This article has been written using Geomagic Essentials v2 and Solid Edge 2022.
The default IGES import configuration file might not be suitable to import 3D Curves created in Geomagic Essentials into Solid Edge.
After reading this article, you will understand how to edit the default IGES configuration file to allow Solid Edge importing 3D Curves into the desired template.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. The problem
When importing an IGES file consisting of different features and curves into Solid Edge, curves are either not imported, or imported into the draft environment or Solid Edge simply is not able to open the IGES file.
1.1 Example
The features and curves from the figure below have been created in Geomagic Essentials.
All features and curves are exported in a single file as IGES.
When opening the IGES file into Solid Edge, one of the following unexpected behaviours take place:
| Only curves are imported in draft environment |  |
| Only surfaces and volumes are imported, but curves are missing |  |
| After loading for a while, Solid Edge fails to open the file |  |
2. The solution: edit the IGES configuration file
Once the IGES file containing features and curves has been created, launch Solid Edge, click on 'Open' and browse the file. Select the .igs file and click on 'Options':
The IGES Import Wizard opens. An informative message warns that the IGES file selected contains 3D data. Therefore, a suitable Solid Edge template must be selected.
2.1 Define a non-Draft template
From the Solid Edge template field, click on Browse:
Make sure you Part Template File (*.par) is selected in the dropdown list for file types:
Then select the iso metric part.par file and click on 'Open'.
2.2 Create a new IGES configuration file
Click on 'Next' to start editing the default IGES configuration file:
From the list of bodies, select Surfaces, solids, wireframes and points. Then click on 'Next':
In the following step, the settings below are suggested. Click on 'Next':
Since it is not possible to write on the default configuration file, we need to create a new one. Select Create a new configuration file and then click on 'Copy To...':
Rename the configuration file. For such application we rename it as seiges_par.ini. Click on 'Save'.
Finally, click on 'Finish':
2.3 Open the file
Open the file normally. Solid Edge now uses the seiges_par.ini configuration file created in this article to import the IGES data:
As defined in the new configuration file, surfaces, solids, curves and points are now imported within the Part environment.
3. Step by step video
You can watch a video of the process below: