STEP Reader

Supported Entities

Entities supported by the STEP reader.
  • Coordinate systems
  • Free points
  • Free curves
  • Surfaces
  • Quilt bodies
  • Solid bodies
  • Facets/triangles
  • Assemblies

Entities with non-latin characters in their names are supported.

Import Options

The STEP reader uses the ct_reader.ini file.
@AttributesAsMetadata
Value Description
on

Import all generic attributes (global and related to single entities) as metadata.
off Do not import attributes related to single entities. Only import global attributes.
%attribute1%attribute2%attribute3

Import specified generic attributes as metadata.

The attribute names are listed, separated by a character that you choose, and inserted as the first element of the string. The example uses '%' as a separator. You can choose another character as a separator, in case one of the listed attribute names contains '%'. HyperMesh will recognize it as it is the first character of the string.
@AvoidThirdPartyConversion
Value Description
on Avoid using the conversion functions provided by third-party (default).
off Use the conversion functions provided by third-party.
@BodyIdAsMetadata
Value Description
on Assign body identifier as metadata.

BODY_ID
off Do not assign body identifier as metadata (default).
@CleanupTol
Value Description
double A negative value (default) indicates to use the auto cleanup tolerance. A value greater than the calculated auto cleanup tolerance indicates to use that specific tolerance. Refer to the CAD Cleanup Tolerance.
@ColorsAsMetadata
Value Description
integer

Read color attributes of geometric entities as metadata with integer values.

COLOR_RGB
real

Read color attributes of geometric entities as metadata with real values.

COLOR_RGB
on

Same as integer.

COLOR_RGB
off Do not read color attributes (default).
@CreationType
Value Description
Parts Generate a full part-based hierarchy.
BOMOnly Generate an empty part-based hierarchy.
TreeOfComponents Generate an assemblies/components based hierarchy.
PackIntoSinglePart Consolidate hierarchy into a single part.
@DensityAsMetadata
Value Description
on

Read density value as metadata (default).

DENSITY
off Do not read density value.
@DoNotMergeEdges
Value Description
on Preserve the original geometry edges, instead of merging them together during the import cleanup phase.
off Merge edges together during the import cleanup phase (default).
@FullNameAsMetadata
Value Description
on

Generate the full CAD name, as retrieved from the CAD part, as metadata. This consists of assembly name/part name/feature name/entity name.

FULL_IDENTIFIER
off Do not generate full name metadata (default).
@ImportBlanked
Value Description
on Import entities that are hidden, blanked, or no show.
off Do not import entities that are hidden, blanked, or no show (default).
@ImportCoordinateSystems
Value Description
on Import CAD coordinate systems as system collectors (default).
off Do not import CAD coordinate systems.
@ImportForVisualizationOnly
Value Description
on

Import the model for visualization purposes only.

This skips many of the import steps (cleanup, stitching, solid creation, and so on) to provide a faster import. The resulting model may not be suitable for other uses.
off Import the model in the normal fashion (default).
@ImportFreeCurves
Value Description
on Import free curves (wireframe entities) into the model (default).
off Do not import free curves.
@ImportFreePoints
Value Description
on Import free points into the model (default).
off Do not import free points.
@LayerAsMetadata
Value Description
on Read layer value as metadata.

LAYER
off Do not read layer value (default).
@LegacyHierarchyAsMetadata
Value Description
on Generate metadata with the original CAD hierarchy within the part.

LEGACY_HIERARCHY
off Do not generate metadata with the original CAD hierarchy within the part (default).
@MaterialName
Value Description
string Name of the CAD attribute containing the PDM material name info of the current part.

Default is "Material".
@MeshFlag
Value Description
string Name of the CAD attribute containing the PDM mesh flag name info of the current part.

Default is "MeshFlag".
@MetadataPrefix
Value Description
string The string is prefixed to all metadata names. No prefix is used by default.

See CAD Metadata Naming for more details.
@MID
Value Description
string Name of the CAD attribute containing the PDM material ID info of the current part.

Default is "MID".
@OriginalIdAsMetadata
Value Description
on Import original CAD entity IDs as metadata.

ORIGINAL_ID
off Do not import original CAD entity IDs as metadata (default).
@PartNumber
Value Description
string Name of the CAD attribute containing the PDM part number info of the current part.

Default is "PartNumber”.
@PID
Value Description
string Name of the CAD attribute containing PDM property ID info of the current part.

Default is "PID”.
@Revision
Value Description
string Name of the CAD attribute containing PDM major revision info of the current part.

Default is "Revision”.
@ScaleFactor
Value Description
double Define the model scaling factor during import.

Default is 1.0.
@ShrinkSurfaces
Value Description
on For trimmed surfaces, shrink the corresponding base surfaces to only enclose the extents of the external trimming contour, plus a narrow frame.
off Do not modify the base surfaces (default).
@SkipCreationOfSolid
Value Description
on Read surfaces, but do not create solid entities.
off Create solid entities (default).
@SplitComponents
Value Description
Body Generate body-based component (default if CreationType=Parts).
Layer Generate layer-based component.
Part Generate part-based component.
General Keep component as in CAD (default if CreationType=TreeOfComponents).
@SplitComponentsByBody
Value Description
on

Create one component per third-party body. There might be one or more third-party bodies per third-party component.

This option cannot be used when @ReadCompositeData is enabled, or in conjunction with @SplitComponentsByPart.
off Do not consider the division of third-party components into third-party bodies while creating components (default).
@StitchingAcrossBodies
Value Description
on Stitch surfaces belonging to different components.
off Do not stitch surfaces belonging to different components (default).
@TagsAsMetadata
Value Description
on

Create entity name as metadata (default).

TAG
FromBody

Take entity from its parent body and create as metadata.

TAG
off Do not read tags.
@TargetUnits
Value Description
CAD units Keep the units of the CAD files (default for GUI).
MKS [m kg N s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
MMKS [mm kg N s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
MPA [mm t N s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
CGS [cm g dyn s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
MMKNMS [mm kg kN ms] Convert to the corresponding units system.
MMGNMS [mm g N ms] Convert to the corresponding units system.
IPS Std [in pounds lbf s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
IPS Grav [in slinch lbf s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
FPS Std [ft pounds lbf s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
FPS Grav [ft slug lbf s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
Scale factor Apply the corresponding scale factor (default for no GUI to allow supporting legacy scripts).
@ThicknessName
Value Description
string Name of the CAD attribute containing the PDM thickness info of the current part.

Default is "Thickness".
@UID
Value Description
string Name of the CAD attribute containing the PDM UID info of the current part.

Default is "UID".

Supported Metadata

Metadata generated from the STEP reader.
BODY_ID
Type Entities Description
string
  • points
  • lines
  • surfs
 Identifier of the CAD body containing the entity.

Generated when @BodyIDAsMetadata=on
COLOR_RGB
Type Entities Description
string

points

lines

surfs

solids

Three RGB values, ranging from 0 to 255, indicating the color of the entity in the CAD model.

Generated when @ColorsAsMetadata = on
DENSITY
Type Entities Description
double solids

The value of the density of a solid.

Generated when @DensityAsMetadata = on
FULL_IDENTIFIER
Type Entities Description
string

points

lines

surfs

solids

comps

assems

A string indicating the name in the following format:

"part_name/name"

Generated when @FullNameAsMetadata = on
LAYER
Type Entities Description
integer
  • points
  • lines
  • surfs
  • solids
 Value of the layer of an entity.

Generated when @LayerAsMetadata=on
LEGACY_HIERARCHY
Type Entities Description
string
  • points
  • lines
  • surfs
 Hierarchy of an entity within a part.

Generated when @LegacyHierarchyAsMetadata=on
MODELUNIT
Type Entities Description
integer
  • comps
  • parts
 Model units specified in the CAD file.
  • 1 = inches
  • 2 = millimeters
  • 4 = feet
  • 5 = miles
  • 6 = meters
  • 7 = kilometers
  • 8 = mils
  • 9 = microns
  • 10 = centimeters
  • 11 = microinches
  • 12 = decimeters
  • 13 = yards

This is always generated.
ORIGINAL_ID
Type Entities Description
string

points

lines

surfs

solids

parts

The original CAD entity ID.

Generated when @OriginalIdAsMetadata = on
TAG
Type Entities Description
string

points

lines

edges

surfs

solids

The tag (name) of the entity as read from the CAD model, if one exists.

Generated when @TagsAsMetadata = on