See Also:

• The Okino "Pro/Engineer Solutions" page.
  
  

This suite of CAD importers is one of Okino's all time most popular solutions for our CAD customers, in particular for its use in handling native and encrypted Pro/Engineer files (there is technically no better solution to import Pro/Engineer data), and IGES+STEP+Parasolid BREP solids files. It is our 'work horse' CAD importer pipeline and the backbone for many of our customers' CAD conversion requirements.

We will openly state that our implementation of PTC Granite works wonderfully and as such it has become very popular with our customer base. Many years ago we passed our internal collection of CAD files (over a decade and a half worth) through Granite and made sure all minor problems of the Granite technology were solved. To date we rarely, if ever, hear of problems with any of the CAD importers in Granite. Okino does not blindly sell CAD converters to customers, but rather we give our own personal recommendations on which technology we have found to be the best and most robust -- PTC Granite gets 'two thumbs up' from us. If you have further questions or would like to discusss the Granite importers then please feel free to email us.

Click here to view the complete Granite importer online description, feature list and option descriptions in Windows CHM Help format. Due to Windows security you may need to do this to view the .chm file: (1) download the .chm help file to your machine, (2) right click on the file in Windows Explorer and choose "Properties", (3) click the "Unblock" button.

'Vacuum Interrupter' from 'One Space Designer' by Pieter Suur. Converted via IGES solids to Maya using Okino's PolyTrans-for-Maya. Rendered with 'RenderPipe for Maya'. See explanation here.


'Pipe Tensioner' from Pro/Engineer by Ludwig Desmet, Renderhouse BVBA. See explanation here.

Overview

Okino has actively integrated the PTC Granite interoperability kernel directly into its PolyTrans & NuGraf packages to provide extensive "3D solids" CAD model import support to its already extensive line up of 3D CAD and non-CAD file formats. This core technology adds the strong native file import support for Pro/Engineer, ACIS SAT, IGES (from solids), Parasolid, STEP and VDA-FS.

Most importantly, for Pro/Engineer data users, this module inserts a real, live running copy of core Pro/Engineer software inside of Okino software, allowing for the perfect import and translation of encrypted Pro/Engineer files, up to the most recent version. No intermediate or reverse engineered file formats are used to convert the Pro/Engineer data, as is used in all other non-Granite related Pro/Engineer conversion pipelines. Okino is by far one of the most active and ardent users of the PTC Granite interoperability kernel and as such provides very strong CAD conversion through this pipeline.

It is licensed and sold as the optional "Granite/Pack" add-on license. These formats play a pivotal role in bridging the CAD and industrial design markets with the non-CAD worlds of 3D multi-media animation packages, VisSim packages, WEB publishing and polygonal modelers via the tried-and-tested Okino data translation pipelines offered in the PolyTrans & NuGraf packages.

    Click on image to see full scale rendition

The importers also offer another means to transfer Pro/ENGINEER data into Okino's NuGraf rendering package which Okino has optimized for Pro/ENGINEER users since 1996. When combined with Okino's CAD data optimization routines (for hierarchy & part count simplification), very complex assemblies can be imported, optimized, simplified, then re-exported to packages such as 3ds Max (via native plug-ins in max), Maya (via native plug-ins in Maya/PC), Lightwave, Softimage|XSI, OpenFlight/Creator, DWF-3D, SketchUp, Adobe U3D, XAML-3D and many others.

Supported File Formats

Import Converter	File Format Extensions	Version	Import?
ACIS® SAT®	.sat	v7	Import
Granite® "g-plugs"	.g	Various	Import
IGES solids	.igs or .iges	5.3	Imp & Exp
Parasolid®	.xmt, .xmt_txt, .xmt_bin, .xmt_neu, .x_t, .x_b, .x_n	v13	Import
Pro/Engineer® native	.asm, .prt, .neu, .xpr, .xas	Current PTC version	Import
Pro/DESKTOP®	.des	Current PTC version	Import
STEP	.stp, .step, .ste	AP203 and AP214	Import
VDA-FS	.vda, .vdafs	v2 or older	Import
Okino IGES ‡	.igs, .iges	5.3	Import

** It is highly recommended that you download the demo version of PolyTrans/NuGraf and test these importers on your dataset(s) before purchasing the Granite/Pack module.

