Creo™ Elements/Direct™ CAD Interfaces

Data Sheet
Creo™ Elements/Direct™ CAD Interfaces
Bi-directional CAD data exchange between Creo Elements/Direct Modeling,
Creo Elements/Direct 3D Access and other CAD systems
With the Creo Elements/Direct CAD Interfaces,
you can conveniently load and save 3D design
data – originating from other CAD packages –
from within Creo Elements/Direct Modeling and
Creo Elements/Direct 3D Access.
The Creo Elements/Direct CAD Interfaces improve the
quality of translated designs because they use industryleading, multi-CAD data exchange technology from Elysium®
Inc., resulting in higher data fidelity than using neutral 3D
CAD formats such as STEP and IGES. The interoperability
of Creo Elements/Direct’s direct modeling makes reusing
3D design data from other CAD systems seamless. Plus,
it makes working across an extended supply chain both
realistic and easy. Creo Elements/Direct CAD Interfaces offer
bi-directional data exchange betweenCreo Elements/Direct
Modeling or Creo Elements/Direct 3D Access and other
3D CAD systems. They support the complete translation
requirements of companies that work with multi-CAD design
teams – internally and externally. And, they improve the
quality of the data in ways not possible using neutral 3D CAD
data formats. Direct integrations to other CAD systems are
available in the following modules:
Formerly CoCreate
®
• Creo Elements/Direct Interface for SolidWorks®
• Creo Elements/Direct Interface for Inventor®
Key benefits
• High-quality models: Improve the quality of native models
exported from other CAD systems, using industry-leading
CAD conversion technology. You’ll see impressive results in
all your collaboration processes involving other CAD systems.
• Lower CAD license costs: Make high-quality 3D design
data accessible to everyone on the project team – without
requiring the purchase of other CAD licenses.
• Creo Elements/Direct Interface for Creo Elements/Pro
• Creo Elements/Direct Interface for CATIA® V4
• Creo Elements/Direct Interface for NX®
• Creo Elements/Direct Interface for I-deas®
• Creo Elements/Direct Interface for Solid Edge®
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Creo Elements/Direct CAD Interfaces offer bi-directional
data exchange from within Creo Elements/Direct Modeling
or Creo Elements/Direct 3D Access.
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Data Sheet
• Less risk when exploring changes: Share high-quality 3D
design data with the project team, with complete freedom
to explore changes in the model – without the risk of
changing the original design file.
• Multi-CAD collaboration: Work effectively in a multi-CAD
development environment, where you can share, view,
and inspect high-quality designs, even those created in
other 3D CAD systems.
Features and specifications
CAD data exchange
• Use designs for single parts or complete products from
other CAD systems in Creo Elements/Direct Modeling or
Creo Elements/Direct 3D Access, and vice versa.
The Creo Elements/Direct CAD Interfaces support collaborative product
development with Creo Elements/Direct Modeling and existing CAD systems.
Creo Elements/Direct Interface for Creo Elements/Pro*
• Make the most of collaborative product development with
Creo Elements/Direct Modeling and existing CAD systems.
Import and export
• Work with CAD data from other systems just as if it
was created in Creo Elements/Direct Modeling. Once
loaded, data imported using the Creo Elements/Direct
CAD Interfaces behaves like native Creo Elements/Direct
Modeling data and can be modified without restrictions.
• Install expert plug-ins for Creo Elements/Pro to easily
save and prepare 3D design data for import into Creo
Elements/Direct Modeling or Creo Elements/Direct 3D
Access. The plug-in is part of the Creo Elements/Direct
Interface for Creo Elements/Pro product and uses the
Creo Elements/Pro system capabilities to write or read
models in Creo Elements/Pro with superior quality.
Translation quality
• Model import quality superior to that of STEP or
IGES standard interfaces.
• CAD model import and export solutions remain
high quality, as the technology respects the individual
properties and differences between source and
destination systems.
• Interfaces combine in-depth knowledge of CAD systems
and translation of CAD models with Creo Elements/
Direct’s unique kernel technologies and explicit modeling,
for optimal results.
• Import .anf files generated by the plug-in for
Creo Elements/Pro
• Export .anf-proe files that can be read by the plug-in
for Creo Elements/Pro
Supported entities
• Parts and assemblies
• Quilts (open shells)
• Surfaces (trimmed and geometry)
• Curves
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Data Sheet
• Creo Elements/Pro 5.0
Plug-in is part of the Creo Elements/Direct Interface for NX
product and uses the NX system capabilities to write or read
models in NX with superior quality.
