Blender Add-on Export To IGES

[pafurijaz]

Hi, is available a new add-on to export IGES directly from Subdivision surfaces from Blender the add-on is in early stage of development and is available for Windows 10 and Linux.

Export IGES Addon for Blender creates the subdivision limit surfaces and saves it as IGES file.

For more info https://www.digital-sculptors.com/cms/index.php/software/blender-plugins/63-export-iges.html

Description:

Export IGES Addon for Blender creates the subdivision limit surfaces and saves it as IGES file.

From Blender to FreeCAD, using the default options.

System requirements:

OS: Windows 10 64bit with VC++ runtime 2017 or above.

OS: Linux 64 with the following dependencies.

libuuid.so.1 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libuuid.so.1
libstdc++.so.6 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libstdc++.so.6
libm.so.6 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libm.so.6
libgcc_s.so.1 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgcc_s.so.1
libc.so.6 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6

Should work with Blender 2.82 and above. Tested on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS.

Installation:

Install the downloaded addon using Edit->Preferences->Install

Enabling the addon

Usage:

Select the objects to be exported and File->Export->Export IGES. Please ensure that all modifers except subdivision, are applied to the mesh objects before exporting. Also, it is advisable to export objects separately. so that it can be managed better in CAD systems.

Export Options:

• Export slected only exports selected objects.
• Subdivision level: 1, 2, or 3. Default value is 2.

Limitation:

• This addon is still in the initial phase of development and marked as Testing.
• Tangency at the vertices of odd variance may not be sufficient with low subdivision level.
• Crease information will not get transffered.
• SubDivison limit surface will conicide with the border edges and corners.
• All subdivision patch will be saved to one single layer … IGES Level1.

Downloads:

Download the Addon from the download section.

Version:

v 0.9.0:

• Better Performance
• Initial release for Linux

v 0.8.0:

• Initial release for Windows

License:

Please read the license agreement.

Third Party credits:

• OpenSubdiv: Copyright 2013 Pixar
• OpenNURBS: Copyright (c) 1993-2021 Robert McNeel & Associates. All Rights Reserved.
• libIGES: Copyright 2015, Dr. Cirilo Bernardo ([email protected])
• SISL: Copyright (C) 1998, 2000-2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 SINTEF Digital, Applied Mathematics, Norway.

Comments

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From the version 1.4.0 the Download is hosted on Gumroad

[pafurijaz]

This is my test from Blender to IGES with few model, seem a good add-on for now, imported in Moi3D but this can be imported well also in gCAD3D and other application.

[pafurijaz]

Other test with the add-on

Surfaces joined with Moi3D into solids

Close Up to surfaces generated

Imported IGES in Moi3D and joined in 5 Solids from nurbs patches

[pafurijaz]

The add-on to export subdivision to IGES was update now with support edge creases options.

[pafurijaz]

Here some test with latest update is very nice having this add-on for Blender that make a nice tool for CAD modelling for complex surfacing.

[Metin_Seven]

Nice! I guess this is better than MoI’s native polygon to NURBS conversion, as that doesn’t support creases, or does it?

Too bad it’s not available for macOS users.

[pafurijaz]

Yes for now is better due the creased edge support, but Moi3D is also a great for the importing, you need only to know how use without creased edges and thinking in different way, about the Mac version, when is ready the developer make also a version for IOS

[pafurijaz]

I’ve tested deeply the add-on here others screenshot

[pafurijaz]

About crease in Moi3D you can do with it, using modifiers, you need only to add a split modifier with only option split sharp edges and creating a sharp edge on the same creased edges, and for low resolution maybe use the level 2 of subdivisions and during exporting apply every modifiers when export to OBJ.

[pafurijaz]

A new small update of the add-on is available. to download the link is above in the first post.

Version:

v 1.1.0:

• Now supports batch mode translation.
  

• Better performance.

[pafurijaz]

ExportIGES Addon updated to v 1.2.0. Now supports the upcoming Blender 3.0
Download from the link above

[cekuhnen]

Thats is very interesting ! I have to try this out

[j2l2]

It’s fantastic, thank you for this gem!
I tried it so see crease behavior and got something showing that is not interpreting the crease edges the same way (full size for MoI and after subsurf for Blender).
Maybe it’s MoI:

Or maybe it’s moi (me in French), not doing the right thing
Here’s the blend file:
cubecreases.blend (758.7 KB)

[pafurijaz]

Hi, first of all it is not possible to apply intermediate values ​​of edge crease as I have seen in your file, and also you cannot make acceptable conversions with a low number of polygons.

Moi3D does not have the possibility at the moment to use the crease values ​​of the edges, in fact the only way to obtain the crease is to split the faces at the crease edges, and export the model with the faces separated.

For good results I recommend using surfaces with a number of control vertices of at least 4.

You have to think in ways that predict what the outcome with CAD programs might be.

However in this thread I have reported an add-on that somehow supports hard edges, and with the latest version support for vertex edges has been added as well.

Greetings

[pafurijaz]

The new version now support also vertex creases.
Version:v 1.3.0

Support for Blender 3.1
Support for vertex creases.

To download check the link on main comment

[j2l2]

Thank you for explanations and update

[pafurijaz]

Updated the Blender add-on to export Subdivision Surfaces into IGES

v 1.3.5 has been released. The new version supports
1, Option to select Up/Forward axis.
2, Automatic scaling based on the Blender unit scale settings.
Uninstall previous version before installing the new version.

[pafurijaz]

New version is available the v 1.4.0 has been released.

Now supports option to automatically apply modifiers, excluding the last subdivision modifier.

Link to download in the first post.
but now is hosted on Gumroad
Greetings

[pafurijaz]

Hi folks you know that this add-on is extremely useful, in fact with that topology exporting made of patches you can extract curves and rebuild subdivision surfaces in #FreeCAD with the Curves workbench.

[MickHanks]

Has anyone imported IGES parts from McMaster into blender with this addon?