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Mass Properties

H

husseini

New member
Hello,


I used ProE to import DXF files intoProEpart files, for the purpose of calculating the inertial parameters of the pieces.

They were imported just fine, but after I specify the density and try to calculate the mass properties I get zero for everything: the volume, surface area and the inertial parameters.


What could the problem be? I would really appreciate any assistance on this matter and suggeste remedies. I am attaching both the part file and the original dxf file.


Abdul


2009-01-07_111244_part.zip
 
Unless there's some solid geometry, there isn't anything to report. A DXF import alone will only be curves, and 2D at that, I believe. You're going to have to add some solid geom.
 
So you mean use the import as a template to build a similar solid, then delete the 2D curves from the import?
 
The strange thing is that in ProE it seems that it recognized a solid, and it fills in solid parts. Yet it does not report the mass properties.
 
I tried opening your part, but since it's built in the education version I cannot. If all you did was import the DXF, I very much doubt there's solid geom there.You will need to build some solids from the DXF curves. You can keep the curves or not, they have no mass and won't effect the results.
 
Thanks, that clarifies things a bit. However the DXF import did not result in curves, but rather 3D surfaces. Here is the summary:


SUMMARY OF DXF IMPORT PROCESSING
Reading began at: Wed Jan 07 12:24:23 2009


Count Name
------------------------------
249 3DFACE
------------------------------
TOTAL = 249


Is there no way to consolidate these into a solid? As you can see from the attached JPG, ProE can generate a solid out of the imported file.
What happens when you import the dxf as a part in your version of ProE?

Thanks a lot for all your assistance!
 
Husseini

I was able to open your file from post #1. It has been
imported as a "Facet Feature" which is not solid
geometry, so you will not get any mass properties, etc.
An easy way to check if you have solid geometry is to
put the model in wireframe mode and check the edge
colors - if they are pink or magenta, then you do not
have a solid.

Probably the only thing you can do with the facet
geometry is to measure the edge lengths and then create
a new solid model from there (unless you have access to
the "Restyle" aka Reverse Engineering extension).

See picture below:
 
Thanks everyone for your valuable assistance. I now understand where the issue is, and I appreciate the part you made Adam.


I guess redoing the parts again is an option, however since I have a relatively large numberof parts (some of them irregular)the "restyle" option mentioned could be a possibility.

Would the Reverse Engeering Package be able to handle this type of file and transform it into a solid?

Thanks!
Abdul
 
can you upload the dxf part? there are a few things that you can do with the imported DXF to get a solid from it, without having to recreate the part.


Paddy
 
Hello Paddy,


Here are two of the relatively more complex parts.
I can rebuild the simpler pieces, but I would appreciate any hints you may have that would help me make pieces such as these into solids.

2009-01-07_160505_parts.zip


Thanks a lot!
Abdul
 
I came up with a technique for getting the DXF part to become parametric.I could detail out how if anyone cars. I did that at a Pro/E user conference back when WF first came out once.

Badgerland RUG I think 2003 or so.
 
Looks like a LEGO to me....
smiley36.gif
 
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