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JT files provide global partner networks with a product design collaboration
workflow to improve designs and deliver products to market faster. They
contain many different entity types, thereby enabling companies to include
all the design details needed to collaborate in today's engineering world
and protect intellectual property. JT files have a versatile data structure
that can contain precise or faceted geometry, surfaces, and construction
curves as well as part property information. Communicating with customers
and suppliers using easy-to-visualize, accurate and up-to-date information
reduces misinterpretation as designs pass through the supply chain.
Importing JT Documents
There are two workflows for directly importing JT files into Solid
Edge; both offer their own merits, depending on what you want to achieve.
First, Interpart Copy (insert part copy) enables you to import a single
JT file or assembly into a single Solid Edge part or SheetMetal template.
This method is beneficial when assembly structure and construction elements
(surfaces and curves) are not as important as the overall geometry, for
example, in mold tool design where you just need to subtract the JT data
from a mold base. There are other useful options available when you use
Interpart Copy to import JT files into Solid Edge that provide even more
control, such as the ability to scale the design in x, y, and z directions,
apply a shrink factor (mold tooling), and copy colors. You are also able
to copy the design body or copy it as a construction body, choose a family
of parts members (if one exists), or attach it to a coordinate system
to further control placement within the Solid Edge file. As with the
second method (opening a JT file directly), you can link Interpart Copies
back to the original JT file to provide associativity.
The second method uses the File/Open command. By directly opening
the JT file, you can open single parts or assemblies into Solid
Edge. You can open a single part into a Solid Edge Part/SheetMetal
file or as the initial part in a Solid Edge assembly. With this
method, options for feature recognition are also available to add
parametric features not included in the JT file.
JT files that contain multiple bodies and assembly structures
can be opened directly into a Solid Edge assembly template with
all the relative component positions maintained, provided the included
assembly structure is maintained.
JT files with multiple bodies can also be opened into Solid Edge
part files, effectively creating a new part with all the bodies
fused together into one new solid. The direct-open method always
imports solids if they are available, with further options to allow
you to import any surfaces or curves that may be present.
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Maintaining Associativity
Whichever workflow you use to import JT files into Solid Edge, choosing
the Link to File option maintains associativity with the imported JT
documents. This allows for an iterative design process when the original
JT documents are constantly changing. Notification is provided when
JT part data changes, with options to update the part document (this
is not supported in monolithic JT files). Associativity is maintained
for both Precise Geometry and Facet Bodies.
JT Document Structures
JT has a variety of supported document structures for parts and assemblies
depending on how you use the data and the level of detail required.
You can export assembly files into a monolithic or single JT document
that stores only the space envelope that removes individual components
and assembly structure to protect intellectual property and reduce
file size. Assemblies can also be saved as a single JT assembly document
with all individual parts within the JT files; when this document is
imported into Solid Edge, users only see a flat assembly structure.
A third option creates a single JT file that contains all of the parts
and subassemblies, and preserves the assembly structure (all parts
and subassemblies are as they were in the original CAD system).
Using Precise Geometry
When importing JT data, Solid Edge first looks for precise geometry,
but if none exists, it can read faceted data. Importing JT files that
contain precise geometry allows full reference of the 3D data contained
within the JT file. With precise data, you are able to create assembly
constraints (mates, alignments, etc.) to the imported JT data to create
associativity with adjacent components or for use in motion studies.
Physical properties are maintained and can be used in mass or volume
calculations, for example. Full interference-checking capabilities
are supported. Parts can be used to create high-quality drawing views,
and you can integrate exact dimensions and create PMI (product manufacturing
information) data with precise dimensions to the imported JT data.
Using Facet Bodies
Lightweight faceted bodies contain only tessellated representations of
parts, which very closely approximate the components' size, shape,
and volume. Facets are for viewing and are also used as reference while
working on assemblies. You can calculate physical properties for facet
bodies, locate them when checking for interference in assemblies, and
create draft-quality drawing views. Faceted bodies in JT files contain
the least amount of data and deliver the smallest file size.
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