I have a project with very many files created in SharkFX v7 that now need to be exported to SolidWorks for others to carry the project forward. I will be working with a product development firm who will take care of prototyping, 3D printing, handing things over to a scientist for finite element analysis for electro-magnetics, etc.

I started exporting version 20 of the ACIS .sat format but read today on the SolidWorks website that SolidWorks ACIS translator imports up to and including version 16.

Anyway, I'm on a Mac with SharkFX and they are on PCs with SolidWorks.The product development firm also has ProE on hand if that helps. The project is a big deal. I've been on it for over 2 years now. It never even occurred to me that a path from one platform to the other might not be available or reliable.

Please tell me the best way to export from SharkFX v7 on a Mac to SolidWorks on a PC. I'm not familiar with Solidworks so I don't know what settings they can play with.

Thanks,

~ S

I now see that Shark can import ProE format, but not export to it.

~ S

Forgot to add that layers don't seem to translate well either, so I copy everything I want to export over to just one layer first.

I have SolidWorks, running version 2012 and still prefer SharkFX for development especially if there are surfaces.

That said, I created a model in SharkFX some years ago and importation worked fine with SAT, but the model's features were lost. I'd argue that it is easier in the long run to rebuild from scratch in SolidWorks than to try and work with a translated file in SolidWorks.

Tom

tmay,

Thanks for the info. We've had some success with ACIS .sat now on two assemblies with file sizes around 3.5MB. The process I used was to select everything in the drawing, then "Check Object" under the Verify menu, then repair if needed. Then export with ACIS .sat version 20 with End of Line for PC. I was told there were some items needing to be fixed but not terribly corrupt. We have a ways to go yet. Some files are pretty big and complex. This really is a problem that should not exist.

Thanks for your comments about preferring SharkFX for development. I like SharkFX quite a lot. I'd prefer to stick with it and integrate my work with others, no matter what platform they are on.

~ S

Actually, there's 3D pdf. Look it up. I sent that to all my clients and they love it irrespective of cad program. It is about 90 or 120 bucks. don't remember.

We use SolidWorks and Shark. I also used to use Ashlar Cobalt and SolidWorks, and have been moving between the two apps for over 14 years. Firstly you have two big issues.

1. You are moving from ACIS to Parasolid modelling kernels
2. You are moving from OSX to Windows

In my experience there s no magic bullet in file translation. Even between the same platform, or the same modelling kernel you can still get errors. The only sure guarantee for file exchange is to move native files, in the same version, using the same configuration files on the same machine. In other words, there are no 100% sure ways.

Moving from Shark to SW you need to define why you are moving. Most of the time it will be to finish off the design, or to skin it. 9 times out of 10 that means you desire a solid model in SolidWorks.

So to get a solid you need to export a solid(obvious huh?).
In terms of formats the most relable option is Acis, followed by Step. Remember in both Shark and SolidWorks you can choose the Acis version to export and import. Make sure the two match up.

Step as fewer options but one tip is to colour up parts before export. That way if they get mangled you can at least select the colours in SoldWorks.

Best advice of all is this. Save the Shark file as a new file. Select only the arts you want to export. Export as ACIS, selected only. Create new Shark file, import the AcIs fie. If it round trips that is you halfway sorted.

Next select the arts in this new imported fie, save as ACIS and import that file into SW. It that fails, try STEP from the same file. If that fails try IGES with the Solidworks option set.

If that fails it is very likely you have poor geometry in the file. One of the problems with Shark is that it uses a wide range of ACIS code and sometimes this creates geometry that other kernes cannot use. There s no feedback to the user to say "yes you can create that here but it won't export well'.

Compare to SolidWorks, and the more rigid modelling approach restricts the options but results in a more robust model. Also, different kernels and apps have different tolerances. Shark has a "allow loose modelling tolerances setting" for stitching and other solid ops. This tricks ACIS into saying yes this is a solid even though there s a 0.05mm gap on the edge.

Again, inside Sark, no problem, but it creates merry hell with exports. Best advice is turn that setting off.

One point though. File translation these days is 1000x better than it was 15 yrs ago. Nt that it helps!