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How to transfer XOR model, which is applied Boolean operation, to UGS NX

CAD system has own kernel and specific interface. So, sometimes, liveTransfer may not perfectly forward a redesigned data to CAD system because of the difference between Rapidform and CAD system.

Of cause, if liveTransfer cannot perfectly forward all information, you can model in CAD system manually and apply transfer again by interactive method. But, if you want to transfer all information without any interruption, you need to understand difference in modeling process between Rapidform and UGS NX to use liveTransfer in first. And you have to adjust the modeling process as you do modeling in CAD system to successfully forward all information to CAD system.

In this document, it is explained through an example how you can successfully forward a model data to UGS NX.

Boolean operation is one of functions that are mainly used in the modeling process. If user applies Boolean operation to several bodies by setting the selecting body as Tools and run liveTransfer to forward a modeling data to UGS NX, transferring might fail and the warning message will appear as shown in the image below.

You can set any multi bodies for Tool bodies or Target Bodies in Boolean operation in Rapidform. But, you cannot do in UGS NX. Target Body has to be set only as a single body in UGS NX as shown in the image below.

And if you select several tool bodies and apply the Boolean operation, it will be performed multiple times and registered to the model tree as the number of the selected tool bodies as shown in the image below.

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So, you need to adjust modeling process in Rapidform to successfully forward whole modeling history by liveTransfer without any interruption for the above said reasons.

Follow the steps to understand how to successfully transfer models into USG NX.

Method
Adjust the Boolean method in the application as follows.
1. Apply the Boolean operation in order to create bodies as shown in the below image.

Note
If you set multi bodies as Tool bodies in Boolean operation as shown in the image below, liveTransfer may not forward all modeling history to UGS NX. And transferring will be interrupted at this step.

Then, switch working window to Rapidform and roll-back the step in the Feature Tree. Separate the registered Boolean operation.

After separating Boolean operation, execute the liveTransfer command again. Select the Resume From Selected Feature option as method and select the Boolean operation that is registered first in the feature tree. Click the OK button.

Note
The Boolean command supports several methods such as Merge, Cut, and Intersect just as in CAD system. But, you need to consider a modeling process to use liveTransfer with other CAD system because CAD system has specific interface for feature modeling.

Note
?: support, but not exact same parameters
Unsupportable: downstream CAD software doesn’t support the related API

Transferring with UGS NX using liveTransfer does not completely support several methods of Boolean operation as shown in the above table.

If all selected tool bodies are not overlapped with a target body and when you run Boolean operation using intersection method and then when you try to transfer this modeling history to UGS NX, it does not allow the transferring process.

In case of Cut method, selected tool bodies must be connected to a target body.

2. The liveTransfer will be completed without any interruption and you can see transferred model as shown in the image below.

Problem

After you transfer splines (2D and 3D) that are used for, say, a Lofted Surface, you may want to edit the control points of the splines to do design changes. This document explains how to edit splines in each CAD system.

Solution in SolidWorks

1. Click RMB on a 3D sketch profile/entity in the graphic window, and select Simplify Spline.

2. Set a Tolerance and click the OK button. You can now see control points on the spline.

3. Edit the control points.

4. After arranging the control points, you can generate the surface again in SolidWorks.

Solution in UGS NX

1. Select a Sketch in the Model History and select Edit in the popup menu.

2. Select a spline and select Edit in the popup menu.

3. Edit control points on the spline.

4. After editing control points, you can generate the surface again in UGS NX.

Solution in ProE

1. Select the appropriate Imported Feature in the model history and select Edit Definitions in the popup menu.

2. Click the Modify icon.

3. Select an item.

4. Edit control points on the spline.

5. After editing control points, you can generate the surface again in ProE.

Problem

When you import an entity in IGES format from Rapidform, it may import into NX with many split bodies even when you export it as a single body from XOR or XOS.

You can see many bodies in the Part Navigator in UGS NX

Solution

To avoid the problem, change the Import options in UGS NX as given below

1. Choose File>Import>IGES from the menu
2. Go to the “Advanced” tab in the Import from IGES options dialog box. Check the “Automatic Sewing of Surfaces” and then click the OK button as shown in the image below

Now NX will import IGES surface models as one single body: