry exported to the appropriate
independent CAI geometric entities. An Alias Group node
that is instanced is exported as a CAI Detail entity (that is, the
grouped Alias geometric entities become members of the CAI
Detail); an Alias Instance node is exported as a CAI Ditto
entity. CAI Dittos and Details are subsequently imported into
CATIA as CATIA Dittos and Workspaces, respectively.

An Alias Instance that contains a non-proportional (non-p)

scaling factor in its transformation is “exploded” on export
(that is, each geometric entity that belongs to the Alias Group
being instanced is copied and transformed to independent
CAI geometric entities). Only instances that contain a non-p
scale component are exploded. Other instances of the same
group that do not have a non-p scale component will export as
CAI Dittos of a CAI Detail (as noted above).

CATIA Workspaces and Dittos can feature a situation that is

not supported by the Alias dag structure and instancing
mechanism. This situation arises when Dittos of the same
Workspace belong to different parent Workspaces (see note (6)
in Notes For Alias Entities in Table 2 above). The CATIA Ditto/
Workspace structure is preserved as best as possible on CAI
export from CATIA and subsequent import back to CATIA.

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Names

Alias DAG node names are exported as an attribute of the CAI

entity to which the node’s geometry maps. Alias Instance
node names are exported as an attribute of the CAI Ditto; the
corresponding CAI Detail will have the name of the instanced
Alias Group node. The name attribute of a CAI entity is
mapped to the CATIA User Identifier for that entity in CATIA.

On CAI import to Alias, it is possible for multiple CAI entities

to map to a single Alias object (see notes (4) and (5) in Notes
For Alias Entities in Table 2 above). Each of these CAI entities
may have a unique name (CATIA User Identifier), but the
Alias object can only have one name available for viewing and
editing. The CATIA User Identifiers that are not mapped to an
Alias object with a modifiable name are maintained by Alias
for subsequent export to CATIA via CAI, assuming the objects
to which the names are assigned still exist.

For example, a CATIA user can name individual Faces that all
reference the same surface. These Faces map to CAI

CATIA
FaceElements which in turn map to trim regions of a single
Alias Trimmed Surface. Only the trimmed surface node can
have a name, and this is given the name of the underlying
CATIA surface being trimmed. The CATIA User Identifiers of
each of the faces that mapped to trim regions are maintained
within Alias so they can be transferred back to CATIA. A
similar situation exists for multiple CAI CrvSrf entities that
map to one Alias Target Surface. The CAI CrvSrf name
attribute is preserved for export back to CATIA.

Alias generated names of the form node#<n> (for example,

node#5) are not exported to CAI. CATIA generated names of
the form *<OBJ><N> (for example, *FAC5) are not exported to
CAI. CAI entities that do not have names are given a system
generated name on import to Alias or CATIA.

Layers

The Alias Layer assignment is preserved when exporting to

CAI. As with names, the layer number becomes an attribute of
CAI geometric entities and Dittos. The layer name and other
Alias Layer attributes are not exported.

On CAI import to Alias, geometric entities are placed on the

layer defined by the CAI layer number attribute. If the layer is

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 created by the import process, it is given the name CATIA_<N>
where <N> is the layer number. All layers created by the CAI
import process are sorted in the layer bar by ascending
number.

As with the name attribute, the layer number assignment for

CAI FaceElement and CAI CrvSrf entities is preserved on CAI
import so that this information can be returned to CATIA
through CAI even though it cannot be modified in Alias.

In Alias, a geometric object and all of its ancestors in the dag

hierarchy must be in the same layer. In CATIA, this is not
necessarily the case, as a Ditto may be in a different layer than
the components of the instanced Workspace. On CAI import to
Alias, this feature of CATIA layers is maintained for
subsequent export back to CATIA. If you change the layer
assignment of an Alias Instance that was created from a CAI
Ditto, you will change the layer assignment of all the
geometric entities being instanced to this new layer number
within Alias. However, on CAI export, the original CATIA
layer number assignments for the component geometric
entities and Ditto will be used.

CATIA Dittos that are not assigned to a layer will be preserved

through a bi-directional CAI translation with Alias. While in
Alias, these Dittos will be imported as Alias instances that
reside in the Default Layer.

Object Colors

The wireframe display color of CATIA objects is preserved in a

bi-directional CAI translation with Alias, providing the CATIA
model uses the CATIA Standard Color Table. If the model
references a user-defined color table, then on CAI import to
CATIA, the CAI color of each element is chosen from the
standard color table as the closest match to the original color.

As with names and layers, the CATIA wireframe color index

of an object is an attribute of the CAI geometric entity. On CAI
import to Alias, the CAI geometric entity’s color index is
converted to an RGB color based on the CATIA Standard
Color Table. This RGB color is used to create a simple shader
that is assigned to the associated Alias object that is created,
unless the object is a curve. Only for curves is the CATIA
wireframe color index preserved. CAI surface geometry that
has no CAI color attribute is assigned the Alias default shader.

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 On Alias export to CAI, the color index of a CAI geometric
surface is determined by finding the index in the CATIA
Standard Color table that represents the closest match to the
RGB color of the associated Alias shader. For non-surface CAI
entities, the preserved CATIA color index is exported if it
exists. For original Alias curve geometry, the layer color is
used to find a close match to a CATIA Standard Color index.

Layer Colors

Layer colors are not transferred explicitly via the CAI format.
However, layer colors are assigned to layers created as a result
of CAI import by one of two possible methods.

In the first method (the default) a created layer is assigned one

of the 15 available colors based on the remainder of the layer
number divided by 15. This cycles through the available Alias
layer colors as the layer number increases.

The second method uses the CATIA Standard Layer Color

Table which is defined in the CATIA environment’s startup

CATIA
initialization file CATINSTD.dcls. If this file exists in the /usr/aw/
alias/.Alias/ directory of the Alias installation, or in the .Alias/
Prefs.1/Color/ directory of the Alias user account, then the
CATIA Standard Layer Color Table will be extracted from this
file by the Alias CAI import process and used in the layer color
assignment process.

The CATIA Standard Layer Color Table assigns to each of the

256 CATIA layers a default CATIA color index whose RGB
color is defined in the CATIA Standard Color Table (see Object
Colors above). When the Alias CAI import process has access
to this default layer color assignment, it assigns a color to a
newly created Alias layer that closely matches the color for
that layer number in the table.

To activate this second method copy the CATINSTD.dcls file

from the CATIA installation to /usr/aw/alias/.Alias/ or to
the .Alias/Prefs.1/Color directory of your user account.
Alternatively, create a symbolic link, in either of these Alias
directories, to the CATINSD.dcls file in the CATIA installation.

For example, if Alias is installed in /usr/aw and CATIA is

installed in /usr/catia, then the following command will
create the necessary symbolic link:

ln -s /usr/catia/cfg/dec/CATINSTD.dcls /usr/aw/alias/.Alias/CATINSTD.dcls

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 CATIA Data Transfer
132
Supported Geometry and Data Mapping
5 Pro/Engineer Data
Transfer
In This Section:

ALIAS to Pro/ENGINEER via IGES/STEP .................................134

Pro/ENGINEER to Alias via IGES/STEP ....................................145
Pro/ENGINEER to Alias via Pro/RENDER ................................149

Pro/Engineer

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 ALIAS to Pro/ENGINEER via
IGES/STEP
Studio surface models can be transferred to Pro/Engineer via
either IGES or STEP, depending on the availability of the
transfer formats to the Studio and Pro/Engineer user. Using
Studio, there are two types of model information that can be
sent to and read by Pro/Engineer: geometry information and
topology information.

The Studio IGES file includes only the description of the

geometry information. The STEP entities that Studio supports
means that both the geometry information as well as the
topology information can be transferred and read into Pro/
Engineer. The geometric data describes the basic shape of the
object and in both Alias and Pro/ENGINEER, geometric data
is represented using NURBS.

Topological data describes how the geometric components are

connected together to form a solid. The STEP file format has
advantages over IGES when transferring Studio models to
Pro/Engineer because there is more information describing
the model that is being transferred.

Creating the IGES file in ALIAS

Follow these steps to create an IGES format file for Pro/

ENGINEER:
1 Select the object to be exported so that it is the "active"
object.

2 From the File menu, select Export > Active As.

3 Select IGES from the File Format pop-down menu.

4 Select pro_engineer from the IGES by Vendor browser.

The configuration of the output variables for Pro/
ENGINEER have been determined through data exchange
testing to provide the best conditions for the creation of a
solid model within Pro/ENGINEER. You can alter the
output variables to achieve different results.

5 Select the Save icon and specify the IGES file name. ALIAS
automatically appends the .igs extension to the file name.

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 The file is now ready to be read into Pro/ENGINEER.

Creating the STEP file in ALIAS

Follow these steps to create an STEP format file for Pro/
ENGINEER:
1 Select the object to be exported so that it is the "active"
object.

2 From the File menu, select Export > Active As.

3 Select STEP from the File Format pop-down menu.

4 Select AP214 from the Application Protocol.

5 The Studio model should have already been stitched into a

solid shell (volume) or a shell (group of stitched surfaces
that do not describe a volume.
Select under the Model Type either:
Manifold Shells— A collection of stitched surfaces that do
not describe a volume is saved out as a G3 Manifold Shell.
or
Brep Solids—Stitched geometry that describes a closed

Pro/Engineer
volume is written out as a G5 Brep Solid.

6 Select the Save icon and specify the STEP file name. Studio
automatically appends the .stp extension to the file name.
This file is now ready to be read into Pro/ENGINEER.

Importing the IGES/STEP file into Pro/ENGI-

NEER
This section provides a few instructions for importing Alias
IGES/STEP files, viewing, and converting them to a solid
model. This is not a substitute for having real training with
Pro/ENGINEER, but basically a "cheat sheet".

Importing a 3D IGES/STEP file into Pro/ENGINEER and

creating a solid from the surface geometry is a two-step
process.

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 First, the import file is read into Pro/ENGINEER and a
wireframe model is created from the data. This is known as an
IMPORT FEATURE.

The second step depends on what data is available from the

import file for converting the wireframe model into a Pro/
ENGINEER solid model. Surfaces need to be joined or
"quilted" in order to construct a solid model.

Note Before a foreign model (that is created anywhere other than

Pro/Engineer) is imported into Pro/Engineer, you should
change the Accuracy (Setup>Accuracy) to Absolute’ and
specify the desired absolute tolerance to the value that the
incoming model was built to.
For example, if a model built in Studio was created with a
Curve Fit Tolerance of 0.002 mm then this is the value that
would be set in Pro/Engineer as the absolute tolerance. This
is important to ensure that the Studio-created model can be
used in further downstream operations in Pro/Engineer.

Step 1: Creating an IMPORT FEATURE from the IGES/

STEP file

Follow these steps to import the IGES/STEP file into Pro/

ENGINEER and create an IMPORT FEATURE.
1 To starting Pro/ENGINEER from the shell window, type
pro

2 From the MODE window, choose Part

3 From the ENTERPART window, choose Import

4 Type in a filename and hit Return

5 From the IMPORT menu, choose IGES In/STEP In

Type in the pathname relative to your login home
directory with the filename. You may also enter a "?"
character, and then choose the Unix file name and path
from a file lister.
Once the file has been loaded, an import log is displayed.
For testing purposes, it is important to note is any entries
show up in the "unconverted" list. These entries indicate
an entity that is not coming across and may need to be
investigated depending on the results of the translation. In

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ALIAS to Pro/ENGINEER via IGES/STEP
 most cases, entities that are not processed are associative
rather then geometric and do not affect the results of the
translation.

