This article has been written using Geomagic Essentials v2 and Solid Edge 2022.
This article aims to explain how to successfully import all data generated in Geomagic Essentials into Solid Edge.
After reading this article you will be able to import Curves, Features, Meshes and AutoSurfaces from Geomagic Essentials to Solid Edge, to set up your Reverse Engineering environment.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- 1. Typical operations carried out in Geomagic Essentials
- 2. Exporting the data from Geomagic Essentials
- 3. Importing data to Solid Edge
- 4. Workflow chart
- 5. Notes
1. Typical operations carried out in Geomagic Essentials
Among all the functions that Essentials integrates, the following tools are the typically used to obtain data to be exported into a CAD software like Solid Edge:
1. Features creation
Essentials offers a complete variety of features and methods to obtain them:
Created features are listed in the folder 'Features', which is under the parent mesh, in the Model Manager.
2. Curves
It is possible to extract different types of curves from the mesh, either by creating sections or by drawing them manually.
The possible resulting curves might vary depending on if they are free curves (polylines or splines) or sketch curves (based on arcs and lines).
Created curves are listed in the Model Manager, as independent entities to the mesh.
3. AutoSurface
Geomagic Essentials is able to carry out an exact surfacing of a mesh. By using NURBS, a model based on stitched surfaces, with high accuracy and minimal user interaction, is generated.
The result is a set of stitched surfaces which resemble with great accuracy the scan data.
Obtained AutoSurfaces appear in the Model Manager as shown below:
4. Optimised and oriented mesh
By using the created features, Essentials allows us to create relationships between them and the features of the CSYS.
It is thus possible to save the mesh in any particular desired alignment.
Besides, it is possible to decimate meshes while maintaining its accuracy, this way obtaining optimised meshes: light files with yet containing lot of information about the scanned part.
The mesh, aligned and decimated, among other modifications; is listed in the Model Manager normally:
2. Exporting the data from Geomagic Essentials
To export all data generated in Geomagic Essentials, we handle it separately, based on the type of file they are, according to the classification done in section 1, namely: Features, Curves, AutoSurface and Mesh.
1. Exporting Features
In the Model Manager, select all features to export. You can use CTRL key to select different items or SHIFT to select a whole range.
Right-click any of the selected features and select Export.
From the drop-down list, select any file format compatible with Solid Edge software. In this case, we export it as IGES.
Please select Save as type IGES File (*.igs, *.iges).
Give it a proper name and save the features in the desired path.
Finally, the Export Options window pops up.
Ensure that the checkboxes for the Features to Export are checked.
It is recommended to enable the Export Single File option, so only one file containing all the features is generated. Otherwise, one file for each feature is created.
Click on 'OK' to save the features.
2. Exporting Curves
Likewise, from the Model Manager, select all curves to export. Use CTRL key to select different items or SHIFT to select a whole range.
Right-click any of the selected features and select Save.
From the drop-down list, select any file format compatible with Solid Edge software. In this case, we export it as IGES.
Select Save as type IGES File (*.igs, *.iges).
Give it a proper name and save the features in the desired path.
Finally, the Export Options window pops up.
Ensure that the checkbox for Curve Objects is checked.
It is recommended to enable the Export Single File option, so only one file containing all the curves is generated. Otherwise, one file for each curve is created.
Click on 'OK' to save the curves.
3. Exporting AutoSurface
Select the AutoSurface from the Model Manager. Then right-click and select Save.
From the drop-down list, select any file format compatible with Solid Edge software. In this case, we export it as IGES.
Select Save as type IGES File (*.igs, *.iges).
Give it a proper name and save the AutoSurface in the desired path.
Finally, the Export Options window pops up.
Make sure that NURBS Surfaces is checked and that Untrimmed remains unchecked.
Click on 'OK' to save the AutoSurface.
4. Exporting the Mesh
After aligning the mesh to the CSYS, optimizing it and applying any other modification, we need to export it too, in order to keep such modifications in Solid Edge.
Select the Mesh from the Model Manager. Then right-click and select Save.
From the drop-down list, select a STL file format. In this case, we export it as STL Binary.
Select Save as type STL (binary) File (*.stl).
Give it a proper name and save the features in the desired path.
5. Wrapping-up
At this point, after exporting all data from Geomagic Essentials, you should have at least one the following files:
- An aligned and optimised mesh saved as STL.
- An AutoSurface saved as IGES.
- Curves saved as IGES.
- Features saved as IGES.
- Optionally and highly suggested, the Geomagic Essentials project saved as WRP.
3. Importing data to Solid Edge
Once all data from Geomagic Essentials has been exported, we can start to import it into Solid Edge.
The first step to take is importing the mesh or the AutoSurface, which will serve as base feature.
In this example, we will firstly import the mesh.
1. Open a mesh into Solid Edge
In Solid Edge software, select Browse and select the mesh.
Make sure that, in the import options, the file units are set to milimeters.
Click on 'Open' to import the mesh into Solid Edge.
We will now need to select a template to open the mesh. Either the Part (*.par) or the Sheet Metal (*.psm) templates are suitable for Reverse Engineering projects.
In this example, we use the ISO Metric Part template. Select a suitable template and click on 'OK'.
The mesh is successfully opened into Solid Edge:
It is recommended to save the Solid Edge project.
2. Convert data from Essentials to Solid Edge file format
We want to import now all data files we exported from Geomagic Essentials to Solid Edge software.
To do so, there is an intermediate step, though: saving the exported files from Essentials to Solid Edge file format.
In Solid Edge, go to File | Open | Browse and select each of the exported files.
Encountering problems when importing curves? Please take a look at: Solid Edge - Importing Curves problems
Each of these files open as independent files into Solid Edge.
Once each of these files are loaded into Solid Edge, save them as Part documents (*.par).
| Open AutoSurface.igs --> |  | --> Save as AutoSurface.par |
| Open Curves.igs --> |  | --> Save as Curves.par |
| Open Features.igs --> |  | --> Save as Features.part |
At this point, you should have the following data in your project folder:
3. Copy all files into the base project
Return to the first project we created in Solid Edge, when the mesh was opened.
The Curves.par, Features.par and AutoSurface.par files are going to be imported into this project.
Under the tab Home, in the section Clipboard, select Part Copy.
This operation is to be done one file by one file. In this example, we firstly import AutoSurface.par.
Browse and select the AutoSurface.par file. Click on 'Open'.
A message will pop warning that 'A Design Body cannot be found'. This is expected. Click on 'OK' to continue.
The Part Copy Parameters window will open. Make sure you select Copy as Construction body and enable Construction Bodies and all checkboxes under it.
Click on 'OK' to complete the Part Copy operation.
The Mesh and the AutoSurface data are imported into the same file.
Repeat the process for Curves.par and, finally, for Features.par:
- Select Part Copy, from Home tab.
- Browse and select the *.par file. Click on 'Open'.
- A warning message triggers. Click on 'OK'.
- Check 'Copy as Construction body'.
- Check 'Construction Bodies and all other option below'.
- Click 'OK'.
- Let the software load the data.
- Click on 'Finish'.
- Repeat the process with as many data sets as needed.
The final file contains all data exported from Essentials. You should now be ready to start working on your Reverse Engineering project in Solid Edge.
4. Workflow chart
As a summary of the entire process, the workflow chart below is presented:
5. Notes
- Not necessarily all features from Essentials need to be imported at the beginning of the process. At any time it is possible to generate any data set from Essentials and import it into Solid Edge following the process here described.
- The data extracted from Essentials and imported in Solid Edge in this example is only for educational purposes. Not necessarily Features, Curves, AutoSurface and Mesh need to be imported into Solid Edge to set up a project.
- This operation is maintained for Solid Edge 2021, Solid Edge 2020 and Geomagic Essentials v1.
- Encountering problems when importing curves into Solid Edge? Please take a look at: Solid Edge - Importing Curves problems
If you have any question, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]..