Exporting a model as IGES (STEP) vs. liveTransfer

Generally models made from scan data that are intended to be edited in a CAD program are transferred into the receiving CAD program using IGES or STEP file format. Even after a successful import of these formats into the CAD modeler there may be some gaps or bad topology condition in surface body.

This technical tip will introduce “Live Transfer” an effective way to use XOR so that you can transfer a design data to the receiving CAD modeler without these problems.

How to transfer data to the other CAD modeler without any problems?

As you might have experienced, the data which is modeled in XOR and exported to the other CAD modeler could have some gaps from bad topology condition of the surface body if you transferred the data using neutral file format such as IGES, STEP as shown in the image below.

It might have happened because each application has its own specific tolerance and healing option. If that’s the case then what is effective way of transferring data to another CAD Modeler? XOR has a transferring system called as live transfer which would solve the problem.

Live transfer has several options. If you use “Start from first feature” option, the application makes a body in the other CAD modeler in the same order of the modeling process as you did in XOR. You will get a modeled body as well as modeling history which is exactly the same as you did in XOR.

If you use “Only Selected Entities” option, the application transfers only the selected body to the other CAD modeler. In this case they use “parasolid” file format which is of higher data compatibility. So you will get better results than what you get when you transfer a modeled data using IGES, STEP file format.

If you have been using XOR and already installed other CAD modeler in your machine, use live transfer to transfer model to the other CAD modeler. You will get better a result as shown in the image below.