6 Type “q” to quit

This action closes the log window and the system displays
the result of the translation as an IMPORT FEATURE.
IMPORTANT: Before importing any foreign geometry
(such as models created in Studio) the Pro/E user must
change from the default Relative Tolerancing process to
the Absolute Tolerance process. Before a foreign model
(that is created anywhere other than Pro/Engineer) is
imported into Pro/Engineer, the desired absolute
tolerance must be set to the value that the incoming model
was built to.
For example if the Curve Fit Distance in Studio was set to
0.002mm, then the Absolute Tolerance in the Pro/E work
session should be set to 0.002mm.
This option can be enabled by writing the line:

enable_absolute_accuracy yes

into the config.pro file of the working directory.

Pro/Engineer
Once the option is enabled you must go to the Setup
section of the Pro/E application and select Absolute
Accuracy, and set the units and numerical value of the
tolerance you wish to work at, each time a new part is
created.
This is important to ensure that the Studio-created model
can be used in further downstream operations in Pro/
Engineer.

Step 2: Creating a Solid

The resulting IMPORT FEATURE may be defined as a closed
solid, surface quilt or a partial surface quilt. The color of the
wireframe display indicates the status of the object: white for
closed solid; pink for quilted surfaces; yellow for unquilted
surfaces.

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 Closed Solid - A white wireframe display indicates a closed
solid model and no further steps are required. Additional
solid features may be added to the IMPORT FEATURE and
manipulated parametrically.

Closed Surface Quilt - A closed surface quilt must have all

wireframe edges displayed in pink. A closed surface quilt can
be converted to a closed solid using the following steps:

Open Surface Quilt - Some of the wireframe edges that are not
successfully quilted, or ’zipped’, will be displayed in yellow.

7 From the PART menu, choose Feature

8 From the FEATURE menu, choose Redefine

Note "Pick" is the default selection in the GetSelect menu. Select

the object at an edge with your mouse. It will be highlighted
to indicate that it has been selected.

9 From the REDEFINE IMPORT menu, choose Attributes >

Make Solid > Done
◆ After a few moments, the wireframe display color
changes to white indicating that a solid BASE
FEATURE has been created.

Surface Quilt - A complete surface quilt has all internal edges

displayed in pink (quilted) and a closed outer boundary
displayed in yellow (unquilted). A surface quilt can be
converted to a thin solid. A thin solid is defined as a surface or
surface quilt that is offset to form a closed volume solid.

A surface quilt can be converted to a thin solid using the

following steps:
1 From the PART menu, choose Feature

2 From the FEATURE MENU, choose Create > Solid >

Protrusion > Use Quilt

3 Select the Thin option, and then choose Done.

4 "Pick" is the default selection in the GetSelect menu. Select

the object at an edge with your mouse. It will be
highlighted to indicate that it has been selected. An arrow

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 appears indicating the direction of the solid model. Use
the Flip or Okay menu to continue. At the prompt, enter
the width of the thin feature.

5 The wireframe display color changes to white indicating

that a solid BASE FEATURE has been created.

Partial Quit - A partial surface quilt may contain a

combination of pink and a yellow edges. A pink wireframe
display indicates quilted surfaces and yellow wireframe
display indicates edges that may be quilted. All of the yellow
edges must be quilted to construct a thin solid or closed solid.
Surfaces can be quilted using the following steps:
1 From the PART menu, choose Feature

2 From the FEATURE menu, choose Redefine

Note "Pick" is the default selection in the GetSelect menu. Select

the object at an edge with your mouse It will be highlighted
to indicate that it has been selected.

3 From the REDEFINE IMPORT menu, choose Attributes > Fix

Boundaries > Zip Gaps

4 From the SELECT CHAINS menu, choose Auto Select

Pro/Engineer
Surfaces boundaries that may be joined will be selected.

5 From the SELECT CHAINS menu, choose Zip Gaps > Accept
The wireframe display color will be redrawn in pink
indicating that a surface quilt has been created.

Note All surfaces edges must be quilted before a solid model can
be created. In general, edges fail to quilt because of a
mismatch in the topology of two or more adjacent faces or
because the maximum distance between two adjacent edges
is greater then the current accuracy defined in Pro/
ENGINEER.
If you are not successful in quilting the entire object, return
to the ALIAS model and investigate the boundary condition
further. More on this in the next section.

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 Modeling for successful Pro/ENGINEER data
transfer
When you import your ALIAS model into Pro/ENGINEER,
you provide the geometric and topological information of the
model. When creating a solid model, the Pro/ENGINEER
system must create a valid Pro/ENGINEER data base from the
Alias supplied data. The Alias supplied data must satisfy the
Pro/ENGINEER’s rules for topological and geometric data.

Getting the geometry right

To achieve the tolerance required by solid modeling it’s

important to manage the modeling units and tolerances when
creating your model. Most engineering organizations use the
mm or inch unit as the base linear unit and have developed
standards for tolerances that they apply to their CAD systems.

If you are not clear as to which standards your companies or

clients use, seek out your CAD system manager. Set up your
units and tolerances at the beginning of your modeling session
and save them in your usr_options file.

Note The maximum distance or gap between the surfaces of your

model must be less then the accuracy defined within Pro/
ENGINEER for successful joining of surfaces. The Pro/
ENGINEER system defines accuracy as a value less then the
ratio of the length of the smallest edge of a part divided by
the length of the largest side of a part.
You can lower the part accuracy to successfully join surfaces
when the gap exceeds the required tolerance. However, we
recommend that your ALIAS models are constructed to
within the accuracy defined by the engineering
requirements of your organization.

A recommended tolerance to maintain during transfer from

Alias to Pro/ENGINEER is dependent on the size of the part
being described. Alias uses an absolute tolerance system to
describe geometry which means that every piece of geometry
in a particular wire file is built to plus or minus a given value
(tolerance). Pro/ENGINEER uses a system of relative
tolerance, referring to the fact that the acceptable gap between
pieces of geometry is based on the relative size of the
geometry.

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The default accuracy in Pro/ENGINEER is set to .0012 and the
range available is .01 to .0001. Using the default accuracy, the
maximum allowable distance between two surfaces when the
longest edge of the surface is five inches would be less than 5 *
.0012 = .006 inches. You must create surfaces in ALIAS that
adhere to this accuracy to be successful in creating a Pro/
ENGINEER solid model.

Whether you are creating a model, verifying a model, or

debugging a translation, there are a number of tools within
ALIAS to check the quality of the geometry you have created.
The most useful tool is the min/max measurement tool in the
Locators menu. Use this tool to check the maximum distance
between any two surface boundaries.

Getting the topology right

The Surface Edit > Stitch feature within Alias creates a valid
solid model topology within the ALIAS modeling
environment. The stitching of surfaces within Alias can greatly
improve the robustness of the interface to Pro/ENGINEER.
The stitching process will also identify surface boundaries that
exceed the prescribed tolerances. These problems can then be
corrected by the designer prior to the translation of the data to
Pro/ENGINEER.

Pro/Engineer
In addition, the stitching process will also identify duplicate
surfaces in model and orientate the surface normals of the
completed shell.

When models are constructed using the advance surface tools

(swept, birail and square) it is quite common to create a
number of smaller surfaces along the edge of one larger
surface. This modeling technique does not create the twin
edges required for a solid model. The stitching feature will
automatically create the twin edge topology required by Pro/
ENGINEER.

Not all models are improved by stitching because some

modeling techniques, such as trim intersect and round, create
twin edges.

One case that cannot be solved topologically is the closed or

periodic surface (a primitive sphere is an example of a closed
surface). The reason for this is that in most solid modelers, a
face cannot be joined to itself. The presence of closed or

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 periodic geometry in ALIAS is another reason that geometry
intended for transfer to Pro/E must be stitched before export.
Using stitch has the same effect as detaching the geometry to
create two surfaces before writing the IGES or STEP file for
Pro/ENGINEER.

High Degree Surfaces

Surfaces that are greater then degree 3 are not supported by

Pro/ENGINEER and are rebuilt during import of the transfer
file. Within the ALIAS modeler, high degree surfaces are
created when they constructed from high degree curves.
Geometry being built in Studio with the intention of being
exported to Pro/ENGINEER should not contain higher than
degree 3 (cubic) surfaces or curves.

Advanced techniques
The following are some suggestions for Alias modeling that
provide enhanced inter-operability with Pro/ENGINEER.

Exporting "Features" from Alias

Because Pro/ENGINEER creates each element of a model as a

feature, it can be very useful to import components of the
Alias model as individual export files that can be manipulated
in Pro/ENGINEER as individual import Features. Major
components of your Alias model can be transferred separately
so that they can used to construct individual features within
Pro/ENGINEER.

The advantage of this technique is that individual features can

be "reordered" in Pro/ENGINEER to give added flexibility to
the engineer. The Feature > Reorder command allows the user
of Pro/ENGINEER to modify the sequence feature
construction. This is useful during the engineering process.
Additional "mechanical" features are added to the industrial
design model and the result is based on geometry previously
created.

Surface Replacement

The surface replacement technique can be very useful when

the model is a mix of mechanical elements defined by an

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engineer and styling elements defined by an industrial
designer. By replacing the styling elements of a Pro/
ENGINEER model all of the parametric/feature information is
retained for the mechanical elements. This allows for
continued parametric editing, automatic dimensioning, and so
on.

Incorporating Alias model changes in Pro/ENGINEER

This document will provide you with instructions on how to

take specific IGES/STEP files created from stitched models in
Alias, import them into Pro/Engineer, add details such as
rounds and shells, then replace the import file with a new one
that has been modified in Alias.

To Replace the IGES/STEP file with a new one:

1 From the FEATURE window, choose Redefine > By Table

2 From the SELECT FEATURES window, choose IMPORT

FEATURE

3 From the BY TABLE menu, choose Done

4 From the REDIFINE IMPORT window, choose File

Pro/Engineer
5 From the INTERFACE IMPORT menu, choose IGES/STEP

6 Type in the pathname relative to your login home

directory with the filename. You may also enter a "?"
character, then choose the Unix file name and path from a
file lister

7 Type q to quit
This action closes the log window and the system displays
the result of the translation as the replacement IMPORT
FEATURE.

8 From the REDIFINE IMPORT window, choose Done

The new file appears in the main window and a smaller
window in the upper right displays the old Import
Feature. The default pairs of edges are highlighted.

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 9 Accept the default pairs by entering [Y]. If the topology of
the replacement Import Feature has been altered,
additional steps are required create a complete set of edge
pairs. Use the Set Pairs command from the IMPORT
PAIRS menu.

10 From the IMPORT PAIRS menu, choose Done

The features added to the original Import Feature will be
placed on the modified Import Feature.

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ALIAS to Pro/ENGINEER via IGES/STEP
Pro/ENGINEER to Alias via
IGES/STEP

Creating/Exporting an IGES file in

Pro/ENGINEER
Follow these steps to export a Pro/ENGINEER part file to the
IGES file format:
1 From the PART menu, Choose Interface > Export > IGES

2 Type in a filename and hit Return

3 From the EXPORT OPTIONS menu, choose Done

4 Select a coordinate system to be used in the IGES file.

A message appears indicating that the export file has been
created. Pro/ENGINEER creates an IGES file with the .igs
extension. This file is now ready to be read into ALIAS.
When creating the IGES file in Pro/ENGINEER the
igs_config.pro file should be used. You can access this
file from the EXPORT OPTIONS menu. Edit your
igs_config.pro file so that the options are as shown

Pro/Engineer
below:
Iges_out_all_srfs_as 128
Iges_out_spl_crvs_as_126 Yes
Iges_out_spl_srfs_as_128 Yes
Iges_out_trim_xyz No
Iges_out_mil_d_28000 No
Iges_out_trm_srfs_as_143 No
Iges_out_JAMIS_compliant No
Iges_out_trim_curve_deviation DEFAULT
Intf_out_blanked_entities Yes
Intf3d_out_extend_surfaces No

Exporting Pro/ENGINEER Assemblies via IGES

When exporting assemblies from Pro/ENGINEER, there are
four types of IGES output available: Flat, One Level, All Levels
and All Parts.