• Pro/ENGINEER® Wildfire® 4.0
• Import .anf files generated by the plug-in for NX
• Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 3.0
• Export .anf-ug files that can be read by the plug-in for NX
Supported versions
*Legacy interface. Recent versions of Creo Elements/Direct and Creo
Elements/Pro already include built-in data exchange capabilities.
Creo Elements/Direct interface for CATIA v4
Import and export
• Import CATIA V4 native and export format (.exp) files into
Creo Elements/Direct Modeling
Supported entities
• Parts and assemblies (assemblies via .anf)
• Surfaces (trimmed and geometry)
• Curves
• GD&T annotations
• Export CATIA V4 native .model files to CATIA V4
Supported versions
Supported entities
• NX 7.5, NX 7 and NX 6
• Detail/ditto structure
Creo Elements/Direct Interface for I-deas
• Exact solid, surface, wireframe
Import and export
• Pipes (converted to solid models)
• CATIA V4 4.2.1-4.2.5
• Install expert plug-ins for I-deas to easily save and
prepare 3D design data for import into Creo Elements/
Direct Modeling or Creo Elements/Direct 3D Access. The
plug-in is part of the Creo Elements/Direct Interface for
I-deas product and uses the I-deas system capabilities to
write or read models in I-deas with superior quality
Creo Elements/Direct Interface for NX
• Import .anf files generated by the plug-in for I-deas
Import and export
• Export .anf-ideas files that can be read by the plug-in
for I-deas
• Non-geometric entities (color, 3D text)
Supported versions
• Import Parasolid® ASCII text format (.xmt_txt, x_t) files
from NX into Creo Elements/Direct Modeling
• Parts and assemblies
• Export Parasolid ASCII text format (.xmt_txt) files to NX
• Surfaces (trimmed and geometry)
• Install expert plug-ins for NX to easily save and prepare
3D design data for import into Creo Elements/Direct
Modeling or Creo Elements/Direct 3D Access.
• Curves
• 3D dimensions
Supported versions
• I-deas 6 and 6.1
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Data Sheet
Creo Elements/Direct Interface for Solid Edge
Creo Elements/Direct Interface for Inventor
Import and export
Import and export
• Import Parasolid ASCII text format (.x_t) files and
Parasolid neutral binary format (.x_b) files from Solid
Edge into Creo Elements/Direct Modeling
• Install expert plug-ins for Inventor to easily save and
prepare 3D design data for import into Creo Elements/
Direct Modeling or Creo Elements/Direct 3D Access. The
plug-in is part of the Creo Elements/Direct Interface for
Inventor product and uses the Inventor system capabilities
to write or read models in Inventor with superior quality.
• Export Parasolid ASCII text format (.x_t) files to Solid Edge
Supported entities
• Part structures
• Bodies
• Import .anf files generated by the plug-in for the
Inventor system.
• Surfaces
• Export .anf-inv files that can be read by the plug-in for
the Inventor system
Supported versions
Supported entities
• All Solid Edge versions based on Parasolid 7.0 through 23.
• Part structures
Creo Elements/Direct Interface for SolidWorks
• Bodies
Import and export
• Surfaces
• Import Parasolid ASCII text format (.x_t) files and
Parasolid neutral binary format (.x_b) files from
SolidWorks into Creo Elements/Direct Modeling
Supported versions
• Export Parasolid ASCII text format (.x_t) files to SolidWorks
Supported entities
• Part structures
• Inventor Series 9
• Inventor Series 8
Prerequisites
• Creo Elements/Direct Modeling or Creo Elements/Direct
3D Access
• Bodies
• Surfaces
Supported versions
• All SolidWorks versions based on Parasolid 7.0 through 23.
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Data Sheet
Platform requirements
Creo Elements/Direct CAD Interfaces-supported
operating systems:
• Windows® 7 32-bit and 64-bit Editions of Ultimate,
Enterprise, and Professional
• Windows Vista® 32-bit and 64-bit Editions of Ultimate,
Enterprise, and Business
• Windows XP Professional 32-bit and 64-bit Editions
For the most up-to-date platform support information, visit:
PTC.com/partners/hardware/current/support.htm
For more information, visit:
PTC.com/products/creo-elements-direct
© 2011, Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC). All rights reserved. Information
described herein is furnished for informational use only, is subject to change without
notice, and should not be construed as a guarantee, commitment, condition or offer by PTC. PTC, the PTC Logo, Windchill PPMLink, Windchill, Windchill PDMLink,
Windchill Project Link, and all PTC product names and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of PTC and/or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other
countries. All other product or company names are property of their respective
owners. The timing of any product release, including any features or functionality, is
subject to change at PTC’s discretion.
6612– Creo Elements/Direct CAD Interfaces–DS–EN–0511
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