.step conversion

[daniel_dsouza]

Hello CD.

So recently I downloaded all the .step files for the VEXpro products. I was just wondering, what is the best practice (in your expert opinion) for using these files? What do you guys in the real world do?

I've currently converted all of them to .sldprt and .assm formats. So my real question is, should I just use them as is (the parts have single-body "Imported 1" feature) or should I run them through feature recognition?

And if I should run them through feature recognition, is there any faster way to do this other than writing code to automate the procedure, or doing them one-by-one? The Task Scheduler does not seem to have an option for feature recognition...

Thanks,
Daniel D.

[Cory]

Feature recognition is hit or miss. It often does things completely $@#$@#$@# backwards and ends up being no more useful than if you had just an imported body.

You can play with it and see how you like it though.

[casey.dill]

I ahve been using Solidworks for these past 10 years, so my advice is to not use feature recognition.

Once in a while it will work ok, but there is always a chance something didn't convert right and you miss the difference.

If I can't get it in a native format, I either use the imported model as is or redraw it.