Appendix C

Solids Import Tutorial for SwissCAM

Introduction
This tutorial will teach you how to import 3D solid models into PartMaker/SwissCAM for the
purpose of extracting tool path geometry from them.

PartMaker Version 5.3.8 and higher features the ability to directly import 3D solid models in
Parasolid ™ transmit format (.X_T and .X_B files), as well as native SolidWorks™ format
(.SLDPRT files). Once imported, it is then possible to inspect the solid model and extract
geometry from the solid model by taking sections, projected views and ‘unwrapped’ geometry. It
is also possible to interrogate the model in order to obtain various plane angles, plane offsets,
hole diameters, hole depths, etc.

The ability to import solids is available with every PartMaker product, namely, PartMaker/Mill,
PartMaker/Turn, PartMaker/Turn-Mill, PartMaker/SwissCAM and PartMaker/WireEDM. The
steps presented in this tutorial are carried out in PartMaker/SwissCAM but can be used in any
PartMaker application.

Sequence of Steps for importing solid models and geometry

extraction
The steps outlined below describe the sequence in which you should approach importing and
manipulating solid models within PartMaker. This tutorial follows the sequence of steps below
in importing and geometry extraction of a typical solid model.

1. Import Solid Model : Read solid part file into Partmaker.

2. Origin / Axis Transformations: Perform all the necessary origin and axis transformations
to the part so that it is aligned correctly.
3. Geometry Transfer and Part Interrogation: Transfer geometry to the face window either
by copying and pasting or doing a direct transfer. At the same time, view geometric
information about the part by double clicking on various topological features like faces,
edges and vertices.
Appendix C

1) Import Solid Model

Figure 1.1

1. In the Main Menu, choose Import. The following file formats can currently be
imported into PartMaker :
i. Parasolid ™ transmit text format (.X_T files).
ii. Parasolid ™ transmit binary format (.X_B files).
iii. SolidWorks ™ native file format (.SLDPRT files).

2. Click on the X_T Parasolid Transmit Text File menu item (figure 1.1). In the Import
File Dialog double click on the file “Swiss.x_t”, the part created in the tutorial in this
file. When the file is read into PartMaker, it will appear in a separate Solids window. It
can then be visually inspected by rotation, translation and scaling.

3. Enable the Solids Menu items by making the Solids window active by clicking on it.

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 Solids Import

2) Origin / Axis Transformations

The part has to be correctly aligned according to PartMaker alignment conventions for
accurate and meaningful geometry extraction (figure 2.1). This can be accomplished by:

1. Changing the origin by setting it at a new position.

2. Re-aligning the coordinate axes in order to change the orientation of the part.

3. Rotating the part about an axis through an angle in order to simplify geometry
extraction.

However, in this case, since the part is aligned correctly along the Z-axis, we will not
have to carry out any transformation operations on the part. Please refer to the section
explaining this dialog at the end of the tutorial for more information.

Figure 2.1

User Guide C-3

Appendix C

3) Geometry Transfer And Part Interrogation

First make sure that PartMaker is in Overlapping Windows Mode. This makes it easier for geometry
transfer by keeping both the Solids import window as well as the face window visible simultaneously. To
do so, choose Preferences from the View Menu. Enable Overlapping Windows . Then choose Arrange
Windows from the Window Menu. You will observe tiling of the face window and the Solids import
window. Next, we will program the job file for the part by extracting geometry from the solid model.

1. Main Spindle Turn:

Figure 3.1

i. As discussed in the SwissCAM tutorial, set up the face window for the main spindle
turn operations. For these operations, we need to extract the sectional geometry of the
part in the X-Z / turn plane. There are two ways of extracting this geometry and we
will apply one method now and another method later for the sub spindle turn operation.
In the Solids menu, go to Set View and click on Show 2D Sectional Views. You will
see that the part sectional views are displayed, XZ views in green, XY views in blue
and YZ views in red (figure 3.1).

ii. Now select the X-Z sectional views by clicking on the sectional plane. You can tell the
view has been selected when the selected view geometry changes color to yellow.

iii. From the Edit Menu choose Copy. You have now copied the sectional geometry onto
the clipboard. You will now paste the geometry into the face window. Click on the face
window to activate it. Go to the Main menu and choose Paste from the Edit Menu.

iv. You will observe that the main spindle part geometry has been pasted into the face
window (figure 3.2). You can now program the main spindle turn operations for the
part as discussed in the SwissCAM tutorial.