NOTES:

1. ‡  The Okino IGES import importer has been bundled together with the Granite/Pack license as a complement to the PTC IGES importer and other CAD importers. See the online help information which describes if you should use the Okino IGES importer or one of the PTC importers; each have their own set of merits.
2. ‡  The two recommended methods to import data from Pro/Engineer is the Okino IGES importer and the native PTC Pro/Engineer® importer. The Okino IGES importer has been specifically tailored to Pro/E IGES files and can import them robustly, with all nuances, and with ease.
3. The ACIS® SAT® importer is written by PTC and does not use the native Spatial ACIS® toolkit to import and handle the .sat file.
4. The Parsolid® .x_t importer is written by PTC and does not use the EDS Parasolid® modeling toolkit to import and handle the .x_t file.

Additional File Formats Supported through Free Third Party 'gPlug' Modules

An additional major benefit of purchasing the Okino Granite/Pack is that you also gain direct and free access to more CAD importers made available from third party companies. An online tutorial has been written which describes how to download and install these free additional importers into your installation of NuGraf or PolyTrans.

Import Converter gPlug Developer	File Format Extension
Alias®	.wire
IronCAD®	.ics
Raindrop® Geomagic®	.wrp

Granite/Pack Features

1. Adds a wealth of complementary 3D-solids-based file formats (ACIS® SAT®, IGES, Parasolid®, Pro/Desktop®, Pro/ENGINEER®, STEP and VDA-FS), at a reasonable price, to the already extensive list of Okino supported CAD file formats.
   
   
2. Granite's core code uses the exact same geometry libraries as Pro/Engineer, the most robust solid modeler in the world. Accordingly, over 300,000 engineers use applications built on Granite today, and Granite has been used to design every variety of manufactured product. Granite is, technically, the only valid method to natively import encrypted Pro/Engineer data, of all versions, without using reverse engineered, third party technologies.
   
   
3. Complete support for importing PTC WildFire part and assembly accelerator files (.xpr and .xas).
   
   
4. Import all of the Granite file formats directly into 3ds Max (via PolyTrans-for-MAX) or Maya (via PolyTrans-for-Maya) via native plug-in versions of PolyTrans, or use the stand-alone PolyTrans/NuGraf software to re-export the Granite-imported data to all major 3D file formats in an optimized state.
   
   
5. A highly developed and continually maintained importer by Okino. In addition, Okino has tested the Granite converters with a large number of CAD data from the Okino 3D model repository and has used this data to help PTC refine all of their import converters. This is a highly refined and robust set of CAD importers which we are very proud to support.
   
   
6. Imports and retains: assembly hierarchy information, assembly names, BREP structure of the source model (bodies and faces), various material parameters, model units and units matching, and various attributes (hidden status).
   
   
7. The quality of the model (the number of polygons) can be controlled via surface deviation, curve deviation and normal (angle) deviation controls.
   
   
8. Optional import of the trimmed NURBS representation of the model with uv-space trim curves, optimized and processed via the PTC Granite "GPI" engine. Retension of the NURBS geometry depends upon the destination file format or program, which must support native trimmed NURBS (such as Maya, Softimage|XSI, Renderman RIB format, IGES, Rhino .3dm and others).
   
   
9. Import of independent NURBS curves, including composite and sketch curves. Not all downstream file formats and programs will be able to handle such curves, but Okino's internal 2D curves engine will allow them to be re-exported to many formats or programs as NURBS curves, bicubic curves, polylines or line segments.
   
   
10. Direct access to PTC Granite model processing functionality: (i) Apply data healing algorithms, (ii) Close open boundaries and, (iii) Simplify surfaces.
    
