Cleaning Up CAD on Import

Run a diagnostic test on an imported CAD model to review and fix issues with parts.

Important: Before importing CAD, turn on the ability to run diagnostics in the Preferences:
  1. On the File menu, click the Preferences button to open the Preferences window.
  2. Under Category, select Inspire > Geometry.
  3. Under Preference, scroll down to Import from CAD File.
  4. For Fastest import, select With diagnostics.
Once this preference is turned on, you can import the model and run a diagnostic test.
  1. To open the CAD file, press Ctrl+O.
  2. In the History Browser, right-click the CAD model, and then select Run Import Diagnostics.
  3. In the Diagnostics table, the Name of the parts and the corresponding Issues are listed. For details, see Diagnosing CAD Geometry Issues
  4. By default, all of the available import options—except Alternate Convert—are used to fix the model. To customize the import options, click the Advanced button, right-click a column header, and then turn on/off the desired import options. For details, see Setting CAD Import Options.
  5. Select the desired part, and then click the Fix button.

Diagnosing CAD Geometry Issues

The Diagnostics table displays descriptions of CAD geometry issues that may appear when importing CAD.

Error Description
Not converted The part couldn't be converted from CT to Parasolid, because too many surfaces or curves couldn’t be converted. The Inspire part is created, but it is empty.
Missing faces Some faces couldn't be converted and are missing in the resulting part.
Not solid After being converted to Parasolid, the part is no longer a solid.
Split The resulting Parasolid part is split, because knitting failed partially or completely. The CT part is converted into an assembly; each piece is an Inspire part within this assembly.
Invalid The Parasolid check detected errors in the resulting part. While the geometry may not be a valid Parasolid part, you could still work with it.
Corrupt The Parasolid check detected that the part is corrupt. The resulting Inspire part remains, but it is empty.
Not tessellated Since the part couldn't be tessellated at all, the part is empty.
Partially tessellated Tessellation failed for some faces, which will be deleted.

Setting CAD Import Options

CAD import options allow you to configure preprocessing, conversion, and postprocessing steps when importing CAD.

Option Type Description
Healing (also known as Pre-healing) Preprocessing Heal the selected part.
Alternate Convert Conversion If regular conversion (trimming and knitting) doesn't give the expected results, you can turn on this option to save the selected CT part into a temporary .x_b file that will be reloaded by Parasolid.
Sew Conversion When knitting fails, the CT part is converted into an assembly, holding all pieces. Turn on this option to combine (partially or completely) the pieces.
Solidify Postprocessing When there are issues such as gashes, small missing faces, sliver faces (faces that were deleted because they were non-tessellated), you can turn on this option to help make parts solid.

When tessellation partially fails, non-tessellated faces are deleted and the Solidify operation is performed again.
Reset Edge Precision Postprocessing Recalculate the tolerant edge geometry to improve precision.

While turning this option may not topologically or visually modify the part, it may fix some failing modeling operations.
Note: Solidify and Reset Edge Precision are the only postprocessing options relevant to XT-based CAD formats (Parasolid, JT, SW, NX). Since XT-based CAD parts don't need to be converted to Parasolid, Healing (aka Pre-healing), Alternate Convert, and Sewing aren't applicable.