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 Flat

With the Flat option, Pro/ENGINEER exports the entire

geometry of the assembly in a single IGES file. All components
are transformed into model space before exporting, but there
will be no hierarchy contained in the IGES file. All geometry of
the assembly exists in the Flat IGES file, and it will all be
correctly positioned in model space.

To help organize these files that have the potential of being

very large, place each instance of a part within an assembly
into its own layer in Pro/ENGINEER before exporting the
assembly as IGES Flat. The layers will be transferred as
"levels" along with the assembly in the IGES file. The IGES
levels are translated into ALIAS Sets. This means that the
members of one set are all of the surfaces that comprise an
instance of a part in the assembly. See also the Pro/ENGINEER
Interface Guide 18.0 page 3-9.

The interface ID that was specified for each layer is the means
by which Pro/ENGINEER layer information is transferred via
IGES. IGES does not support names for layers. Layers in IGES
are called "levels" and a level is identified by a number, not a
name. This is why Pro/ENGINEER asks you to assign a
number as well as a name to a created layer. The name is more
useful within Pro/ENGINEER, but the number is important
for data transfer.

When the IGES file is imported into Alias, the IGES level
information is created as Alias Sets. To display the level
information, go the Set Lister (Pick > from lister > SETS). You
will notice there exists sets whose names have the format
LEVEL#n, where n is the "interface id" that was specified in
Pro/ENGINEER.

One Level

Outputs an assembly IGES file with external references

pointing to the IGES files of its components. This contains only
top-level geometry.

All Levels

With the All Levels option, Pro/ENGINEER outputs n+ 1 IGES

files, assuming that there are n parts or sub-assemblies in the
assembly. There will be one IGES file for each part or sub-

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assembly (for a total of n IGES files) and one master IGES files
that contains external references (IGES entity 416 form 1) to
the n-component IGES files. Each external reference to a
component IGES file within the master IGES file is contained
within an IGES Subfigure Definition (entity 308), which is
instanced once by an IGES Subfigure Instance (entity 408). The
model of each component referenced by the master IGES file is
in definition space; that is, placed at the origin. Each
component is transformed into model space via the
transformation contained in the Subfigure Instance (entity 408)
in the master IGES file.

If the n-component IGES files are individually imported into

Alias, the resulting model will be incorrect, since each
component will be placed at the origin, rather than the correct
spot in model space.

If the master IGES file is imported into Alias, there will be no

model at all! This is because Alias does not support the IGES
External Reference (416 form 1) entity. This entity is generally
frowned upon because it contains the filename of the
component IGES file, and filenames are generally not portable
between operating systems (e.g. Unix > DOS).

All Parts

Pro/Engineer
Outputs an assembly to IGES as multiple files containing
geometry information of its components and assembly
features. These parts use the same reference coordinate system
to ease reassembly in the receiving system.

Creating/Exporting a STEP file in Pro/ENGINEER

Follow these steps to export a Pro/ENGINEER part file to the

STEP file format.
1 From the PART menu, choose Interface > Export > STEP

2 From the EXPORT OPTIONS menu, choose “#” Done

3 Select a coordinate system to be used in the STEP file.

4 Type in a filename and hit return

A message appears indicating that the export file has been
created. Pro/ENGINEER creates an STEP file with the .stp
extension. This file is now ready to be read into ALIAS.

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 STEP configuration options

When creating the STEP file in Pro/ENGINEER the STEP

configuration options are as shown below.

For more information see the step_export_format

Export Configuration this can be set to either AP203_IS or AP214_CD
Options for STEP table in the
Pro/ENGINEER Interface
Guide. intf_out_max_bspl_degree
this value sets a maximum degree between 3 to 16 of
exported bspline surfaces into STEP

intf_out_blanked_entities
filters export of entities based on their display status

intf_out_blank_layers
filters export of layers based on their display status

intf_out_layer_ids
allows the Pro/ENGINEER operator the option of
assigning interface ID’s for layers which were not
assigned ID’s during export

intf_out_layer_rename_table
enables user to assign interface ID’s to layers during
export

intf_out_as_bezier
exports B-spline and spline surfaces as Bezier

intf_out_default_option
controls the type of 3D data output through Pro/BATCH
to a STEP file

intf3d_out_extend_surface
controls the extending of surfaces during export

intf3d_out_surface_deviation
sets a maximum allowable deviation in the process of
converting Pro/ENGINEER surfaces to STEP

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Pro/ENGINEER to Alias via Pro/
RENDER
Creating the Render file in Pro/ENGINEER

Follow these steps to export a Pro/ENGINEER part file to the

Render file format.
1 From the PART menu, choose Interface > Export > Render

2 From the RENDER menu, choose Output

3 Select a coordinate system to be used for the RENDER file.

4 Type in a filename and hit Return

A message appears indicating that the RENDER file has been

created. Pro/ENGINEER creates an RENDER file with the .slp
extension. This file is now ready to be imported into Alias.

Importing Pro/RENDER Files

The Pro/RENDER can be imported into Alias using FILE >

Retrieve. Additional control for the translation is available

Pro/Engineer
from FILE > Retrieve > Pro/E Render Options.

The Pro/RENDER triangle data is converted into Alias

Polysets. It is important that the Pro/ENGINEER designer
assign each part of an assembly a different color, so that each
part will become a separate Polyset in Alias. The colors are
also translated into simple Alias shaders and these shaders are
assigned to the appropriate objects.

Retrieve Options

Specifying Units

The units of the data in the Pro/ENGINEER Render File are

not specified in the file. PRenderToAlias needs to know what
the units are so that the model will be at the correct scale after
it is imported into Alias. By default, PRenderToAlias assumes
the data is in inches.

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 If the model was created in Pro/ENGINEER based on other
units, these units should be specified using the -u option when
the Render file is converted.

The -s option allows an arbitrary scale factor to be specified if

desired.

The -g option simply groups all of the polysets created for a

particular Render file. This allows several files to be retrieved
in a row, with the geometry from each file in a separate group.

Specifying Tolerances

By default, PRenderToAlias may merge the vertices of

triangles along apparent shared edges. If two vertices have the
same x, y, z position within a tolerance and have the same
normal within a tolerance, they are merged into one vertex.
This allows Alias to do smooth shading across the edges. If
two vertices have the same x, y, z position, but have different
normals, then these vertices are not merged to maintain the
hard edge.

The tolerance used for comparing vertex positions can be

specified using the -t option. The value specified is in the same
units as the data. For example, if you specified -uMM -t0.01,
the tolerance for comparing vertex positions is 0.01
millimeters. If you change the units from the default inches,
then the default tolerance of .0001 may have to be changed to
make sense for the units specified.

The tolerance used for normal comparisons can be specified

using the -a option. The value is specified in degrees and is the
angle between the normals of two vertices. The default is that
two vertices will be merged if their positions are equal within
tolerance and the angle between the normals is less than 1
degree.

Specifying Vertex Normals

Vertex normals in Pro/ENGINEER Render Files all point

towards the inside of objects. For rendering purposes in Alias,
these normals must point towards the outside of objects.
Consequently, the PRenderToAlias translator flips all vertex
normals during the translation.

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The vertex normals of polysets are usually recalculated by the
Alias renderer before it renders polysets. By default,
PRenderToAlias freezes the normals assigned to vertices in the
Pro/ENGINEER Render file so that they are used by the
renderer rather than discarded and recalculated. This allows
the renderer to produce a better quality rendering. To suppress
this behavior, specify -r so that the renderer will discard the
Pro/ENGINEER assigned normals and recalculate them.

The stand-alone PRenderToAlias program

The stand-alone PRenderToAlias program converts a Pro/

ENGINEER Render Format file into an Alias wirefile.
PRenderToAlias can be executed in a Unix shell window.

Type PRenderToAlias -h to see the usage information:

PRenderToAlias

Arguments: [<options>] [<infile> [<outfile>]]

Options:

-s
scale Input scale factor (for example. -s2.0)

Pro/Engineer
-u
Input units. Acceptable values are
MI,FT,IN,MIL,UIN,KM,M,CM,MM,UM]. The default is
-uIN

-g
Group the geometry

-n
Do not merge vertices

-r
Recalculate vertex normals

-p
Merge vertices according to xyz position only

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 -t pos_tol
Specify merge vertices position tolerance value in input
units. The default is 0.0001.

-a nrm_tol.
Specify merge vertices normal tolerance value in degrees.
The default is 1 degree.

Where:

<infile> is a Pro/Engineer Render file. If it is absent, input

comes from stdin.

<outfile> is an Alias wire file. If it is absent, output goes to

stdout.

By default all vertices are merged according to their positions

and normals.

Executing from the command line in a Unix shell window is

outlined in the previous description, and the resulting wire file
can then be retrieved into Alias V8.2.

Examples:

PRenderToAlias crankshaft.slp crankshaft.wire

PRenderToAlias -g -t0.001 hammer.slp hammer.wire

Note Suffix = .slp (This is the default file extension used by Pro/
Engineer)

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6 SolidDesigner Data
Transfer
In This Section:

Alias to SolidDesigner via IGES/STEP ........................................154

Creating the IGES file in Studio....................................................155
SolidDesigner to Studio via IGES/STEP ......................................157

SolidDesigner

153
 Alias to SolidDesigner via IGES/
STEP
Studio surface models can be transferred to SolidDesigner via
either IGES or STEP, depending on the availability of the
transfer formats to the Studio and SolidDesigner user. Using
Studio, there are two types of model information that can be
sent to and read by SolidDesigner, geometry information and
topology information.

The Studio IGES file includes only the description of the

geometry information. The STEP entities that Studio supports
means that both the geometry information as well as the
topology information can be transferred and read into
SolidDesigner.

The geometric data describes the basic shape of the object and
in both Alias and SolidDesigner, geometric data is represented
using NURBS.

Topological data describes how the geometric components are

connected together to form a solid. The STEP file format has
advantages over IGES when transferring Studio models to
SolidDesigner because there is more information describing
the model that is being transferred.

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Alias to SolidDesigner via IGES/STEP
Creating the IGES file in Studio
Follow these steps to create an IGES format file for
SolidDesigner:
1 Select the object to be exported so that it is the "active"
object.

2 From the File menu select Export > Save Active As.

3 Select IGES from the File Format menu.

4 Select ’Default’ from the IGES by Vendor browser.

You can alter the output variables to achieve different
results.

5 Select the Save icon and specify the IGES file name. ALIAS
automatically appends the .iges extension to the file name.
This file is now ready to be read into SolidDesigner.

Creating the STEP file in ALIAS

Follow these steps to create an STEP format file for

SolidDesigner:
1 Select the object to be exported so that it is the "active"
object.

2 From the File menu select Export > Save Active As.

3 Select STEP from the File Format menu.

SolidDesigner
4 Select AP214 from the Application Protocol.

5 The Studio model should have already been stitched into a

solid shell (volume) or a shell (group of stitched surfaces
that do not describe a volume).

6 Select the Save icon and specify the STEP file name. Studio
automatically appends the .stp extension to the file name.
This file is now ready to be read into SolidDesigner.

Importing the IGES/STEP file into SolidDesigner

Importing into SolidDesigner 4.0

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155
Creating the IGES file in Studio
 In SolidDesigner:
1 Select File at the top

2 Select External

3 Select STP under LOAD, this will bring you to "LOAD

STEP" menu

4 Select Surfaces

5 Select Connect "on", Check Part "on", and Trm Par "off"
under the Options header

6 Select Custom "on" under Resolution header

7 Select Accuracy and type .001 in the field to the right

8 Select File Name and type (name.stp) under the file header

9 Select OK

Step 2: Creating a Solid

Once the imported geometry has been used to create a solid,

the resulting solid part may be defined as a closed solid,
surface quilt or a partial surface quilt.