    
11. Okino's "CAD Scene and Hierarchy Optimization System" has been integrated right into the Granite importer. This is most important when importing large CAD models into 3DS MAX, Maya or Lightwave. These animation packages tend to have performance problems when the source CAD model is large, and/or has a large number of individual parts (which is often the case with the BREP model topology of data provided by the Granite importers).
    
    
12. A number of professional and well implemented options that can be (optionally) set prior to import, to control most situations that could be encountered with Granite data import.
    
    
13. Complete control over material parameter modification on an automatic basis. Many CAD systems have basic material parameters (like color, ambient + diffuse shading coefficients, opacity, etc) but when they are transferred over to a rendering and animation system they often look "too bright" or "highly ambient". This can be expected and is quite normal. The material tweak parameters easily allow such saturated shading values to be automatically compensated.
    
    
14. Importing via a "solids-based" file format ensures that adjacent NURBS patches are "stitched" together via topology information (BREP data) and thus creates "crack free" tessellation when the NURBS or parametric solids are converted to a polygonal mesh.
    
    

Important Usage Notes

• If you perceive that not all of your parts are being import then please ensure that the "Import Quilts" option is enabled, and "Make Quilts Hidden" option is disabled on the Expert Geometry Processing wizard panel.
  
  
• Family table of instances in Pro/Engineer files: if your part files use instances in family tables then you must explicitly create instance accelerator files to go along with those instances in the family tables. This is fully described in this section. PTC Granite does not have the capability to load and create non-generic instances (such as those specified in a family table) because it would otherwise require the Pro/Engineer software itself to create the new modified geometry. To solve this problem, users must create instance accelerator files for each non-generic instance in a family table.
  
  
• STEP AP203 allows users to exchange geometry, topology and configuration data of a part or the whole product assembly. The user can exchange wireframe models, surface models and boundary representation of exact or faceted three-dimensional solids. STEP AP214 is a super set of AP-203 to define core data for automotive mechanical design processes.
  
  
• An 'assembly' file organizes one or more 'part' files into a more complex object. If your dataset consists of a main assembly file and multiple part files, then always just import the main assembly file (.asm).
  
  
• If there are multiple versions of a part file on disk (such as .prt.1, prt.2, .prt.3) then the newest part will always be opened (.prt.3).

Pro/Engineer 'Instance Accelerator Files', their Usage & 'Family Tables'

Instance Accelerator Files

You can reduce much of the time required to retrieve an instance of a part or assembly from disk by saving the instance in a special file called an instance accelerator file. This must be done inside the Pro/ENGINEER software. Each instance is saved in its own unique accelerator file, named instanceNAME.xpr for part instances and instanceNAME.xas for assembly instances (you will need to replace "NAME" with your own appropriate and unique name).

Accelerator files can be explicitly created by:

• Choosing "Open" in the Family Table, and then save the instance as a separate model file using File > Save or File > Save a Copy in the Pro/ENGINEER menu bar.
• Save the entire model file using File > Save on the Pro/ENGINEER menu bar (when the instance is being saved through a higher level object).

Inside the Pro/ENGINEER software the saving instances of parts and assemblies is controlled by the Save Instance Accelerator variable. That variable can be set up or modified in two ways as follows:

1) By setting the configuration file option save_instance_accelerator. It can have the following values:

• none (default) —The system saves an instance only by saving the generic model and its Family Table.
  
  
• always —The system saves an accelerator file when the instance itself is explicitly saved (i.e., when you open an instance in a new Pro/ENGINEER window using Open in the Family Table, and then save the instance as a separate model file using File > Save or File > Save a Copy in the Pro/ENGINEER menu bar), and also when the instance is being saved through a higher level object (i.e., when you save the entire model file using File > Save on the Pro/ENGINEER menu bar).
  
  
• explicit —The system saves an accelerator file only when the instance itself is explicitly saved (see the preceding paragraph for a description).

2) By choosing File > Instance Operations > Accelerator Options. The Instance Accelerator dialog box opens. The Using Options area contains the same three options as the configuration option, as described in the preceding procedure:

• None (default)
• Always
• Explicit

One of the three options is highlighted to reflect the most current setting that was loaded from a configuration file or selected previously using this dialog box.

