import scale & position

[PhilippeV8]

Hi,

In order to enable myself to move parts around in the KS scene, I import bit by bit.  However, the scale & position moves around a lot.

This is what I do:

I get ipt and iam files from R&D.  I edit them to my needs in Inventor and save them as iges files.  Then I open these iges files in 3D Via composer.  There I can explode objects by color or if needed fully explode.  I can also edit face color there so that texturing in KS goos faster.  I can also remove parts I don't need etc etc.  There I save as 3DS or as OBJ.
These parts I import into KS .. as said .. individualy so that I can re-use scenes by moving some parts around and add/remove parts.
The result I get is that when importing another part into KS, it's scale & position are way off.
Is there a good way to do this ?

[Johnjoti]

Good question!
This issue worries me too

[andy.engelkemier]

why not just export each piece as iges right from inventor? Just wondering.
Also, of the 2 format, use obj. 3ds is a REALLY old file type and has a poly limit. So if the object is too big it will automatically split into pieces, which is generally not desired.

using iges or step you shouldn't have any problems with objects space respecting eachother.

A workaround? Here you go.

Create a box that will completely surround ALL of your objects. Export that box with each piece. You can just delete it once in keyshot. You'll notice then since each file you imported is exactly the same bounding box size, it will always scale and position to the same spot, so all your parts will be aligned. We had to do that in hypershot a while back, and the same technique still works in keyshot, although I didn't think it was needed. Then again, I'm using 3dm format.

Also, I think someday we'll be able to move individual parts anyway (I hope)

[JeffM]

You need to use the "same coordinates as previous object" option in the import menu.

In 2.2 this is done by enabled the "from previous" option under "coordinates".

That will give you the right scale relative to the other parts.

[PhilippeV8]

why not just export each piece as iges right from inventor? Just wondering.

Because I can't explode into faces in Inventor.

e.g.:  I got an ALU profile in Inventor and I need it rendered being paint-coated.  A section of such a profile will reveil the ALU on the face where it was cut.  If I export to OBJ in inventor and take it into KS, all faces from the profile will be the same part and thus can not get separate textures.  If I import it into 3D Via, I can explode by color.  Then I got the section-face separate, I can change its color and then save as OBJ and import into KS.  Then I will have a separate part for the section-face.

@ JeffM -> I have used the "same coordinates as previous object" most of the time but still it shifts.  BTW, which is the "previous object" ??  Is that the previous object imported into THAT bip or ANY bip ??

[Robb63]

I'm having the same issue. Just switched back to 2.1 because it was stopping my workflow.

I've tried the "same coordinates..." and the "automatic" neither one of the brings in the new parts at the scale as the previous parts I'm trying to mate them with.

[JeffM]

Are your models only not matching up to models that had been imported in 2.1, then saved and are now being opened in 2.2?

If you import fresh models to a fresh 2.2 scene is this problem still happening?

[PhilippeV8]

Create a box that will completely surround ALL of your objects. Export that box with each piece. You can just delete it once in keyshot.

This trick seems to work ... thnx !
I changed it to a basic setup with 3 tiny planes which I position:
- one 10m high up in the scene
- one 10m front and 10m right
- one 10m back and 10m left

I'll merge all my parts into this setup.  Once in Keyshot, the chance that any of these 1mm² parts comes in view is small .. this way I can work with the "box" turned on all the time.
So as it turns out, it's 3D Via composer which is messing with the coördinates & scale system.