Importing form Proengineer to Ansys and or Comsol

[amirghaderi]

i want to import a designed geometry to ansys or comsol from proengineer but i can't.
(ProE Filetype:*.prt)
in ansys:
it gets no error but continues processing and becomes not responding...
in comsol:
it says" Internal error translating CAD model Output file could not be saved"
"Details:
Exception:
com.femlab.util.FlException: Internal error translating CAD model
Output file could not be saved


Messages:
Internal error translating CAD model
Output file could not be saved



Stack trace:
at com.femlab.geom.GeomImportExe.a(Unknown Source)
at com.femlab.geom.GeomImportExe.load(Unknown Source)
at com.femlab.geom.GeomImportExe.load(Unknown Source)
at com.femlab.geom.GeomImportExe.load(Unknown Source)
at com.femlab.geom.GeomImportExe2.load(Unknown Source)
at com.femlab.geom.GeomImporter.load(Unknown Source)
at com.femlab.geom.GeomImportRunnable.run(Unknown Source)
at com.femlab.server.FlRunner.run(Unknown Source)
at com.femlab.util.j.run(Unknown Source)
at com.femlab.util.ae.run(Unknown Source)
"
please help me with this

 

[FredGarvin]

In ANSYS, did you try exporting it as an IGES? What part is failing? The mesh creation or the solver?

 

[amirghaderi]

thanx
but still i can't import pro\e *.prt* (part files) directly into ansys...
thank you again...
Amir

 

[amirghaderi]

thanx
but still i can't import pro\e *.prt* (part files) directly into ansys...
thank you again...
Amir

 

[minger]

Our fantastic (\sarcasm) IT guys still haven't figured out how to "nicely" get the CAD/ANSYS interface to work correctly. We use Unigraphics, but I was able to set some user environment variables and get a half-decent work-around going. One thing that is important, is that your working directory must be the same location that the part file is located.

Aside from that, do you guys have a Parasolid license that you can use. For 3D models, we typically just export to parasolid before importing into DesignModeler.

 

[Topher925]

You're not going to be able to import any type of part file into Ansys or Comsol since part files are proprietary to the CAD software used to make them. Most FEA/CFD software only use "universal" type of file formats like .iges, .x_t, or parasolids. I import CAD data from solidworks and catia into Comsol all the time and it works just fine.

 

[FredGarvin]

I have not had any problems importing an iges into ANSYS and we have the ability to directly port prt files into ANSYS Workbench.

I suggest try creating an iges file of your part and try to import that.

 

[minger]

You're not going to be able to import any type of part file into Ansys or Comsol since part files are proprietary to the CAD software used to make them. Most FEA/CFD software only use "universal" type of file formats like .iges, .x_t, or parasolids. I import CAD data from solidworks and catia into Comsol all the time and it works just fine.

That's not true. ANSYS has special plug-ins for the major modeling packages. If you log into their support website, there is a link on the left called CAD Special Version. It has support for:
Inventor
Catia
UG NX
SolidEdge
Pro/Engineer

Getting them configured though is an entirely different story. I personally prefer to directly bring in the part file because it seems funky things can happen with the Unigraphics IGES translator.

p.s.

I suggest try creating an iges file of your part and try to import that.

Does Pro/E come with a built in IGES translator? I know with UG, it's a separate license, perhaps he doesn't have an IGES translator?

 

[amirghaderi]

but if one shouldn't import a .prt file why there is an import pro/e part files in both comsol and ansys...
thanx again.

 

[minger]

There's no reason not to directly import a part file. The only issue that I have had is that it is typically easier and more convenient to use a standard format such as parasolid or iges, rather than a proprietary format such as .prt.

If its configured correctly, then by all means import the part file. It's better to use it directly than have it translated twice. Otherwise, go parasolid or iges (I guess) file.

 

[amirghaderi]

ok
thanx

 

[FredGarvin]

Does Pro/E come with a built in IGES translator? I know with UG, it's a separate license, perhaps he doesn't have an IGES translator?

It may be a separate license, that I am not sure of. I just know it's pretty seamless from where I'm sitting.

 

[minger]

Consider yourself blessed. I had to fix our UG->ANSYS interface, although we still can't import part files into Workbench, only APDL, our UG->ICEM interface still doesn't work.

Don't get me started on the classified area...

 

[FredGarvin]

Consider yourself blessed. I had to fix our UG->ANSYS interface, although we still can't import part files into Workbench, only APDL, our UG->ICEM interface still doesn't work.

Don't get me started on the classified area...

You did get the short end of the stick. We got rid of UG quite a few years ago except for a very few select uses. I don't think they ever have a need to export to ANSYS so I doubt they would know if I asked them.

I guess this is one situation where I should say thanks to the IT folks.

 

[Mech_Engineer]

My company only recently went away from UG, but I was able to export from both UG 4.0 and UG 6.0 to ANSYS without too much trouble. I would just take a UG part, export it to a parasolid text (*.x_t) and then import that parasolid into ANSYS Workbench using the parasolid interface which we pay for. It worked just fine...

Now that we are moving to SolidWorks we have dropped the ANSYS parasolid interface for the ANSYS SolidWorks interface, and it works just as seamlessly.

 

[ananag]

In Pro/E, just export is as as STEP, IGES, etc file. In ANSYS, you can make it automatically import in a Pro/E file, but you have to configure that when you install the program.

 

[minger]

I think many of you guys are missing the point of the direct interface. Sure, you can export to IGES/parasolid/etc, and then import into ANSYS. However, if you can attach the geometry correctly, then the interface can update the part in ANSYS for you.

For example, I have a complex part, that in ANSYS has dozens and dozens of named selections. If I need to iterate on the part, change the geometry and then have to re-import, all of my named selections are gone, as it is a new import.

However, if it properly attached, I can simply click, "Update" and the geometry will update keeping all of my old named selections.

Furthermore I have personally ran into problems where converting to IGES gives slivers and other crappy things that ruin the ability to mesh and solve.

IGES and parasolid are fixes, but not the solution.

 

[Mech_Engineer]

I think many of you guys are missing the point of the direct interface. Sure, you can export to IGES/parasolid/etc, and then import into ANSYS. However, if you can attach the geometry correctly, then the interface can update the part in ANSYS for you.

For example, I have a complex part, that in ANSYS has dozens and dozens of named selections. If I need to iterate on the part, change the geometry and then have to re-import, all of my named selections are gone, as it is a new import.

However, if it properly attached, I can simply click, "Update" and the geometry will update keeping all of my old named selections.

That it exactly why I had my company go to the SolidWorks interface. I do a lot of complex models with dozens of parts and contact conditions, and rebuilding it is a PITA.

Furthermore I have personally ran into problems where converting to IGES gives slivers and other crappy things that ruin the ability to mesh and solve.

IGES and parasolid are fixes, but not the solution.

I have had the same kind of problems with IGES files. They are just difficult to work with. Parasolid is fine, but if you're going to be iterating a design based on the FEA model, a bi-directional link is a must.