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 Solids Import

Note: In order for the geometry to be transferred to the correct window it should be the
current window in the face window list.

Figure 3.2

Before moving on, uncheck Show 2D Sectional View from the Solids Menu.

2. Hexagonal Milling:

Figure 3.3

i. Set up the face window for the mill polygon operation as discussed in the SwissCAM
tutorial. For this window we will need to extract the geometry on the face containing
the hexagonal boss.

ii. Double click on the face as shown (figure 3.3). This will bring up the Surface Info
Dialog, displaying various face features such as angles with the XY, XZ and YZ planes
as well as the z, y and z offsets from the origin. When the ‘Convert Curves to Arcs’
box is checked, all the spline curves in the geometry are approximated into lines and
circular arcs accordingly. If the box is left unchecked, then the splines are broken down
into small lines. We leave the box checked and click the “Transfer Geometry” button.

User Guide C-5

Appendix C

This button transfers the face geometry into the mill polygon face window as shown in
the figure (figure 3.4).

iii. Once the geometry transfer is done, programming of the mill polygon operation can be
carried out as discussed in the SwissCAM tutorial.

Note: Radius and depth dimensions of cylindrical / conical holes on any face can be
obtained by double clicking on the hole face, which will bring up the Surface Info
Dialog, which will then display the radius and height of the cylindrical hole.

Figure 3.4

3. Sub Spindle Turn:

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 Solids Import

Figure 3.5

i. As discussed in the SwissCAM tutorial, set up the face window for the sub spindle turn
operations. For these operations, we need to extract the sectional geometry of the part in
the X-Z / turn plane. We used the method of copy pasting for obtaining the sectional
geometry in case of the main spindle turn operations. We now use the method of direct
geometry transfer for obtaining sectional geometry for the sub spindle turn operations.
The advantage of using this method is that it results in an automatic mirroring of the
part about its horizontal center, which is essential to program sub spindle operations on
the part.
Note: In order for the mirroring operation to be accurate, the correct part length has to
be entered in the face window setup dialog.

ii. Choose Section from the Solids menu, and click on Sectional ZX View. This sections
the part in the ZX plane. Double click on the face as shown (figure 3.5). This will bring
up the Surface Info Dialog, displaying various face features like angles with the XY,
XZ and YZ planes as well as the z, y and z offsets from the origin. When the ‘Convert
Curves to Arcs’ box is checked, all the spline curves in the geometry are approximated
into lines and circular arcs as suitable. If the box is left unchecked, then the splines are
broken down into small lines. We leave the box checked and click the “Transfer
Geometry” button. This button transfers the face geometry into the sub spindle turn
face window as shown in the figure (figure 3.6).

iii. Once the geometry transfer is done, programming of the sub spindle turn operations can
be carried out as discussed in the SwissCAM tutorial.

Figure 3.6

User Guide C-7

Appendix C

Edit Coordinate System Dialog

In order to extract geometry correctly, the part has to be oriented along a specific axis with the origin at a particular
point. Often the imported part needs to be transformed manually in order to orient it in the proper manner. The
following kinds of transformations are possible:
Changing the origin by setting it at a new position.

Re-aligning the coordinate axes in order to change the orientation of the part.

Rotating the part about an axis through an angle in order to simplify geometry extraction.
In order to transform a part, choose Edit Coordinate System from the Solids Menu.

Set New Origin At. Select the method of choosing a new origin:

Vertex : Sets the new origin at the selected vertex of the part.

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 Solids Import

Arc / Circle Center : Sets the new origin at the center of the selected arc or circle.

Face Center : Sets the new origin at the center of the selected face. The face can be a sphere, torus or a planar
face.

Edge MidPoint : Sets the new origin at the midpoint of the selected edge. The edge has to be a straight line.

X. The x coordinate of the new origin

Y. The y coordinate of the new origin.

Z. The z coordinate of the new origin.

These values can be manually set or automatically filled when a selection is made using one of the methods of selection
discussed earlier.

Set. Sets the new origin at the point described by the new coordinates.

From. The initial axis orientation to be transformed from.

To. The final axis orientation to be tranformed to.

Transform. Transform the axis orientation from 'From' to 'To'.

X Axis. If selected, rotates the part about the X axis

Y Axis. If selected, rotates the part about the Y axis

Z Axis. If selected, rotates the part about the Z axis

Angle. Angle about which to rotate the part in degrees. Negative values are allowed.

Rotate. Rotates the part about one of the above selected axes.

Undo. Undoes the last origin change, axis transform or part rotation operation.

User Guide C-9