Recommendations on how to adjust IGES-export module in your modeling program

Virtually all modern systems of 3D modeling have an export module in <IGES> format. This module normally has options for tuning and configuring. Here are some recommendations that you are advised to use when preparing IGES files.

  • If in the IGES export tuning menu there is an accuracy control, it should be set relatively high. This will allow the system to link surfaces forming the model more accurately, and consequently more accurately process it. It is not recommended to export the model with accuracy less than the required machining tolerance.

  • It is advised to substitute objects types that cannot be imported by the system into those that can. For example, the draughtsman, working in the modeling program, may use a solid-sphere entity. Importing this into the system as an IGES-entity <Sphere> (type 158) is impossible, but it is correct to change the entities of that type to a combination of entities of other types (e.g. 144, 143, 510).

  • If sets of boundary curves (bound, loop) are defined in modeling 3D-space, then corresponding boundary curves in parametric space (UV) will be automatically created during import. This theoretically can bring additional errors into the model. Therefore, the presence of parametric boundary curves is required. This concerns <Boundary> (type 141) and <Loop> (type 508) entities. If there are problems during import of geometrical objects, then try allowing parametric bounds generation in the IGES-export options in the modeling program. If that is impossible, then change <Bounded Surface> (type 143) and <Face> (type 510) entities to <Trimmed Parametric Surface> (type 144).


See also:

Importing objects from IGES files