Using the Instance Accelerator dialog box, you can also do the following:

• Create an instance accelerator file
• Save instances of parts and assemblies
• Update the generic and all instance accelerator files
• Delete invalid instance accelerator files

Loading non-Generic Instances via PTC Granite

Family table of instances in Pro/Engineer files: if your part files use instances in family tables then you must explicitly create instance accelerator files to go along with those instances in the family tables. PTC Granite does not have the capability to load and create non-generic instances (such as those specified in a family table) because it would otherwise require the Pro/Engineer software itself to create the new modified geometry. To solve this problem, users must create instance accelerator files for each non-generic instance in a family table.

About Family Tables

Family Tables are collections of parts (or assemblies or features) that are essentially similar, but deviate slightly in one or two aspects, such as size or detail features.

For example, wood screws come in various sizes, but they all look alike and perform the same function. Thus, it is useful to think of them as a family of parts. Parts in Family Tables are also known as table-driven parts.

Using Family Tables, you can:

• Create and store large numbers of objects simply and compactly
• Save time and effort by standardizing part generation
• Generate variations of a part from one part file without having to re-create and generate each one
• Create slight variations in parts without having to use relations to change the model
• Create a table of parts that can be saved to a print file and included in part catalogs

Family Tables promote the use of standardized components. They let you represent your actual part inventory in Pro/ENGINEER. Moreover, families make it easy to interchange parts and subassemblies in an assembly, because instances from the same family are automatically interchangeable with each other. Family Table Structure

Family Tables are essentially spreadsheets, consisting of columns and rows. They consist of the following three components:

• The base object (generic object or generic) on which all members of the family are based.
• Dimensions and parameters, feature numbers, user-defined feature names, and assembly member names that are selected to be table-driven (hereafter referred to as items).
• Names of all family members (instances) created by the table and the corresponding values for each of the table-driven items.

Rows contain instances of parts and their corresponding values; columns are used for items. The column headings include the instance name, and the names of all of the dimensions, parameters, features, members, and groups that were selected for the table. Dimensions are listed by name (for example, d9) with the associated symbol name (if any) on the line below it (for example, depth). Parameters are listed by name (dim symbol). Features are listed by feature number (for example F107) with the associated feature type (for example [cut] ) or feature name on the line below it.

The generic model is in the first row in the table. The table entries belonging to the generic can be changed only by modifying the actual part, suppressing, or resuming features; you cannot change the generic model by editing its entries in the Family Tables.

Note: Family Table names are not case-sensitive. Therefore, any subsequent references to inserted names show them in uppercase letters.

For each instance, you can define whether a feature, parameter, or assembly name is used in the instance either by indicating whether it is present in the instance (Y or N) or by providing a numeric value (in the case of a dimension). All dimension cells must have a value, either a number or asterisk (*) to use the generic's value.

All aspects of the generic model that are not included in the Family Table automatically occur in each instance. For example, if the generic model has a parameter called Material with a value Steel, all instances will have the same parameter and value.

You can scroll horizontally through a Family Table to see additional information. The Instance Name column remains visible as you scroll.

Family Table functionality varies with your Pro/ENGINEER module licenses.

Importer Wizard Panels

The following are the 9 panels which comprise Okino's Granite importer. Full online documentation for each of these panels can be read here. Due to Windows security you may need to do this to view the .chm file: (1) download the .chm help file to your machine, (2) right click on the file in Windows Explorer and choose "Properties", (3) click the "Unblock" button.

Intro Panel	Expert/Beginner Mode	Beginner Precision
Expert Tessellation	Geometry Processing	Geometry Processing # 2
Material Import	Material Tweaks	Units & Optimizations

PTC and Granite are trademarks or registered trademarks of Parametric Technology Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other countries. The "Built on PTC Granite" Technology Logo is used under license from Parametric Technology Corporation, Needham, MA, USA. ACIS and SAT are registered trademarks of Spatial Corp. Parasolid is a registered trademark of UGS Corp.