CATIA V4 (Dassault) >> NX

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The following settings are recommended up to CATIA V4.2.5 (Dassault) and NX 11

CATIA V4 (Dassault) - System

No elements should be placed in NOSHOW/NOPICK.
Model should be cleaned of all unused information, because the translator exports the complete content of CATIA-parts.->Delete:
Unused DETAILS (in all workspaces)
Unused elements from NOSHOW</> (in all workspaces)
Drawings
Update SOLID-M into SOLID-E with CATSOE utility.
Perform SOLIDE/UPDATE, also if message UPDATE ALREADY DONE appears. (Regeneration removes inconsistencies.)
Generate Volumes from SOLID-E and delete SOLID-E in all workspaces. (Geometry is still exported as a solid in STEP.)
Scaled and mirrored dittos (EXPLODE function) should not be used.
Before export elements of special CATIA modules (e.g. PIPING, BUILDING DESIGN) need to be converted to STEP compliant elements.
Use CATCLN.
Assembly structures in SETs should be transferred to DETAILS.
All FILTERs should be deactivated (LAYER -> FILTER -> ALL).
Solids/Volumes consisting of separate Bodies should be avoided.
Objects used for Boolean operations should show good penetration.

CATIA V4 (Dassault) - STEP Preprocessor

Option "Use Short Names" should be deselected (unless appropriate libraries are available).
Recommended settings in Declaration File:
CATST1.STEP.USE_SHORT_ALIAS=FALSE
CATST1.STEP.EXPORT_NO_SHOW=FALSE
CATST1.STEP.EXPORT_UNUSED_DETAILS=FALSE

STEP File

In the filename syntax special characters (especially / * % ) or umlauts must be avoided.
NX - STEP Postprocessor
Start the external STEP postprocessor with Translator -> STEP AP214 and select Import.
Select Edit -> Settings and define the options:
(or interactive from NX 8.5) To export a STEP File choose File -> Import ->STEP203 or STEP214.
Object Types: One or more of the options Solid, Product Data, Surface and Wireframe (depending on model).
With the option Geometry: Sew surfaces it can be defined whether the translator sew the surfaces as they are imported or not. The default is not to sew surfaces.
Recommended is to use the default settings in menu Translation Control (Tolerant Modeling).
A *.log and a *.def file will be created in the same directory as the imported models.
Validation properties are supported.

NX - System

Shaded view is helpful for a first impression of model quality.
By choosing the menu option: Information -> Object -> Type -> Solid Body -> Select all correctly transferred solids are identified with red color. (Same way with other model types). (up to NX2)
By choosing the menu option Information -> Object -> Objects -> Select all after choosing the filter for Solid Body in Information -> Object -> Filters -> Type Filter correctly transferred solids are identified with red color. (Same way with other model types).

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