Abaqus/CAE CAD Interfaces

The Associative Interface for 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA allows you to transfer 3DEXPERIENCE Parts and Products into Abaqus/CAE using associative import. Materials and publications assigned to the CAD model are also transferred to the Abaqus/CAE model as material and set definitions, respectively.

The following import techniques are available with the Associative Interface for 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA:

• Automatic associative import is a powerful tool that allows you to quickly transfer models from a 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA session to an Abaqus/CAE session while both programs are running simultaneously on the same computer. After the model has been transferred, you can continue to make design modifications in 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA and propagate these modifications to the Abaqus/CAE model with a single mouse click; any of the features that you created in Abaqus/CAE, such as partitions, loads, boundary conditions, sets, and surfaces, are regenerated each time you import the modified model from 3DEXPERIENCE to Abaqus/CAE.
• The Associative Interface for 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA also allows you to modify parameters defining 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA geometry features, such as a hole radius or an extrusion length, from within Abaqus/CAE. The updated parameters are propagated to both the 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA model and the Abaqus/CAE model.
• If 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA and Abaqus/CAE are not running concurrently, or are running on different computers, you can use manual associative import. Using the Associative Interface for 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA options, you can save an assembly (.eaf) file to a specified location. You can import the model into Abaqus/CAE, or use the assembly file to update an existing model in Abaqus/CAE at a later time.

The CATIA V5 Associative Interface allows you to transfer CATIA V5 Parts and Products into Abaqus/CAE using associative import. Materials and publications assigned to the CATIA V5 model are also transferred to the Abaqus/CAE model as material and set definitions, respectively. In addition to associative import, the CATIA V5 Associative Interface allows you to directly import the geometry of CATIA V5 models in .CATPart and .CATProduct format into Abaqus/CAE.

The following import techniques are available with the CATIA V5 Associative Interface:

• Automatic associative import is a powerful tool that allows you to quickly transfer models from a CATIA V5 session to an Abaqus/CAE session while both programs are running simultaneously on the same computer. After the model has been transferred, you can continue to make design modifications in CATIA V5 and propagate these modifications to the Abaqus/CAE model with a single mouse click; any of the features that you created in Abaqus/CAE—such as partitions, loads, boundary conditions, sets, and surfaces—are regenerated each time you import the modified model from CATIA V5 to Abaqus/CAE.
• The CATIA V5 Associative Interface also allows you to modify parameters defining CATIA geometry features—such as a hole radius or an extrusion length—from within Abaqus/CAE. The updated parameters are propagated to both the CATIA model and the Abaqus/CAE model.
• If CATIA V5 and Abaqus/CAE are not running concurrently, or are running on different computers, you can use manual associative import. Using the CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in, you can save an assembly (.eaf) file to a specified location. You can import the model into Abaqus/CAE, or use the assembly file to update an existing model in Abaqus/CAE at a later time. In addition, manual associative import can be used to perform an associative import across Windows platforms (for example, from CATIA V5 running on a 32-bit Windows machine to Abaqus/CAE running on a 64-bit Windows machine).
• Direct import is a nonassociative import that does not require the use of the CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in. The geometry of models saved as standard CATIA V5 Part or Product files can be imported directly into Abaqus/CAE. You cannot use direct import to update existing models in Abaqus/CAE, but you can use direct import to transfer model geometries across 32-bit and 64-bit Windows platforms. The ability to move between associative import and direct import provides flexibility within the enterprise or across the supply chain in the approach that you use for transferring models from CATIA V5 to Abaqus/CAE.

The CATIA V5 Associative Interface allows transfer of CAD data between specific versions of CATIA V5 and Abaqus/CAE. Use the matrix below to identify the appropriate version of the CATIA V5 Associative Interface for the indicated product pairings.

The Abaqus/CAE Associative Interface for NX allows you to transfer parts and assemblies from NX into Abaqus/CAE using associative import. In addition to associative import, the Abaqus/CAE Associative Interface for NX includes a direct translator that writes NX parts and assemblies in Elysium Neutral (.enf_abq) File format; Elysium Neutral Files can subsequently be imported into Abaqus/CAE.

The Abaqus/CAE Associative Interface for NX also allows you to modify parameters defining NX geometry features such the radius of a hole or an extrusion length from within Abaqus/CAE. The updated parameters are propagated to both the NX model and the Abaqus/CAE model. Associative import also allows to transfer materials from NX to Abaqus/CAE.

The following import techniques are available with the Abaqus/CAE Associative Interface for NX:

• Automatic associative import is a powerful tool that allows you to quickly transfer models from a NX session to an Abaqus/CAE session while both programs are running simultaneously on the same computer. After the model has been transferred, you can continue to make design modifications in NX and propagate these modifications to the Abaqus/CAE model with a single mouse click; any of the features that you created in Abaqus/CAE–such as partitions, loads, boundary conditions, sets, and surfaces–are regenerated each time you import the modified model from NX to Abaqus/CAE.
• If NX and Abaqus/CAE are not running concurrently, or are running on different computers, you can use manual associative import. Using the Abaqus/CAE Associative Interface for NX plug-in, you can save an Elysium Neutral (.enf_abq) File and an Elysium Neutral Assembly (.eaf) File to a specified location. You can import the model into Abaqus/CAE or use the assembly file to update an existing model in Abaqus/CAE at a later time. In addition, manual associative import can be used to perform an associative import across platforms (for example, from NX running on Windows to Abaqus/CAE running on Linux).
• The direct translator allows you to perform nonassociative imports of NX geometry into Abaqus/CAE using only a single file. Using the Abaqus/CAE Associative Interface for NX plug-in, you can save an Elysium Neutral (.enf_abq) File to a specified location. You can import the model geometry into Abaqus/CAE at a later time using the Elysium Neutral File. You cannot use the direct translator to update existing models in Abaqus/CAE, but you can use the direct translator to transfer model geometries across platforms. The ability to move between associative import and direct import provides flexibility within the enterprise or across the supply chain in the approach that you use for transferring models from NX to Abaqus/CAE.

The Abaqus Associative Interface for NX allows transfer of CAD data between specific versions of NX and Abaqus/CAE. Use the matrix below to identify the appropriate version of the Abaqus Associative Interface for NX for the indicated product pairings. For more information contact your Simulia representative. To purchase this interface, please contact Elysium

The Pro/ENGINEER Associative Interface

The Pro/ENGINEER Associative Interface allows you to transfer parts and assemblies from Pro/ENGINEER into Abaqus/CAE using associative import. In addition to associative import, the Pro/ENGINEER Associative Interface includes a direct translator that writes Pro/ENGINEER parts and assemblies in Elysium Neutral (.enf_abq) File format; Elysium Neutral Files can subsequently be imported into Abaqus/CAE.

The Pro/ENGINEER Associative Interface also allows you to modify parameters defining Pro/ENGINEER geometry features such the radius of a hole or an extrusion length from within Abaqus/CAE. The updated parameters are propagated to both the Pro/ENGINEER model and the Abaqus/CAE model.

The following import techniques are available with the Pro/ENGINEER Associative Interface:

• Automatic associative import is a powerful tool that allows you to quickly transfer models from a Pro/ENGINEER session to an Abaqus/CAE session while both programs are running simultaneously on the same computer. After the model has been transferred, you can continue to make design modifications in Pro/ENGINEER and propagate these modifications to the Abaqus/CAE model with a single mouse click; any of the features that you created in Abaqus/CAE—such as partitions, loads, boundary conditions, sets, and surfaces—are regenerated each time you import the modified model from Pro/ENGINEER to Abaqus/CAE.
• The Pro/Engineer Associative Interface also allows you to modify parameters defining Pro/Engineer geometry features—such as the radius of a hole or an extrusion length—from within Abaqus/CAE. The updated parameters are propagated to both the Pro/Engineer model and the Abaqus/CAE model.
• If Pro/ENGINEER and Abaqus/CAE are not running concurrently, or are running on different computers, you can use manual associative import. Using the Pro/ENGINEER Associative Interface plug-in, you can save an Elysium Neutral (.enf_abq) File and an Elysium Neutral Assembly (.eaf) File to a specified location. You can import the model into Abaqus/CAE or use the assembly file to update an existing model in Abaqus/CAE at a later time. In addition, manual associative import can be used to perform an associative import across platforms (for example, from Pro/ENGINEER running on Windows to Abaqus/CAE running on Linux).
• The direct translator allows you to perform nonassociative imports of Pro/ENGINEER geometry into Abaqus/CAE using only a single file. Using the Pro/ENGINEER Associative Interface plug-in, you can save an Elysium Neutral (.enf_abq) File to a specified location. You can import the model geometry into Abaqus/CAE at a later time using the Elysium Neutral File. You cannot use the direct translator to update existing models in Abaqus/CAE, but you can use the direct translator to transfer model geometries across platforms. The ability to move between associative import and direct import provides flexibility within the enterprise or across the supply chain in the approach that you use for transferring models from Pro/ENGINEER to Abaqus/CAE.

The SolidWorks Associative Interface allows transfer of CAD data between specific versions of SolidWorks and Abaqus/CAE. Use the matrix below to identify the appropriate version of the SolidWorks Associative Interface for the indicated product pairings.