All surface edges must be used to create a solid before you can
take advantage of the solid functionalities in SolidDesigner. In
general, edges fail to be used to create a solid because of a
mismatch in the topology of two or more adjacent faces or
because the maximum distance between two adjacent edges is
greater then the current accuracy defined in SolidDesigner.

If you are not successful in stitching the entire object, return to

the Alias model and investigate the boundary condition
further.

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Creating the IGES file in Studio
SolidDesigner to Studio via
IGES/STEP
Creating/Exporting an IGES file in SolidDesigner

In SolidDesigner you must export all surfaces as NURBS. You

can set this by typing the following in the SolidDesigner
command line:
(set-iges-all-sf-nurbs "YES")

To switch back; type:

(set-iges-all-sf-nurbs "NO")

An important IGES option to set in SolidDesigner for

successful transfer to Alias/Studio is:
Output Mode = TRIMMED_PARAMETRIC Heading 1

SolidDesigner

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 SolidDesigner Data Transfer
158
SolidDesigner to Studio via IGES/STEP
7 I-DEAS Master Series
(SDRC) Data Transfer
In this Section:

Transferring Alias to I-DEAS for Master Series 6A .....................160

Transferring Alias to I-DEAS for Master Series 7........................169

SDRC

159
 Transferring Alias to I-DEAS for
Master Series 6A

Software Requirements
● I-DEAS Master Series 6A
● IDC v9.5

Creating a Wire File in Alias

Follow these steps to create a wire file for I-DEAS Master
Series:
1 Select the object you want to export to make it active.

2 Select File > Export > Active As-❐.

3 Select Wire from the File Format menu under Basic Save
Options.

4 Click Save and specify the wire file name. Make sure you
add the .wir extension to the end of the file name.
By default the extension that will be filtered in the I-DEAS
file lister will be .wir. Make sure that you have the .wir
extension on the name of the file being exported from
Studio.
The file is now ready to be read into I-DEAS Master Series.

Note The .wir extension is not automatically added to the file

name. Each Studio-created file you plan on opening in
I-DEAS Master Series must have an extension.

Exportable Alias Geometry

The following geometry types can be exported to Master
Series using I-DEAS Direct Connect:
● Single CVs (points)
● All curves (with or without attributes): lines, polylines,
and so on
● Faces

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 ● Curves-on-surface
● Surfaces
● Target surfaces
● Trimmed surfaces
● Trimmed surfaces with multiple trim regions
● Target trimmed surfaces
● Shells

Note Polysets are the only geometry entities that are not
supported by Master Series.

Integrating Studio models in Master Series

Often the workflow will require that the designer send

geometry over to the engineer using a CAD system, and the
CAD operator will use the model to describe a solid part and
then do other engineering process such as describe ribs, bosses
and other mechanical details. At any point the designer may
need to update the information in the CAD system by re-
exporting changes made to the original model in Studio so
that those changes can be integrated into the CAD database.

Shelling Imported Geometry

For information on how to Shelling, or creating solid geometry from imported Alias
do shelling in Alias, see the models, is a common workflow in Alias and Master Series.
NURBS Modeling book. When exporting a model from Alias, you must ensure that the
geometry is built to the correct tolerance and that it can be
stitched. The stitching process in Alias identifies gaps between
surfaces so that you can repair the appropriate geometry
before writing the file out to I-DEAS Master Series.

During stitching, the surfaces are twinned. This means that the
SDRC

surface boundaries may be split to accommodate adjacent

surfaces, and periodic geometry is detached into multiple
surfaces. For this reason, you should save the Alias wire file
before stitching so that if further modifications are required to
be made to the Studio model, the construction history will be
intact. (Stitched geometry saved to an Alias wire file cannot be
unstitched to its original state.)

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Transferring Alias to I-DEAS for Master Series 6A
 A typical workflow is as follows:
1 Stitch the surfaces and carry out a visual check to confirm
there are no gaps.

2 Undo the stitch operation (Edit > Undo or Ctrl-Z).

3 Save the Alias wire file.

4 Stitch the surfaces again and export the stitched object to a

wire file.

Exporting Features from Alias

The term part in I-DEAS Master Series refers to geometry that

has been saved out as a part. The term feature refers to any
attribute that augments the basic shape of a part and
distinguishes it from other parts that could be derived from
the same basic shape. More precisely, features are objects
whose key dimensions and orientations have been controlled,
thus allowing you to control your design. You can bring in
parts or features to replace existing features on the workbench.

Since I-DEAS Master Series creates each element of a model as

a part or feature, it is useful to import components of the Alias
model as individual Alias wire files that can be manipulated in
I-DEAS Master Series as individual features. Major
components of the Alias model can be transferred separately
so that they can be used to construct individual features. The
advantage of this technique is that individual features can be
“replaced” to give added flexibility.

How to Replace Surfaces

In I-DEAS Master Series, operations such as shelling, adding
mechanical features, and adding ribs and bosses are
performed.While this is being done, the Alias model can be
further modified. The new Alias model can be imported and
will replace the original Orphan Node.

This technique can be very useful when the model is a mix of

mechanical elements defined by an engineer and styling
elements defined by an industrial designer.

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Transferring Alias to I-DEAS for Master Series 6A
 1 Select the History Access menu icon from the second
section of the icon panel.

2 You are prompted to select the entity for which you want
Select History Access information.

3 Accept (or click the middle mouse button) to display the

History Access window.

Orphan Node

4 Ensure that the Orphan Node of the original model is

selected (active).

5 Import the Alias wire file that represents the modified

Studio model.
SDRC

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Transferring Alias to I-DEAS for Master Series 6A
 6 Select File > Import.

7 Select Alias Surfaces and click OK.

The File Name Input window appears.

Click o
icon.

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Transferring Alias to I-DEAS for Master Series 6A
8 Click on the icon to the right of the File Name, and the File
Lister appears:

If the file you want is displayed in the list, select the file
name and click OK.

Tip You can also click the Filter button to choose the UNIX file
name and path from a file lister.

When the Alias wire file processing is complete, the I-

DEAS List window displays a message indicating the file’s
process. The window also displays any problems, such as
unacceptable tolerances, that may have occurred.
Since geometry cannot exist in an I-DEAS model file
unless it is a part, you should create a part with the
geometry and topology deposited there. Any messages
describing geometry and topology errors are listed in the
error log. An error message indicates that an entity did not
SDRC

go through and may need to be investigated depending on

the results of the translation.
The errlog file resides in the directory you ran the software
from (or your home directory).

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Transferring Alias to I-DEAS for Master Series 6A
 Note You must be able to stitch together this surface geometry
once it is in I-DEAS Master Series to ensure its status as
either a closed or open solid. For information on creating
and confirming stitched geometry, see the Creating a Solid
section.

9 Select the Modify Entity icon from the second section in

the icon panel.

10 A popup menu is displayed. Select Replace Feature.

You are prompted to select the geometry that will be used
to replace the original feature.
Once you select the feature, you are prompted whether or
Select Modify Entity
not you want to control the associativity of mapping the
old and new geometry.

11 If you select Yes, the screen splits into two areas. You are
prompted to map the any changed faces of the new model
to the corresponding faces of the original model.

12 When the mapping has been completed, click the Update

icon from the second section of the icon panel.
Update
Icon The original feature is replaced by the imported geometry and
a new feature exists with all the nodes acting upon the new
Orphan Node.

This image shows the

original geometry.

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Transferring Alias to I-DEAS for Master Series 6A
This image shows the new
model.

Summary
Use the following summarized list of modeling practices
discussed in this section as a quick reference guide if problems
arise.

Before you create the model

● Units should be set to mm.
● In the Construction Options window:
◆ The Modeling Modes should be set to NURBS
● The Construction Option preset should be set to SDRC.
Tolerances should be set to the following values:
◆ Curve Fit Distance = 0.005 mm
◆ Maximum Gap Distance = 0.005 mm
◆ Curve Fit Checkpoints = 10
◆ Trim Curve Fit = 0.001 mm

While you create the model

See NURBS Modeling for Use degree 5 curves and surfaces to achieve curvature
SDRC

●
descriptions of these tools. continuity between surfaces and successful data transfer.
Master Series I-DEAS does not support degree 7 geometry.
Geometry created in Studio which is degree 7 will be
rebuilt to degree 3 (cubic) upon import to I-DEAS.

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 Adjacent Studio surfaces which had been built with
continuity between them may no longer have that
continuity after they are rebuilt in I-DEAS.
● Use surface building tools such as Square and Birail that
allow you to impose curvature continuity between
adjacent surfaces. Also use the Rebuild option within these
surfacing tools so that surfaces with interior multi-knots
cannot be built.
● Surfaces should be overbuilt and trimmed back before
export.
● Fillets and other detail geometry should be deleted from
the Alias model before export. Fillets and detail geometry
should ideally be built in I-DEAS Master Series to improve
the success of the transfer and give you parametric control
of the fillet and detail geometry while using I-DEAS
Master Series.
● Models should be transferred periodically from Alias to
Master Series during construction to manage the quality
of the model being created.
● The Alias model must be successfully stitched before
export, but you should also periodically stitch the
geometry during model creation in Alias to ensure that the
model meets all tolerance requirements.
● Avoid using Attach and Join Curve since these functions
create multi-knots in Alias geometry that are not
supported by Master Series.
● Avoid using Skin and Patch between trimmed surface
boundaries since excessive amounts of data are created in
the resulting surface.
● Use surface building tools such as Square and Birail, taking
advantage of the Boundary Rebuild option, to control
curvature continuity between surfaces and ensure
surfaces do not contain multi-knots.

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Transferring Alias to I-DEAS for Master Series 6A
Transferring Alias to I-DEAS for
Master Series 7

Software Requirements
● I-DEAS Master Series 7.
● IDC v9.5

Creating a Wire File in Alias

Follow these steps to create an Alias wire file for export to
I-DEAS Master Series:
1 Select the object you want to export to make it active.

2 Select File>Export>Active As-❐.

3 Select Wire from the File Format menu under Basic Save
Options.

4 Click Save and specify the wire file name. For export to
Master Series 6, make sure that you add the .dat
extension to the end of the file name.
The file is now ready to be read into I-DEAS Master Series.

Note The .dat extension is not automatically added to the file

name. Each Alias wire file intended to be exported to I-
DEAS Master Series must have the correct file extension.

Exportable Alias Geometry

The following geometry types can be exported to Master

Series using I-DEAS Direct Connect:
● Single CVs (points)
SDRC

● All curves (with or without attributes: lines, polylines,

etc.)
● Faces
● Curves on Surface
● Surfaces

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 ● Target Surfaces
● Trimmed Surfaces
● Trimmed Surfaces with multiple trim regions
● Target Trimmed Surfaces
● Shells

Polysets are the only geometry entities that are not supported
by Master Series.

Integrating Studio Models in Master Series

Often the workflow will require that the designer send

geometry over to the engineer using a CAD system. The CAD
operator will then use the model to describe a solid part and
perform other engineering process such as describing ribs,
bosses and other mechanical details.

At any point the designer may need to update the information

in the CAD system by re-exporting changes made to the
original model in Studio so that those changes can be
integrated into the CAD database.

Shelling Imported Geometry

For information on how to Shelling, or creating solid geometry from imported Alias
do shelling in Alias, see the models, is a common workflow in Alias and Master Series.
NURBS Modeling book. When exporting a model from Alias, you must ensure that the
geometry is built to the correct tolerance and that it can be
stitched. The stitching process in Alias identifies gaps between
surfaces so that you can repair the appropriate geometry
before writing the file out to I-DEAS Master Series.

During stitching, the surfaces are twinned. This means that the
surface boundaries may be split to accommodate adjacent
surfaces, and periodic geometry is detached into multiple
surfaces.

For this reason, you should save the Alias wire file before
stitching so that if further modifications are required to be
made to the Studio model, the construction history will be
intact. (Stitched geometry saved to an Alias wire file cannot be
unstitched to its original state.)

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A typical workflow for shelling:
1 Stitch the surfaces and carry out a visual check to confirm
there are no gaps.

2 Undo the stitch operation (Edit > Undo or Ctrl-Z).

3 Save the Alias wire file.

4 Stitch the surfaces again and export the stitched object to a

wire file.

Exporting Features from Alias

The term part in I-DEAS Master Series refers to geometry that

has been saved out as a part. The term feature refers to any
attribute that augments the basic shape of a part and
distinguishes it from other parts that could be derived from
the same basic shape. More precisely, features are objects
whose key dimensions and orientations have been controlled,
thus allowing you to control your design. You can bring in
parts or features to replace existing features on the workbench.

Since I-DEAS Master Series creates each element of a model as

a part or feature, it is useful to import components of the Alias
model as individual Alias wire files that can be manipulated in
I-DEAS Master Series as individual features. Major
components of the Alias model can be transferred separately
so that they can be used to construct individual features. The
advantage of this technique is that individual features can be
“replaced” to give added flexibility.

Surface Replacement Technique

This technique can be very useful when the model is a mix of

mechanical elements defined by an engineer and styling
elements defined by an industrial designer.
SDRC

To replace surfaces:

You must import the Alias model as an "Orphan Node". You

can confirm that this is the case from the History Access
window.

To open the History Access window:

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 1 Select the History Access menu item from the second
section of the icon panel.

2 You are prompted to select the entity for which you want
information. Select the model on the workbench, and in
the Access window select the orphan node of the part.

Tip Before importing the new Alias model, the Orphan Node
of the original model is selected (active) for the replace
routine to be used.
Next, you will import the Alias wire file model which
represents the changes that are required to be
incorporated.

3 Select File > Import. From the File Import list, select Freeform
Surfacing.

4 A popup window is displayed.

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 Select ALIAS. The File Name Input window appears.

Directory mask button

Either:
◆ Type the fully qualified path name of the file you want
to import in the Freeform Surfacing file name field.
◆ Select the directory mask button (labeled above) to
use a file lister from which you can select the file you
want to import:

5 Select OK.
The I-DEAS List window displays the import
progress and the new model is imported on top of the
SDRC

original geometry.

6 Once the model has been imported, if necessary, position

the stitched geometry where you want it in relation to the
existing part in I-DEAS Master Series.

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 7 Ensure that the orphan node of the original model is still
active, and then select Modify Entity.

Tip You must be able to stitch together this surface

geometry once it is in I-DEAS Master Series to ensure its
status as either a closed or open solid.
For information on creating and confirming stitched
geometry, see the Creating a Solid section.

8 A popup menu is displayed. Select Replace Feature.

You are prompted to select the geometry that will be used
to replace the original feature.

9 Once you select the feature, you are prompted whether or

not you want to control the associativity of mapping the
old and new geometry.
If you select Yes, the screen splits into two areas. You are
prompted to map the original geometry to the geometry of
the newly imported model.

10 When the mapping has been completed, click the Update

icon from the second section of the icon panel.
The original feature is replaced by the imported
geometry and a new feature exists with all the nodes
acting upon the new Orphan Node.

Update icon

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 Summary
Use the following summarized list of modeling practices as a
quick reference guide to avoid data transfer problems.

Before you create the model

● Units should be set to mm.

● In the Construction Options window:

◆ The Modeling Modes should be set to NURBS.
● Tolerances should be set to the following values
◆ Curve Fit Distance = 0.005 mm
◆ Maximum Gap Distance = 0.005 mm
◆ Curve Fit Checkpoints = 10
◆ Trim Curve Fit = 0.001 mm

While you create the model

See NURBS Modeling for a ● Use degree 5 curves and surfaces to achieve curvature
description of these tools. continuity between surface geometry for successful data
transfer.
Master Series I-DEAS does not support degree 7 geometry.
Geometry created in Studio which is degree 7 will be
rebuilt to degree 3 (cubic) upon import to I-DEAS.
Adjacent Studio surfaces which had been built with
continuity between them may no longer have that
continuity after they are rebuilt in I-DEAS.
● Use surface building tools such as Square and Birail that
allow you to impose curvature continuity between
adjacent surfaces. Also, use the Rebuild option within
these surfacing tools so that surfaces with interior multi-
knots cannot be built.
● Surfaces should be overbuilt and trimmed back before
export. This will result in a greater success rate when the
SDRC

surface geometry is offset in SDRC.

● Fillets and other detail geometry should be deleted
from the Alias model before export. Ideally, surfaces that
describe major form definition and design intent should
be built in Studio, and fillets and detail geometry should
be built in I-DEAS Master Series. Fillet and detail

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 geometry created in Master Series give the SDRC user
parametric control of that geometry while using I-DEAS
Master Series.
● Models should be transferred periodically from Alias to
Master Series during construction to manage the quality
of the model being created.
● The Alias model must be successfully stitched before
export, but you should also periodically stitch the
geometry during model creation in Alias to ensure that the
model meets all tolerance requirements.
● Avoid using Attach and Join Curve since these functions
create multi-knots in Alias geometry that are not
supported by Master Series.
● Avoid using Skin and Patch between trimmed surface
boundaries since excessive amounts of data are created in
the resulting surface.
● Use surface building tools such as Square and Birail,
taking advantage of the Boundary Rebuild option to
control curvature continuity between surfaces and
ensure surfaces do not contain multi-knots.

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8 Unigraphics Data
Transfer
In This Section:

Unigraphics Direct Connect Overview .........................................178

Using Unigraphics Direct Connect: Alias to Unigraphics ...........180
Using Unigraphics Direct Connect: Unigraphics to Alias Format ....
190

Unigraphics

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 Unigraphics Direct Connect
Overview

Purpose
Alias Unigraphics Direct Connect is a stand-alone utility that
allows the exchange of 3D model data between Alias and
Unigraphics.

Software Requirements
● version 15 or 16 of Unigraphics
● DesignStudio, Studio, SurfaceStudio, or AutoStudio
Version 9.5
● Windows NT Only: Environment Setup
1 Select from your Start Menu > Control Panel > System >
Environment

2 Select variable UG_ROOT_DIR

3 Copy the value of this variable

4 Highlight the Path Variable

5 Add a colon at the end of the Path value and then paste
the contents of the Value for UG_ROOT_DIR.

Workflows
Before transferring geometry between Alias and Unigraphics,
you should consider the purpose of the transfer in order to
plan an appropriate workflow.

Two common workflows are:

● Geometry (describing mechanical components) is
transferred from Unigraphics to Alias for concept design
surfacing, then transferred back to Unigraphics.
● An Alias model is transferred to Unigraphics, and both
Alias and Unigrapics Databases are developed
independently. Later, the modified Alias model is
transferred again to Unigraphics, replacing the Alias

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 geometry from the first transfer. In this scenario, all work
done in Unigraphics on the first Alias model transfer will
affect the new, modified geometry.

There are many variations on these two examples. Whatever

the transfer scenario, you should carefully plan the transfer
process, to ensure that the appropriate data is written out and
is useful.

Unigraphics

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 Using Unigraphics Direct
Connect: Alias to Unigraphics
This section describes the process of transferring an Alias
model to Unigraphics:
● Creating the Unigraphics Part File in Alias on page 180
● Importing the Unigraphics Part File into Unigraphics on
page 182
● Using a Sheet in Unigraphics on page 185
● Working in Unigraphics with Geometry Imported from Alias
on page 186
● Summary on page 188

Creating the Unigraphics Part File in Alias

Follow these steps to create a Unigraphics part file in Alias for
transfer to Unigraphics:
1 Select the object you want to export, to make it active.

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2 Select File > Export > Active As-❐

3 The Save Active Options window appears. Select Unigraphics

from the File Format menu under Basic Save Options.

If you want include data in the Attribute Information file

to be included with the Unigraphics part file, select Edit
Attribute Data from the Unigraphics Attribute Information
window.

4 Click Save and specify the Unigraphics part file name. The
file is now ready to be read into Unigraphics.
A log file documenting the conversion of the Alias wire
file to the Unigraphics part file is generated and can be
found in the directory where Unigraphics was started.
Unigraphics

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 Importing the Unigraphics Part File into Uni-
graphics
The following sections describe how to import Unigraphics
part files into Unigraphics, view them and prepare them to be
used in downstream Unigraphics operations.

To import a 3D Alias file into Unigraphics and create useful

geometry for the Unigraphics engineer, you must follow two
main steps:
1 The Alias-created Unigraphics file is read into
Unigraphics, where a .prt file is generated on import.

2 The model’s surface geometry is converted into a sheet,

depending on available data in the Alias Unigraphics file,
by joining surfaces and trimmed surfaces (or faces). The
skin can then be used for a variety of downstream
processes in Unigraphics.

Note If the Alias geometry is exported as an Alias shell,

Unigraphics automatically creates a sheet from it. In other
words, the successfully imported Unigraphics geometry is
made up of surfaces and faces, as well as a Unigraphics
sheet. This significantly reduces the amount of time the
Unigraphics operator must spend preprocessing the Alias
model to be used in Unigraphics.

Step 1: Creating an Alias Unigraphics part file

Create the Alias Unigraphics part file as described previously

in the section Creating the Unigraphics Part File in Alias on
page 180.

Step 2: Creating a Unigraphics .prt file

Everything imported from the Alias Unigraphics part file will

be transferred to make up the Unigraphics .prt file. Follow
these steps to import the Alias Unigraphics part file into
Unigraphics and create a .prt file:
1 Start the Unigraphics session.

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2 When Unigraphics is running, the following window and
menu areas are displayed. The main Graphics window is
the area where you work with the model and its
associated menus.

3 From the menu bar select File > Open. The Open Part File
window appears:

Unigraphics

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 4 Define the path to the directory containing the part files.

Step 3: Creating a Sheet

Before using the imported Alias-created Unigraphics part file

in many of the downstream Unigraphics operations, a sheet
must be generated from Unigraphics face entities.

A Unigraphics model file that has been created in Alias is

made up of surfaces, curves and faces (trimmed surfaces). If,
upon creation of the Unigraphics part file, the Alias user has
selected to create a sheet from the Alias model, and the
geometry has been exported successfully, then a Unigraphics
sheet is automatically created.

Getting a Unigraphics sheet:

If the geometry in the Unigraphics part file does not describe a

sheet, you can create the sheet from the imported faces.

To join faces into a Unigraphics sheet, do the following:

1 From the Toolbox menu select Feature. Select the Sew
operation. At the prompt, select the target sheet by
selecting one face from the set of faces you intend to use to
create the sheet.

2 When prompted, select the remainder of the faces to be

included in the sheet.
Eligibility for selection using Sew depends on the adjacent
face’s positional continuity in relation to the original face.

3 When the desired configuration of faces is highlighted,

select the OK button from the option box. A sheet will be
created (defined by all of the selected faces) and added to
the work session in the present workspace.

Once you have created a sheet from the available geometry,

you can then define the sheet as either a solid body (volume), or
a sheet body.
● Solid Body — Solid features can be added to the solid part
and manipulated parametrically.
● Sheet Body — Multiple surfaces or faces which have been
used to create a sheet. A sheet body model can be
converted to a solid body model by creating a shell from
the surface model.

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Using a Sheet in Unigraphics
Once the sheet has been created, it can then be used for a
variety of downstream applications:
● performing Finite Element Analysis (FEA) functions
● performing moldflow analysis
● creating solid imaging (SLA) files
● creating 2D and 3D drawing sets
● generating CNC toolpaths
● passing the model back to Alias for further design
iterations.

Creating a Solid

For some downstream operations (for example, FEA and the

creation of 2D and 3D drawings) you may be required to
create solid geometry from the Unigraphics sheet. This can be
done using one of two techniques:
● assembling a series of sheets and creating a solid, or
● offsetting a sheet to create a solid.

Assembling a Solid

The skin that has been created can be “capped” to define a

solid. You can then use this solid in Boolean operations.

Offsetting to Create a Solid

You can perform this operation using the Unigraphics offset

functionality (Toolbox > FreeForm Feature > Thicken Sheet).

There is no guarantee that the sheet will meet all Unigraphics

prerequisites for an offset. Underlying adjacent faces (and by
extension, the surfaces) must not self-intersect during the
offset. As well, the continuity between faces must be of a
certain standard in order for Unigraphics to successfully offset
the eventual sheet.
Unigraphics

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 Creating a Mesh

From the sheet body or solid body the user can create a mesh
which can be used for a variety of downstream operations in
Unigraphics. Solid Imaging files (such as .stl) can be created
from the Unigraphics sheet. Then, using the Unigraphics solid
imaging functionality, the user can offset the mesh to create a
solid mesh. You can then send this file to the solid imaging
technology operator for creation of the physical part.

Creating a Toolpath

From the skin, you can generate a toolpath to send to a CNC

milling machine. This is usually the way in which prototype
tooling is analyzed.

Working in Unigraphics with Geometry Imported

from Alias
The following sections describe how to verify imported
geometry for use in downstream processes such as offsetting
and the creation of toolpaths.

Confirming Topology Status

When the Studio-created Unigraphics part has been opened in

Unigraphics, the user will want to confirm exactly what the
status of the geometry is. Even though the Unigraphics user
selected to have a sheet created from the Studio surfaces or
shell, the actual status of the topology of the part can be
confirmed in Unigraphics.
1 Select Info > Object.

2 When the Class Selection window is displayed, select the

option called Type.

3 In the Select by Type window, select Sheet Body or Solid

Body, depending on what you expect to be the status of the
new part.

4 Move the cursor over the model in the geometry window.

As the cursor is passed over the model in the geometry

window, the geometry that falls into the category of the

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selection, in this case Sheet Body, will be highlighted. If the
geometry class that was selected does not result in any
geometry being highlighted, then the new model failed to
describe that topology class.

Confirming Geometry Status

To confirm that the surface geometry imported from Alias

exhibits a degree of curvature that allows it to be milled or
offset, use the following two evaluation tools:
● Info > Analysis > Face Analysis
● Info > Analysis > Examine Geometry

Using the Face Analysis functionality

1 Using the right mouse button select Display Mode > Face
Analysis. This will enable the display of the query of the
various curvature evaluations.

2 Select Info > Analysis > Face Analysis.

3 In the Face Analysis window, set the parameters you wish

to investigate.

4 Select the geometry that you wish to display results of the

investigation and from the Face Analysis window select
Apply.

The results of the investigation will be displayed as long as

you remain in the Face Analysis mode of the Display modes.

Using the Examine Geometry functionality

1 Select Info > Analysis > Examine Geometry.
The Examine Geometry window is displayed.

2 From the Examine Geometry window select the

parameters you wish to investigate and select OK.

3 The Select Geometry window will be displayed. Select the

geometry for which you wish to display results of the
investigation and select OK.
The Information window will be displayed. The data in
Unigraphics

this window will describe the investigations selected to be

carried out. Also displayed in the lower left corner of the

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Using Unigraphics Direct Connect: Alias to Unigraphics
 screen will be the Highlight Results window. This window
will enable you to locate where the descriptions described
in the Information Window are actually located on the
model.

4 Of the selections that are displayed in the Highlight

Results window, select the instances of results of
investigations that you wish to see highlighted in the
geometry window, and select OK.
In the geometry window you can see instances where the
model exhibited problems with the investigation being
carried out.
You can continue to select different combinations of
queries and update the display in the geometry window.

Summary
Use the following summarized list of modeling practices
discussed in this section as a quick reference guide if problems
arise.

Before you create the model

● Units should be set to mm.

In the Construction Settings window:

● The Rational geometry flag can be toggled OFF.

Tolerances should be set as follows:

● Curve Fit Distance =.01 mm (lower as necessary)

● Curve Fit Checkpoints = 10

● Max Gap Distance = .01 mm (this value should remain the
same as Curve Fit Distance)
● Trim Curve Fit =.005 mm (lower as necessary)

While you create the model

See NURBS Modeling for a ● Use degree 5 curves and surfaces to achieve curvature
description of these tools. continuity between surfaces and successful data transfer.
● Surfaces should be overbuilt and trimmed back before
export.

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● Fillets and other detail geometry should be deleted from
the Alias model before export. Fillets and detail geometry
should be built in Unigraphics to improve the success of
the transfer and give you parametric control of the fillet
and detail geometry while using Unigraphics.
● Models should be transferred periodically from Alias to
Unigraphics during construction to manage the quality of
the model being created.
● The Alias model must be successfully stitched before
export, but you should also periodically stitch the
geometry to ensure that the model meets all tolerance
requirements.
● Avoid using Attach and Join curve since these functions
create multiknots in Alias geometry that are not supported
by Unigraphics.
● Avoid using Skin and Patch functions between trimmed
surface boundaries, since excessive amounts of data are
created in the resulting surface. If Skin and Patch are used
between trim boundaries, the resulting surfaces should be
checked for multiknots before export.
● Use surface building tools such as Square and Birail to
ensure and control curvature continuity between surfaces.

Unigraphics

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 Using Unigraphics Direct
Connect: Unigraphics to Alias
Format
This section describes the process of reading a Unigraphics file
into Studio.

Creating the Unigraphics file in Unigraphics

Follow these steps to create a Unigraphics file in Unigraphics
for transfer to Alias:
1 Select File > Save Part as. The Save Part File As window
appears.

2 Specify the file name and select OK.

The Unigraphics part file is created.

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UG Direct Connect Reference

Overview
The Alias UG Direct Connect product allows the exchange of
3D model data between Alias and Unigraphics using the
Unigraphics/Alias interpretability functionality. There are two
interfaces for the product:
● a graphic interactive interface via the standard file
import/export capability within the Alias Studio-based
interactive products
● a Unix command-line interface designed to facilitate batch
conversion of data files.

This section contains information on:

● Interactive User Interface on page 191
● Unix Command Line Interface on page 195
● Translation Log File on page 196
● Supported Unigraphics Geometry and Data Mapping on
page 203

Note You must have access to Unigraphics Version 15 or Version

16 on a matching platform and the environment variables
ACS_MASTER and UGII_BASE_DIR must be set. See your
Unigraphics documentation for more information.

Interactive User Interface

Importing and exporting a Unigraphics part file is as simple as
importing and exporting any geometry file into Alias. Refer to
the File Operations section in the Basic Tools in Alias book for
information on importing a file into Alias. The following
subsections contain information specific to importing and
exporting a Unigraphics part file.
Unigraphics

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 Importing a Unigraphics Part File
You can import a Unigraphics part file into Alias by selecting
File > Open or File > Import File.

Linear Units and Tolerances

As a first step in the Unigraphics part file import process, the

linear units and tolerances stored in the Unigraphics part file
are examined and compared with the current linear units and
tolerances in the Alias modeler. The linear units and tolerances
stored in the Unigraphics part file are those that were used by
Unigraphics in the creation of the geometry in the Unigraphics
part file.

Unigraphics Import Options

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Extended Log File

This option controls the generation of a verbose log file. The

log file is always produced. If you turn this option ON, the log
file includes detailed entity mappings, Info, Error and Warning
messages, and entity count tables. If you turn this option OFF,
then the terse form of the log file is generated. It contains Info,
Error and Warning messages, and entity count tables only.

Auto Stitch

If this option is ON, the geometry being imported is

automatically stitched. The current tolerances are used to
determine whether the incoming geometry meets the
requirements of defining a shell in the Alias modeling
environment.

Exporting a Unigraphics part file

Export a Unigraphics part file from Alias for import into
Unigraphics by selecting File > Save As or File > Export > Save
Active and selecting Unigraphics from the File Format popup
window.

The filename extension .prt will be added to the specified

filename on export. This file extension is required by
Unigraphics. A log file containing details of the translation
process is produced for both import and export.

Unigraphics

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 Unigraphics Export Options

Extended Log file

This option enables (ON) or disables (OFF) the generation of a

verbose log file. The log file is always produced; however, if
this option is enabled, the log file includes detailed Entity
Mappings, Info, Error and Warning messages, and Entity
Count tables.

Output Units

The units used for the export operation. The default is

millimeters.

Edit Attribute Data

When you click on this field, the Unigraphics File Header

Information window is displayed. In this window, you can
provide a short comment that might include a description of
the model, the name of your organization, an authorization
code, and your name as the author of the exported model.
Entering information in this window is optional.

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 Unix Command Line Interface
The utilities UGToAl and AlToUG provide the Alias Unigrapics
Direct Connect translation functionality at the Unix command
line level. As in the interactive versions, these utilities produce
either a brief or extended log file. The log file can also be
displayed on the screen during translation.

UGToAl

This utility converts a Unigraphics part file to an Alias Wire

File. To display the usage information, type the following in a
Unix shell window:
UGToAl -h

The usage information will be printed as follows:

UGToAl Unigraphics file to Alias Wire file translator

Arguments: [<options>] [ <infile> ] [<outfile> ]

Options:
-s Do not stitch the model on input:
Default is to stitch
-e Echo Logfile to console
-l Extended Logfile

Where: <infile> is a Unigraphics file

<outfile> is an Alias wire file

AlToUG

This utility converts an Alias Wire file to a Unigraphics part

file. To display the usage information, type the following in a
UNIX shell window:
AlToUG -h

The usage information will be printed as follows:

AlToUG Alias Wire file to Unigraphics translator

Arguments: [ <options> ] [ <infile> ] [ <outfile> ]

Options:
Unigraphics

-b Do not create Unigraphics sheet or solid body

-u Units to be output

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 1 = Millimeters
2 = Inches
-e Echo Logfile to console
-l Extended Logfile

Where: <infile> is an Alias Wire file

<outfile> is a Unigraphics file

Translation Log File

The translation log file is produced during both import and
export of Unigraphics part files. This log file contains Entity
Mappings, Entity Counts, and Information, Error, and
Warning messages.

Interpreting the Import Log File

On import of a Unigraphics part file, a translation log file is

created in the same directory as the Unigraphics part file. The
file name of the log file is the same as that of the Unigraphics
part file with the extension .unigraphics2alias added to it.

Short Log File

If you have chosen to use a short log file via the interface
options, the log file will contain:
● the pathname of the imported Unigraphics part file and
the name of the current Alias stage into which the
Unigraphics part file is being imported.
● the contents of the Unigraphics part file. This is a table that
documents the number of each type of Unigraphics entity
in the file. This table includes all entities in the
Unigraphics part file.
● any information, warning, or error messages that may
occur during the translation.

If an error or problem occurs while processing an entity, the

Unigraphics’ entity’s type name, user identifier name, and
instance name are printed, followed by the error or warning
message.

Here is an example of a short import log file:

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 Unigraphics V16.0 to Alias Studio 9.5
Translation Report

Unigraphics Filename: /usr/u/UG/bracket.prt

translated to
Alias Stage: bracketprt

Unigraphics to Alias Conversion Statistics

------------------------------------------
UG Type Converted Type Converted Failed
------- -------------- --------- ------
Line Curve 7 0
Solid Body Shell 2 0
WCS Construction Plane 1 0
Circle Curve 5 0
Cylindrical Trimmed Surface 6 0
Conical Trimmed Surface 5 0
Bounded Plane Trimmed Surface 29 0
Reference Set Set 3 0
------- -------------- --------- ------
Total 58 0
****************** End of Report ******************

Extended Log File

If you have chosen to have an extended log file produced, then

the log file will contain the same information as the short log
file, with the addition of:
● the Detailed Entity Mapping Report. This report contains a
mapping description line for each entity processed.

