Any LW Export users?

[munck]

I`m starting to use LW Export to export models from I-Deas to Lighwave. I wonder (and also believe) if there is someone more experienced users of LW Export. I would also like to hear any opinions or tips concerning importing models to LW.

Thanks already.

[munck]

Allright guys! Have any of you, who are reading this thread, even heard about I-Deas or LW Export? I`m just curious. Is this LW Export really so "unused" program? Or is it just that anyone of you are not using I-Deas to model complex mechanical machines?

I´m using LW Export when I move really big machine-models into Lightwave where I can do animations. It´s really handy because I can export those machines with full hierarchy of an assembly in I-Deas: parenting and position information is included in .LWS-file when exported. It works pretty nicely. All I have to do in Lightwave Modeler, is to use Reduce Polygons command to clean imported parts.

[rabid pitbull]

sorry never heard of either product...:confused:

[Mylenium]

Considering that I-DEAS is a rather expensive CAD package you possibly won't hear much news here. Also I have to say that external converting tools such as PolyTrans or Deep Exploration do a much better job converting an STL or IGES file.

Mylenium

[whattawa]

Originally posted by Mylenium
Considering that I-DEAS is a rather expensive CAD package you possibly won't hear much news here. Also I have to say that external converting tools such as PolyTrans or Deep Exploration do a much better job converting an STL or IGES file.

I wouldn't exactly say better, but I've only used those two programs and not the ones that munck is asking about. Those listed by Mylenium are definitely all right for how much they cost, but I have had issues with them. I hope your software works well for you, but you might try these if they support your format. I'm not too sure they support scene files, though.

[Tom Speed]

Hi,

If the I-Deas models are Poly based, and you have the file format specifications, a simple importer could be scripted pretty easily.

Do you have any sample models and any specs on the file format?

Tom

[Mylenium]

Hi Tom,

I suppose you are under a totally wrong impression. I-DEAS is CAD/ surfacing/ design! This means NURBS, Splines, procedural arcs, solids, other mathematical objects. You won't find too many polygons there.

Mylenium