Converting Large Models to STEP files

Hi there,
      I'm working with rather large assemblies that need to be passed on to customers in a STEP file and I'm just wondering if you folks can help me out.

The first thing I am wanting to do is compress some assemblies into single cat parts so that there is no history or tangible models that the customers can mess around with. I know that there is the generate CatPart from Product function but it puts all of the parts into a body and creates an ugly file that can still be manipulated.  Is there a way to cram everything into one body?

The next process will be getting everything into a good step model.  Now it seems like Catia has very limited STEP functionality.  Is there another method or another piece of software that I can use to generate accurate step models with a low failure rate?

Any insight on the subject would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

3dxml or cgr files are more suitable for you? Or not?

No, unfortunately not because this data must be shared with people on platforms other than Catia. It has to be a STEP file.

Ah, I see...may I suggest to adapt a macro to batch convert part (or product - subaasy) one by one and after that recreate the big assy from these stp files and finally convert to stp?

Frankly speaking, if I would receive something for work, I would prefer to view the structure of the assemblies but this depends on what you want, of course.

Would there be any benefit to doing it that way? Could that structure then be condensed down to 1 single part body?

Yes, if the model was being used for design it would be preferable to have it structured as an assembly but this model will be leaving our company and we don't want people modifying it or using it in an unintended manner.

thanks for the help.

Sorry, unfortunately my suggestion is not good for your purposes.

Bobcad is cheap and has a good step converter. I use it- it also has solidworks converter among many others. I got it for $500. You could export step from Catia, import into Bobcad and spit back out, and should get one solid body. Or there's a tool called TransMagic that some companies use. I think it might be more robust, and also more expensive. They charge a basic fee for the engine, plus a charge for each model type you want to be able to read and convert.

thanks for the suggestions! I check em out.

Regarding your question about CatPart from Product:
Once the resulting part is created, assemble all the bodies into the main PartBody.
Then Copy that single body and paste it back into the part "as result".
The result is another part body that contains a dumb solid.

Then RMB click on the new body and select bodyname.object>Change Part Body.
Click OK on the pop-up.
This will swap the part bodies so that the main PartBody is now the secondary body.

Delete the secondary part body. (the one that contains all the assembles)
All the part bodies will appear again. Delete them all.

This should leave only one part body that is a dumb solid representation of the assembly.

Would that work for you?

Yes, that is tremendously helpful, thank you!! The only thing I don't understand is what you mean when you say "assemble all the bodies into the main PartBody".... How does a guy do this?

Select all the secondary part bodies and launch the Assemble boolean command from the Insert pull down menu.
Insert>Boolean Operations>Assemble...

Then select the main Part Body.

Click OK to end the operation.

Beautiful! I'll give it a try today!

Thanks

Hrm, it was a sound theory but it failed during the assemble. Something about an intersect. Any ideas?