The mapping description line in an extended import log file

contains:
● the Unigraphics entity type name (e.g. BsplineSurface)
● the Unigraphics entity’s user id (e.g. WHEEL, or <NONE>
if the entity does not have a name)
● the Unigraphics entity instance identifier
● the string converted to, indicating that the following
information pertains to the Alias entity
● the Alias entity type name (e.g. Trimmed Surface)
● the Alias node name (e.g. WHEEL or node#50 in the case of
a Unigraphics entity name of <NONE>).

Here is an example of an extended import log file:

Unigraphics V14.0 to Alias Studio 9.0
Translation Report
Unigraphics

Unigraphics Filename: /usr/u/UG/bracket.prt

translated to Alias Stage: bracketprt

UG Type WCS, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000002d00000001 is converted to Construction

Unigraphics Data Transfer

197
UG Direct Connect Reference
Plane:construction
UG Info: Creating Part /usr/u/mdavies/UG/demo/bracket.prt
UG Type Line, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R000000cb00000003 is converted to Curve:node#2
UG Type Line, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R000000cc00000003 is converted to Curve:node#2
UG Type Line, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R000000cd00000003 is converted to Curve:node#2
UG Type Line, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R000000ce00000003 is converted to Curve:node#2
UG Type Line, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R000000cf00000003 is converted to Curve:node#2
UG Type Line, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R000000d000000003 is converted to Curve:node#2
UG Type Line, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R000000d100000003 is converted to Curve:node#2
UG Type Circle, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R000000d200000003 is converted to Curve:node#2
UG Type Circle, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R000000d400000003 is converted to Curve:node#2
UG Type Circle, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R000000d500000003 is converted to Curve:node#2
UG Type Circle, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R000000d600000003 is converted to Curve:node#2
UG Type Circle, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R000000d700000003 is converted to Curve:node#2
UG Type Conical Face, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000004700000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#2
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000004800000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#2
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000004900000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#3
UG Type Cylindrical Face, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000004a00000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#3
UG Type Solid Body, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000004600000003 is converted to Shell:shell
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000004f00000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#2
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000005000000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#2
UG Type Cylindrical Face, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000005100000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#2
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000005200000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#3
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000005300000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#3
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000005400000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#3
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000005500000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#3
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000005600000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#3
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000005700000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#3
UG Type Conical Face, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000005800000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#4
UG Type Conical Face, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000005900000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#5
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000005a00000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#6
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000005b00000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#7
UG Type Conical Face, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000005c00000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#8
UG Type Conical Face, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000005d00000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#9
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000005e00000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#10
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000005f00000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#11
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000006000000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#12
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000006100000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#13
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000006200000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#14
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000006300000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#15
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000006400000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#15
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000006500000003 is converted to Trimmed

Unigraphics Data Transfer

198
UG Direct Connect Reference
Surface:node#15
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000006600000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#15
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000006700000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#15
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000006800000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#15
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000006900000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#15
UG Type Cylindrical Face, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000006a00000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#15
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000006b00000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#16
UG Type Cylindrical Face, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000006c00000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#17
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000006d00000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#18
UG Type Cylindrical Face, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000006e00000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#19
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000006f00000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#20
UG Type Cylindrical Face, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000007000000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#21
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000007100000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#22
UG Type Bounded Plane, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000007200000003 is converted to Trimmed
Surface:node#23
UG Type Solid Body, Name <NONE>, ID RMbracket.prt R0000004e00000003 is converted to Shell:shell
UG Info: Created Reference Set Empty
UG Type Reference Set, Name Empty, ID RMbracket.prt R0000003700000001 is converted to Set:Empty
UG Info: Created Reference Set ID11890-C6
UG Info: Added _NONE_#13 to Alias Set ID11890-C6
UG Type Reference Set, Name ID11890-C6, ID RMbracket.prt R000000d900000003 is converted to
Set:STEPID11890-C6
UG Info: Created Reference Set ID11900-C2
UG Info: Added _NONE_ to Alias Set ID11900-C2
UG Info: Added _NONE_#2 to Alias Set ID11900-C2
UG Info: Added _NONE_#3 to Alias Set ID11900-C2
UG Info: Added _NONE_#4 to Alias Set ID11900-C2
UG Info: Added _NONE_#5 to Alias Set ID11900-C2
UG Info: Added _NONE_#6 to Alias Set ID11900-C2
UG Info: Added _NONE_#7 to Alias Set ID11900-C2
UG Info: Added _NONE_#8 to Alias Set ID11900-C2
UG Info: Added _NONE_#9 to Alias Set ID11900-C2
UG Info: Added _NONE_#10 to Alias Set ID11900-C2
UG Info: Added _NONE_#11 to Alias Set ID11900-C2
UG Type Reference Set, Name ID11900-C2, ID RMbracket.prt R000000db00000003 is converted to
Set:ID11900-C2

Unigraphics to Alias Conversion Statistics

------------------------------------------
UG Type Converted Type Converted Failed
------- -------------- --------- ------
Line Curve 7 0
Solid Body Shell 2 0
WCS Construction Plane 1 0
Circle Curve 5 0
Cylindrical Trimmed Surface 6 0
Conical Trimmed Surface 5 0
Bounded Plane Trimmed Surface 29 0
Reference Set Set 3 0

------- -------------- --------- ------

Total 58 0
Unigraphics

****************** End of Report******************

Unigraphics Data Transfer

199
UG Direct Connect Reference
 Interpreting the Export Log File

On export of a Unigraphics file, a translation log file is created

in the same directory as the Unigraphics file. The file name of
the log file is the same as the Unigraphics file with the
extension .alias2unigraphics added to it.

Short Log File

If you have chosen to have a short log file via the interface
options, the log file will contain:
● the name of the current Alias stage from which the model
was exported (or the name of the Alias Wire file if the
command line interface was used) and the pathname of
the exported Unigraphics file
● any Information, Warning, or Error messages that may
occur during the translation
● a table that documents the number of each type of Alias
entity converted or not converted to a Unigraphics entity.

If an error or problem occurs while processing an entity, the

Alias entity’s type name and node name are printed, followed
by the error or warning message.

Here is an example of a short export log file:

Alias Studio 9.5 to Unigraphics V16.0 Translation Report

Alias Stage: beetle_layout25 translated to Unigraphics Filename: /usr/u/UG/beetle.prt

UG Info: surface xshell#10 is C1 discontinuous

UG Info: surface xshell#11 is detached from xshell#10 because of C1 discontinuities in parent

UG Warning: Item xshell#11 is on the Default Layer this is mapped to layer 1 in Unigraphics
UG Info: surface xshell#12 is detached from xshell#10 because of C1 discontinuities in parent

UG Warning: Item xshell#12 is on the Default Layer this is mapped to layer 1 in Unigraphics
UG Warning: Item shell is on the Default Layer this is mapped to layer 1 in Unigraphics
Warning: One or more surfaces in the Alias model being exported have internal tangent breaks.

Alias to Unigraphics Conversion Statistics

------------------------------------------
Type Converted Type Converted Failed
------- -------------- --------- ------
Surface Sheet Body 8 0
Trimmed Surface Sheet Body 3 0
Shell Solid Body 1 0
------- -------------- --------- ------
Total 12 0

****************** End of Report ***************

Unigraphics Data Transfer

200
UG Direct Connect Reference
 Extended Log File

If you have chosen to have an extended log file produced, then

the log file will contain the same information as the short log
file with the addition of:
● the Detailed Entity Mapping Report. This report contains a
mapping description line for each entity processed.

Here is an example of an extended export log file:

Alias Studio 9.5 to Unigraphics V16.0 Translation Report

Alias Stage: beetle_layout25 translated to Unigraphics Filename: /usr/u/UG/beetle.prt

UG Info: Curve Fit Distance = 0.005000 cm

UG Info: Continuity Angle = 0.100000 deg
UG Info: Check Points = 10

Node Surface, XSHELL converted to Sheet Body ID = RMbeetle.prt R0000003b00000001

UG Info: surface xshell#10 is C1 discontinuous
Node Surface, XSHELL#11 converted to Sheet Body ID = RMbeetle.prt R0000004100000001
UG Info: surface xshell#11 is detached from xshell#10
because of C1 discontinuities in parent

UG Warning: Item xshell#11 is on the Default Layer this is mapped to layer 1 in Unigraphics
Node Surface, XSHELL#12 converted to Sheet Body ID = RMbeetle.prt R0000004700000001
UG Info: surface xshell#12 is detached from xshell#10
because of C1 discontinuities in parent

UG Warning: Item xshell#12 is on the Default Layer this is mapped to layer 1 in Unigraphics
Node Trimmed Surface, XSHELL#9 converted to Sheet Body ID = RMbeetle.prt R0000005500000001
Node Trimmed Surface, XSHELL#8 converted to Sheet Body ID = RMbeetle.prt R0000005f00000001
Node Trimmed Surface, XSHELL#7 converted to Sheet Body ID = RMbeetle.prt R0000006900000001
Node Surface, XSHELL#6 converted to Sheet Body ID = RMbeetle.prt R0000006f00000001
Node Surface, XSHELL#5 converted to Sheet Body ID = RMbeetle.prt R0000007500000001
Node Surface, XSHELL#4 converted to Sheet Body ID = RMbeetle.prt R0000007b00000001
Node Surface, XSHELL#3 converted to Sheet Body ID = RMbeetle.prt R0000008100000001
Node Surface, XSHELL#2 converted to Sheet Body ID = RMbeetle.prt R0000008700000001
Node Shell, SHELL converted to Solid Body ID = CMbeetle.prt C0000006000000001
UG Warning: Item shell is on the Default Layer this is mapped to layer 1 in Unigraphics
Warning: One or more surfaces in the Alias model being exported have internal tangent breaks.

Alias to Unigraphics Conversion Statistics

------------------------------------------
Type Converted Type Converted Failed
------- -------------- --------- ------
Surface Sheet Body 8 0
Trimmed Surface Sheet Body 3 0
Shell Solid Body 1 0
------- -------------- --------- ------
Total 12 0

****************** End of Report ***************

Debugging a Unigraphics translation session

Unigraphics

If the log file identifies an error during translation between

Alias and Unigraphics in either direction, you can trace the

Unigraphics Data Transfer

201
UG Direct Connect Reference
 information in the error message back to the problem
geometry. In some cases once the piece of geometry has been
isolated, the nature of the problem will be visually obvious
and you will need only to delete or manually fix the surface in
question.

Unigraphics Data Transfer

202
UG Direct Connect Reference
Supported Unigraphics
Geometry and Data Mapping
The following sections describe the mapping process used for
geometry types and non-geometric data that can be
transferred between Alias and Unigraphics.

Supported Alias Geometry Types

The following Alias geometry types can be exported to
Unigraphics. Non-geometry entities such as Lights, Cameras,
Textures, Windows, Animation are not supported by the
translator. The numbers in the table entries refer to Notes For
Unigraphics Entities in Table 1 below.

Alias Entity Unigraphics Entity

Construction Plane WCS

Polyset Not supported at this time.
Point Point
Conic Rational Curve
Arc RationalCurve
Circle RationalCurve
Line Line
Curve BCurve
Surface BSurface; (1), (2)
Trimmed Surface Face(1), (2)
Plane Bounded Plane(1)
Shader Colour Attribute(3)
Shell (Open) Sheet Body
Set Reference Set
Group Group
Layer Layer(4)
Category Category
Unigraphics

Shell (Closed) Solid Body

Unigraphics Data Transfer

203
Supported Unigraphics Geometry and Data Mapping
 Notes For Unigraphics Entities in Table 1
1 Unigraphics can not have free standing Surfaces so all
surfaces are mapped to faces which must be attached to a
sheet body.

