Import - STEP, IGES, DXF/DWG

When you import CAD geometry, Adams/Exchange reads the CAD file and converts the geometry into a set of MD Adams geometric elements. By importing geometry from standard CAD packages you can reduce the need to recreate geometry primitives within MD Adams, and you can enhance your ability to realistically view the behavior of complicated mechanical systems.

Be sure that the model into which you want to import the geometry is currently open and displayed in MD Adams. You can associate the geometry that you import with an existing part or create a new part with which to associate it.


For the option:	Do the following:
File Type	Set it to the type of geometry that you want to import.
File to Read	Enter the name of the file that you want to import.
Part Name	Enter the name of the part with which you want to associate the imported geometry.
Tolerance	Enter the tolerance for the geometry. The tolerance value is the measure of the midpoint chordal distance from the approximated curve/surface to the true curve/surface: Schematic of the Tolerance Value Be careful when specifying the tolerance. You should have advanced knowledge of the units and size of the geometry in the CAD file before setting the tolerance. If you do not know the size of the geometry in the file, Adams/Exchange may translate the geometry so it is too coarse, or too fine. A tolerance that is too fine can potentially cause Adams/Exchange to use excessive computing power and memory. The tolerance reported in the log file is the tolerance of the data defined in the CAD file. This is the maximum tolerance available in the CAD file and is usually too fine for efficient translation to Adams/View. We recommend, therefore, that you try a tolerance several orders of magnitude greater then the tolerance specified in the CAD file.
Level	Enter the level or levels to be translated in the CAD file for IGES, DXF, and DWG files. Levels let you associate geometry into a group. These groups can be manipulated as a single entity for purposes of visibility and color. The CAD program that generated the CAD file defines the levels and are labeled with integers greater than or equal to 0. Levels are typically used to organize data for viewing and are similar to layers. If you do not specify the levels you want translated, Adams/Exchange reads all levels. You can specify a single level or a range of levels. Separate the range with a comma (,). For example, enter 10, 15 to translate levels 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15.
Scale	Enter the factor by which you want to scale the size of the geometry created in Adams/Exchange. The default scale factor is 1.0, meaning that the geometry in Adams/Exchange will be the same size as the geometry in the CAD file. A scale factor less than 1.0 reduces the size of geometry and a scale factor greater than 1.0 increases the size of the geometry. For example, if you specify a scale factor of 0.5, Adams/Exchange translates a cylinder of length 2 meters and diameter of .5 meters to a length of 1 meter and diameter of .25 meters. Adams/Exchange also scales the distance from the geometry to the coordinate system specified in the Relative To text box according to the scale value. If the cylinder was located at 3, 2, 0 in the file, it would be located at 1.5, 1, 0 after it is translated to MD Adams. The orientation of the geometry is not effected by scale value.
Create	Select either: • Polygons to represent surfaces as polygons. Selecting Polygons allows for the quickest animations and rendering. • Solids to represent surfaces as solid representations. Selecting Solids allows for the greatest precision and mass property calculations.
Blanked Entities	Select to translate entities that are blanked (made not visible). Adams/Exchange translates the blanked entities and makes them invisible. If you do not select Blanked Entities, Adams/Exchange does not translate the blanked entities. Blanked entities are typically construction entities that are used in the definition of another geometric entity. For example, a line can be used as the center of rotation of another line in the definition of a cylinder. The center line and the sweep line rotated about the center line are both blanked because they are temporary entities used in the construction of the cylinder. Once you translate blanked entities to MD Adams, there is no distinction between construction entities and other geometry. You can change the visibility of the entities.
Location	Specify the translational position where the geometry in the CAD file is to be located, relative to the MD Adams part coordinate system. These coordinates can be relative to any other coordinate system defined in the model. By default, you enter Cartesian (x,y,z) coordinates. You can change the convention for entering translational positions. Learn about Setting Default Coordinate System.
Orientation	Specify the angular position where the geometry in the CAD file is to be oriented relative to the MD Adams part coordinate system. These orientation coordinates can be relative to any other coordinate system defined in the model. Adams/View orients the coordinate system starting from the initial coordinate system and applying three successive rotations. By default, you supply body-fixed 313 angles. You can change the convention for entering orientation angles. Learn about Setting Default Coordinate System.
Relative To	Enter the coordinate system relative to which the translated geometry will be defined. The coordinates you specified in the Location and Orientation text boxes are relative to the coordinate system that you specify. You can specify a coordinate system, part, or model.
Mesh Density	Enter the density of the mesh in uv coordinates.
Consolidate To Shells	Set to import all the geometry as one shell. If you do not select Consolidate To Shells, Adams/Exchange imports the geometry as individual entities. We recommend that you select Consolidate To Shells to receive the best animation results.
Display Summary	Select to display a summary of the exporting in a message window.