Layering CAD

[kabby35]

Any suggestions on cutting down the time it takes to layer out my Models? When I import the step file for our large jobs it takes forever to layer the Part, the Clamps, the Pins so I can get to everything I need to, like the nets without interference! Will a IGES file work better?

Thanks for your help!

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

If your cad people put it all on 1 layer, then it makes no difference what format you use. Tell them to use their cad software (Pcdmis is NOT cad software, it is software that uses cad data!) and use layers to separate the different type of data (fixture, part, clamps, gates, etc.) They can do it faster then you can because chances are, each 'thing' is a solid in their software and thus 1 item instead of the 671 surface patches a clamp shows up as in Pcdmis.

[kabby35]

Thanks Matt appreciate it!

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

Another thing, those items might already BE on different layers, but they aren't telling the export function to maintain the layers as it is being exported.

[kingsld1]

What kind and size of graphics card do you have? That can make a big difference on large cad files.

[Mike Ruff]

I create an assembly in Solidworks and save the assy as a step file. When I import it into PC-DMIS, I go to Edit> Graphics Display Window> CAD Assembly. In here there is a list of all your components you can expand and see each individual component and hide/ show the ones you need and create viewsets. This is much easier than trying to select groups of surfaces within PC-DMIS.