2 Surfaces having internal discontinuities will be split at

those discontinuities.

3 Mapped as a Display Attribute of the mapped surface or

shell.

4 Layer Name is not mapped

Supported Unigraphics Geometry Types

The following Unigraphics geometry types can be imported to

Alias. The letters and numbers in parentheses refer to Notes
For Alias Entities in Table 2, respectively, below.

Unigraphics Entity Alias Entity

WCS Construction Plane

BSurface Surface
Bounded Plane Curve
Cylindrical Surface Curve
Conical Surface Curve
Tabulated Cylinder Surface
Ruled Surface Surface
Blended Face Surface Surface
Surface of Revolution Surface
Offset Surface Surface
Sculptured Surface Surface
BCurve Curve
Line Line(Curve)
Arc Curve
Conic Curve

Unigraphics Data Transfer

204
Supported Unigraphics Geometry and Data Mapping
Unigraphics Entity Alias Entity

Point Point (Curve)(1)

Sheet Body Shell (Open)(2)
Assembly Groups/Instance(3)
Group Group
Layer Layer
Category Category
Reference Set Set
Part Attribute Blind Data(4)
Solid Body Shell (Closed)

Notes For Alias Entities in Table 2

1 A Unigraphics Point is converted to a degree 1 curve
composed of two coincident points. On export to
Unigraphics this construction is converted back to a
Unigraphics point.

2 If the Sheet body only points to one face then this is

converted to a trimmed surface in Alias.

3 This is a one way mapping, assemblies cannot be

exported.

4 Added as blind data can be re-exported.

Unigraphics

Unigraphics Data Transfer

205
Supported Unigraphics Geometry and Data Mapping
 Unigraphics Data Transfer
206
Supported Unigraphics Geometry and Data Mapping
Symbols By Vendor window 53 curve fit distance
for CAD modeling 5
tolerance for CATIA 100
.model file, in CATIA 91
.prt file, Unigraphics 182 C
.slc file, definition 78
.slc files 82
C4
file header information 56
D
.slp extension, Pro/RENDER log file when saving to 69 DAG nodes
file 149 save options 50 exporting names to
.stl file, definition 76 trimmed surface CATIA 129
.unigraphics2alias extension optimization 17 data transfer
(Unigraphics) 196 CAD data transfer CAD overview 2
overview 2 defining topology of a
CAD options model 7
purchasable 39 Master Series (SDRC) 159
Numerics CAD system
saving files to with planar to
Unigraphics 178
with vendor’s system 54
2D contours, cutting into 3D face option 17 DES
with SLC 78 open options 29
CAI file save options 49
creating for CATIA 89
creating for transfer from Direct Connect
CATIA to Alias 103 for Master Series (SDRC) 159
A debugging 121
importing into CATIA 91
for Unigraphics 178

accuracy CAT Direct Connect

defining for solid modelers 4
AlToCa utility, CATIA 111
definition 88
reference 105 E
AlToUG utility CATIA
data transfer 87 edges
(Unigraphics) 195 failure to match 99
exchanging 3D data with 88
Application Protocol Support options for importing 32 edit
(STEP) 30 summary of modeling file comments
ASCII practices 101 in file header
format for IGES files 22 transfering CAI file to information 59
IGES format 60 Alias 103 engineers
assemblies translation, using command using I-DEAS Master Series
exporting from Pro/ line interface 111 5 162
ENGINEER 145 CaToAl utility, CATIA 111 environment variables
CNC milling machine IGES/VDAIS 61
creating toolpath for
Unigraphics 186
B generating toolpath for

bosses colors
CATIA 97 F
adding in I-DEAS Master preserving when exporting to faces
Series 5 162 CATIA 130 analysis in Unigraphics 187
Brep solids, definition 135 cube entities in CATIA, generating
B-Spline solid model of 2 skin for 94
specifying in IGES Options curvature function making boundaries visible 97
window, Save as 42 in CATIA 98 storing in IGES 59
FEA (Finite Element Unigraphics 182 mapping entities to Alias 60
Analysis) 95 getting right for Pro/ Options window 23
feature ENGINEER 140 output environment
term in I-DEAS Master Series making interior isoparms variables 61
6 171 visible 97 trimmed surface
term used in I-DEAS Master mapping process between optimization 17
Series 5 162 Alias and CATIA 124 using to export to Pro/
preparing for Solid Imaging ENGINEER 134
file formats (STL/SDC) 81
retrieving 15 IGES file
replacing Alias in CATIA 99 creating in Pro/
retrieving (CAD) 15 transfering to other CAD
table 15 ENGINEER 145
systems 2
file header transfering to igs_config.pro file 145
CATIA 111 Unigraphics 178 import feature, for Pro/
file header information, types exportable to I-DEAS Engineer 136
saving 56 Master Series 5 160 Initial Graphics Exchange
types exportable to I-DEAS Specification 41
File menu
Master Series 6 169
Export instances
verifying for solid imaging 97
STL/SLC 76 exporting to CATIA 128
verifying for Unigraphics 186
Open (CAD choices) 14 interior isoparms
Save (CAD) 38 geometry requirements
making visible 97
Save as (CAD) 38 meeting for CATIA 99
Inventor
files groups
import options 35
opening (CAD) 14 exporting to CATIA 128
save options 52
fillets
creating rational 6
filters
definition 14 H J
Finite Element Analysis
high degree curves and sur-
(FEA) 95 JAMA-IS
faces, definition 38
flat geometry file header information 56
hybrid models in STEP 40 import options 26
exporting from Pro/
ENGINEER 146 log file when saving to 69
save options 52
formats, file trimmed surface
descriptions for common 53
Fused Deposition Modeling
I optimization 17

(FDM) 81
I-DEAS Master Series 5
summary of modeling
practices 167 L
G transfering Alias to 160
I-DEAS Master Series 6 Laminated Object Manufactur-
transfering Alias to 169 ing (LOM) 81
gaps layers
IGES
between surfaces 8 preserving when exporting to
ASCII format 60
geometric data 2 By Vendor window 53 CATIA 129
geometry exporting to SolidDesigner linear units
and Pro/ENGINEER 134 via 154 base for data transfer 3
for SolidDesigner 154 file header information 56
log file
getting it right for data in Save Options window 41
CATIA import
transfer 3 levels 59
translation 113
getting it right for log file when saving to 69
 for Unigraphics,
interpreting 196
interpreting for
N Master Series 5
PRenderToAlias program for
Pro/ENGINEER 151
Unigraphics 196 non-geometric data
saving IGES, VDAIS, C4, Pro/ENGINEER
supported for CATIA 128 exporting IGES file from 145
JAMA-IS 69
non-rational curves and sur- exporting to Alias via Pro/
setting extended on, for
faces, definition 38 RENDER 149
Unigraphics 193
numeric function importing to via IGES/
in CATIA 98 STEP 134
modeling for 140
NURBS
M and tessellation 76 Pro/Engineer
render options 32
manifold shells, definition 135 Pro/RENDER, exporting to
Alias via 149
mapping
entities, Alias and CATIA 124 O
entities, Alias and IGES 60
entities, STEP and Alias 30
Master Series (SDRC)
offsetting
in CATIA 101
inUnigraphics 185
R
data transfer 159
opening files, for CAD 14 rapid prototyping 76
Master Series 5
transfering Alias to 160 optimization for trimmed rational and non-rational
surfaces 17 geometry, for CAD 6
mesh
creating for Unigraphics 186 output file rational curves and surfaces,
creating from a skin for customized to vendor 54 definition 38
CATIA 96 resins, use in rapid
modeling prototyping 76
for Pro/ENGINEER 140
good practices for
Unigraphics 188
P retrieving saved files
CAD 14
ribs
practices for CATIA 101 Parametric Spline Type option adding in I-DEAS Master
practices for I-DEAS Master in IGES Options window 42 Series 5 162
Series 5 167 part
practices for I-DEAS Master in I-DEAS Master Series 5 162
Series 6 175 term in I-DEAS Master Series
models
creating for I-DEAS Master
6 171
part file
S
Series 5 161 creating in Pro/ Save As
integrating to I-DEAS Master ENGINEER 145 CATIA Options 40
Series 6 170 creating in Unigraphics 180
transfering to SDC
exporting from Pro/ENGI- preparing geometry for solid
Unigraphics 178 NEER to STEP 147 imaging 81
moldflow analysis, perform- exporting from Pro/ENGI-
ing (CATIA) 95 NEER via Pro/ SDRC
RENDER 149 data transfer 159
multiset
creation for IGES 20 importing for Selective Laser Sintering
Unigraphics 192 (SLS) 81
planar sets
converting surfaces to face and IGES 59
when opening files 17 sheet
Point Coincidence tolerance in converting to for
 Unigraphics 182 configuration options 148 top-level geometry, exporting
shelling export options 40 from Pro/ENGINEER 146
and CATIA 101 exporting to SolidDesigner topological data 2
and I-DEAS Master Series via 154
file format 30 topology
6 170 and Pro/ENGINEER 134
for I-DEAS Master Series file, creating/exporting in
Pro/ENGINEER 147 for SolidDesigner 154
5 161 getting right for CAD
using to export to Pro/
shrink surface ENGINEER 134 purposes 7
trimmed surface optimiza- translation log file,
tion option in Open Stereolithography (SLA) 81
Unigraphics 196
Options window 17 stitching
and I-DEAS Master Series trim boundaries
SI (Solid Imaging) 76 defining tolerances for Alias/
6 170
single model representations automatic for CATIA 100
in STEP 40 Unigraphics 193 trimmed surface
skins for CAD data transfer 7 optimization 17
creating for CATIA 94 for I-DEAS Master Series trimming
using in CATIA 99 5 161 failure 27
SLA for SLC format files 82
twin edge topology
exporting 76 for SolidDesigner 156
creating 8
typical workflow 9
SLC
definition 78 STL
definition 76
slicing geometry for STL
format 84
solid geometry
preparing geometry for solid
imaging 81 U
storing
creating for UGToAl utility
files and wireframe scenes
SolidDesigner 156 (Unigraphics) 195
(CAD) 38
creating from CATIA skin 96 Unigraphics
from Unigraphics sheets 185 surface edges
debugging 201
creating solid from for
Solid Ground Curing (SGC) 81 exchanging 3D model data
SolidDesigner 156
solid imaging 76 with Direct Connect 178
surfaces Export Options 194
creating files from Unigraph-
NURBS, tessellation 76 importing part file 192
ics sheet 186
replacing in I-DEAS Master log files 196
preparing geometry for in
Series 6 171 overview of Direct Connect
STL/SDC 81
transfering to CAD systems 2 product 191
solid imaging (SLA) files reading file into Alias 190
creating for CATIA 95 transfering Alias model
solid modelers to 180
transfering geometry to 2
solid modeling theory 2
T user interface
for CATIA 105
SolidDesigner tessellated file, exporting 76
exporting to Alias 157 tolerances
exporting to via IGES/
STEP 154
overview 153
for Unigraphics 192
setting for Pro/ENGINEER
via Pro/RENDER 150
V
stand-alone utilities standards developed for CAD VDAFS
CAT Direct Connect 88 systems 3 file header information 56
STC toolpath import options 28
exporting 76 creating for Unigraphics 186 save options 44
STEP generating for CNC milling VDAIS
machine 97
 By Vendor window 53
file header information 56
import options 27
log file when saving to 69
opening files 27
output environment
variables 61
save options 46
trimmed surface
optimization 17
vendor
selecting in By Vendor
window 53
Vendor browser
and Pro/ENGINEER 134
vendor file
example 54
vertex normals
in Pro/ENGINEER render
files 150

W
wire file
creating for export to I-DEAS
Master Series 6 169
creating for I-DEAS Master
Series 5 160
wireframes
saving for CAD 38