Solid machinist and naming

[mvas82]

Hi

I have been using SolidWorks and Edgecam a couple of years now, and i would like to make my programs more parametric. I use solid parts from solidworks most of the time when programming.
Have been playing with PCI for some time, but i don't find everything in the Edgecam documentation, or help files.

In SolidWorks i have the opportunity to give face/entities a unique name.
I'm struggling to find that name when i import the solid in to Edgecam.
I want to make a PCI that automaticly give named faces from solidworks, a face feature with the correct colour and name in edgecam.

How do i identify/find my named face which was set in SolidWorks?
And i've been searching all over the web for PDI tutorials/help files, but can't find "anything"

Thanks

[jasper]

Hi

When loading a file from solidworks to edgecam via the edgecam launch button inside solidworks, a xml file is created. In this file additional data like for example threading information is stored so edgecam can read this so called cosmetic data.

Via this xml file you can also output things like face name and make it go into the edgecam features. This however will require you to make your own launch button to include these facenames.

Hope this helps

Thx

Jasper

[mvas82]

Thanks for the reply, jasper

Had to install CAD Links from the Edgecam 2009.20 DVD, because that was the only one with 64Bit support i could find.
All faces in my assembly have face names. When i go to face properties in Solidworks they all have different names, but this did not show up in the XML file.

Do you know what i have to do getting my face names in the XML file?
I use Solidworks 2009 and Edgecam 2009.

[jasper]

Hi

The standard link doesn't include face names. If you want it to do that you need to write your own cadlink creating the xml file. The face name would need to be put into the comment field of the feature inside Edgecam. I know this kind of stuff has been developed for Pro Engineer by a German reseller called Cipro. I am not sure about Solidworks.

Best regards,

Jasper