CAD data translator
 

Does anybody know a tool that efficiently produces a STL file from an IGES file in a "fully" automatic way - I really don't care about the aspect ratio of the resulting triangles, just about their number.

That will help me in creating models for my CFD tools.

Thanks in advance,

Sylvain

Re: CAD data translator
 

You can try using ANSA. It's not totally automatic though. Once you import an IGES file, you will need to do clean up. The amount of clean up needed depends on your IGES file. Then ANSA can generate triangulation fairly automatically. You can also improve the triangulation if desired (through manual interference).

We use Catia. And apparently CATIA can write fairly good STL files itself. I think most of the CAD packages can write STL files.

Re: CAD data translator
 

Thank you for your answer.

We also use ANSA, that's why I am looking to a "fully" automatic tool ;-).

The problem with CATIA is that it gives too much triangles (>200.000) on our geometries, which are very complex ones. The number of triangles has to be compared to what we obtain (hand made) with ANSA, which is of the order of 90.000.

Thanks again,

Sylvain