FAQ News

Problems importing an ACIS solid?

• Software:

  Advance Steel

• Module

  Modeling

• Question:

  Problems importing an ACIS solid?

• Type:

  Modeling

• Difficulty:

  *

Answer

If you need to import an ACIS solid (e.g. modeled in another software like SolidWorks®), you have to perform the following action (Insert-ACIS File) from the AutoCAD® menu:

But it might happen that the import does not work (nothing is imported).
The reason is that the ACIS file that you are trying to import is from a later version than the AutoCAD® version that you are currently using supports.
You need to save the files to an earlier version or to convert the files.
The best would be to use the original software, which generated the ACIS file, and save it to an earlier version.

An alternate solution is the one described below:

• 1. You can download an ACIS viewer from www.spatial.com
  For example, download the "HOOPS 3D Part Viewer for ACIS" ACIS viewer at http://download.spatial.com/viewer/ACISHOOPSPartViewer1315_install.zip
• 2. Install the viewer.
• 3. Start the viewer and open the SAT file; you will see the ACIS part as shown below.

  

• 4. Change the settings to save the open SAT file with an earlier file version.
  For example, within "HOOPS 3D Part Viewer for ACIS" viewer, go to Tools-Options and for "File", change the "Export version number" to "2.1", then click "Apply" and "OK".

  

• 5. Save the file (with this modified ACIS version number) with File-Save as.
  Then you can successfully import this SAT file into AutoCAD® and Advance Steel.