Patchwork 3D Enterprise 2022 X5

Importing 3D CAD Models

In the Shaper interface, CAD models are imported using the menu Model > Import or File > Import in a new database. To import a model, select the desired file format, and then select your file using the browser. A status bar will appear, indicating the progress of this import.

The following file formats are available:

  • FBX (*.fbx)

  • DXF (*.dxf)

  • Wavefront OBJ (*.obj)

  • 3DS (*.3ds)

  • STL (*.stl / *.sta)

  • Parasolid (*.x_t / *.x_b)

  • Parasolid IGES (*.iges / *.igs)

  • Solid Edge (Assembly= *.asm ) / (Part= *.par)

  • SAT (*.sat / *.sab)

  • XML (*.xml)

  • STEP (*.step / *.stp)

  • Creo, PRO Engineer (*.prt / *.asm)

  • Catia V4 (*.model / *.exp)

  • Catia V5 (*.CATPart. /*.CATProduct)

  • CATProduct V2 (*.CATProduct)

  • Wire file

  • Wire folder

  • NX (*.prt)

  • SolidWorks (Assembly= *.sldasm) / (Part=*.sldprt)

  • Lumiscaphe P3DXml (*.xml)

The import compatibilities in 2022 X5 are as follows:

Source

Format

Support in Patchwork 3D

Autocad DXF

.dxf

Through 2022

Siemens NX

.prt

Through NX1953

SolidWorks

.sldasm, .sldprt

From 98 through 2021

Autodesk Maya

.fbx

Through 2020.2.1

Autodesk 3ds Max

.fbx

Through 2020.2.1

Acis

.sat

Through 2021.1.0.2

Parasolid

.x_t, .x_b

Through 34.0.1

Alias

.Wire

Through 2022 - 1.0.0

SolidEdge

.asm, .par, .psm, .x_t

Through ST11 (with Parasolid export)

Creo Pro/Engineer

.asm, .prt

Through Creo 7.0

Catia V4

.model, .exp

4.1.9 through 4.2.4

Catia V5

.CATPart, .CATProduct

V5R8 through V5-6R2021

Catia V6

.CATPart (v5), .CATProduct (v5)

Through V6 R2021x

OBJ

.obj

All versions

STL

.stl

All versions

3DS

.3ds

All versions

Step

.stp

203, 214, 242 versions

IGES

.iges, .igs

All versions

Based on the format of the file you would like to import, it is recommended to use the first possible line in the following table:

From

To

Importer to Use

Catia, Acis, NX, SolidWorks, Parasolid, software supporting FBX

Patchwork 3D

Direct interoperability (for example, use the NX importer for NX files)

software supporting STEP

Patchwork 3D

STEP

software supporting IGES

Patchwork 3D

IGES

software supporting OBJ

Patchwork 3D

OBJ

any other software

Patchwork 3D

DXF, STL

Patchwork 3D uses two 3D modeling engines to import file formats storing geometry elements as NURBS:

  • ACIS

  • Parasolid

Formats imported using these powerful geometry engines will allow users to work directly with the surface topology. Tessellation and assembly options are available for surfaces imported in these formats.

Autocad DXF, Wavefront OBJ, Ksc formats store the models as lattice mesh geometry. Tessellation and assembly options are not available for surfaces imported in these formats.

Patchwork 3D works on a metric scale. Certain CAD formats specify the scale used for the design of models. In this case, Patchwork 3D interprets this information and converts the dimensions of the model from the original scale to the metric scale. When the scale information is not available in the CAD file, Patchwork 3D uses the default scale specified for each format in the general preferences of the software.

To open the window used to set the application’s importers default units, navigate to the File menu > Settings > Geometry tab > Define default units button.

Import User Interface

The import parameters are accessible from Shaper > Model > Import a CAD model and from File > Import in a new database.

The Import Parameters dialog box for a CATPart file.

Import Parameters dialog box for a CATPart file

Depending on the FBX file you wish to import the following options will be available:

General

If the Save while importing checkbox is ticked, Patchwork 3D will first ask you:

  • to save your CAD model import in a P3D file format that can be interpreted by Patchwork 3D,

  • whether or not to save the rendering cache (for more details please refer to the following chapter: P3D Database).

Note

Save while importing allows you to save the P3D file at regular intervals to avoid saturating the memory when the CAD model being imported is large. Please note that this option has an impact on the import time.

If the After importing, display Lighting and Environment Creation options checkbox has been ticked, at the end of the import the Scene parameters window is displayed, so that you can select the elements constituting the creation of a scene, that is to say its lighting and its environment. Details of the available options can be found below in the section Automatic scene preparation

Automatic scene preparation

Notice

New Features in Patchwork 3D 2022 X5

If the box After the import, display the lighting and environment creation options has been checked, at the end of the import, the following window is displayed.

Patchwork 3D can create for you an environment with lighting.

Check the desired options and Patchwork 3D takes care of the rest to create the scene with its lighting and environment.

The option Create an environment with a hemisphere is particularly useful if you want your model to be quickly staged in a very realistic environment. Patchwork 3D will take care of creating for you a hemisphere, an environment and a environment material. The latter will be automatically assigned to the surface of the hemisphere. The HDRI environment files recognized by Patchwork 3D are HDR and EXR. You can also add a plane with the shadow of the imported model to your scene (cf. Matte material ).

Tip

If you do not select an HDRI environment, Patchwork 3D will automatically apply the Studio environment on the surface of the hemisphere.

Import Options

The table below lists the available options (✔) depending on the import formats.

Options

Data

Groups

Advanced Options

Importer

Format

Save while importing

Import Colors

Import Materials

Import UV

Import Cameras

Import Hierarchy

Stitch

Merge

Merge unamed

Scene Orientation

Tessellation

Log

P3D Xml Settings

Specific Options

ACIS

Acis xml

Acis sat

Catia V4

Catia V5

IGES

NX

Pro/E

SolidWorks

Step

Parasolid

Solid Edge asm

Solid Edge prt

3ds

Obj

STL

FBX

DXF

LWO

Parasolid (*)

Wire