Abaqus

CATIA Associative Interface

Users Guide

CATIA V5 Associative Interface

Users Guide

Last updated February 2011

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Legal Notices
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CONTENTS

Contents
1.

CATIA V5 Associative Interface: overview

About this manual

About the CATIA V5 Associative Interface
What is associative import?
Using the CATIA V5 Associative Interface
Direct import

1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5

2.

System requirements for the CATIA V5 Associative Interface

3.

Units

4.

Installing the CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in

Determining the build date of the CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in

4.1

5. Using the CATIA V5 Associative Interface to import a part or assembly from CATIA V5
to Abaqus/CAE

Using automatic associative import

Using manual associative import
Updating geometry parameters in an imported model
Using direct import
6.

Tips for using the CATIA V5 Associative Interface

7.

CATIA V5 Associative Interface scripting interfaces

CATIA V5 Associative Interface automation interface

CATIA V5 Associative Interface Python interface
A.

Whats new?

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5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4

7.1
7.2

OVERVIEW

1.

CATIA V5 Associative Interface: overview

1.1

About this manual

This manual provides information for systems administrators on how to install and configure the
CATIA V5 Associative Interface. The manual also provides information for end users on how to use the
CATIA V5 Associative Interface to transfer models from CATIA V5 to Abaqus/CAE. The installation
instructions require some familiarity with basic Windows systems administration.

1.2

About the CATIA V5 Associative Interface

The CATIA V5 Associative Interface allows you to transfer the geometry of a CATIA V5 model to
Abaqus/CAE when both programs are running on a Windows platform. The CATIA V5 Associative
Interface consists of the following two components:

1.3

The CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in. This plug-in for CATIA V5 allows you to save a
model in CATIA V5 as an assembly (.eaf) file and to save the models parameters in a parameter
(.par_abq) file. You must have CATIA V5 installed and licensed to run the plug-in. The plug-in
can be downloaded from www.simulia.com.

The Abaqus/CAE CAD Connection toolset. The CAD Connection toolset, which is enabled with
a CATIA V5 Associative Interface license, allows you to import an assembly file that is generated
by the CATIA V5 plug-in. The CATIA V5 Associative Interface license is available as an add-on
product from your local sales office.

What is associative import?

Associative import allows you to easily transfer an assembly from CATIA V5 to Abaqus/CAE; you can
subsequently modify the model in CATIA V5 and propagate these modifications to Abaqus/CAE without
losing any analysis features assigned to the model in Abaqus/CAE. The CATIA V5 Associative Interface
is useful when you are iterating on the design of a model in CATIA V5 based on the results of analyses
conducted in Abaqus. Figure 11 shows the connection between CATIA V5 and Abaqus/CAE using
associative import.
When you use associative import to transfer the model from CATIA V5 to Abaqus/CAE, the model
appears in the current Abaqus/CAE viewport. The parts and part instances from CATIA V5 are stored in
the Abaqus/CAE model database and appear in the Model Tree. You can use CATIA V5 to modify the
parts or to change the position of instances in the assembly; when the modifications are complete and
the model is ready to be analyzed, perform another associative import. Every time you import the model
into Abaqus/CAE, Abaqus/CAE updates the current viewport and the Model Tree to reflect the changes.

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OVERVIEW

CATIA V5

Figure 11

Abaqus/CAE

Using associative import to export a model from CATIA V5 (left) to Abaqus/CAE (right).

In addition, associative import retains any features that you added to the model with Abaqus/CAE.
Any of the features that you created in Abaqus/CAEsuch as partitions, loads, boundary conditions,
sets, and surfacesare regenerated each time you import the modified model from CATIA V5 to
Abaqus/CAE. For example, if you partitioned a cell with Abaqus/CAE, the partition is regenerated each
time you import the model from CATIA V5 into Abaqus/CAE. However, the regeneration of features
may fail if the changes that you made with CATIA V5 change the topology of the model.
The CATIA V5 Associative Interface also allows you to modify parameters that define CATIA
V5 featuressuch as a hole radius or an extrusion lengthfrom within Abaqus/CAE. The updated
parameters are propagated to both the CATIA V5 model and the Abaqus/CAE model. Figure 12 shows

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OVERVIEW

the use of geometry parameter updates in Abaqus/CAE to synchronize geometry changes in both the
CATIA V5 and Abaqus/CAE models.

CATIA V5

Figure 12

Abaqus/CAE

Parameter updates change the dimensions of geometry features in the

CATIA V5 model and the Abaqus/CAE model.

When you import an assembly of part instances, Abaqus/CAE creates parts that correspond to the
imported part instances and maintains the relationship between the parts and their instances. In most
cases Abaqus/CAE retains the names of the parts and the part instances from the CATIA V5 model. In
addition, Abaqus/CAE can create material definitions corresponding to any material assignments in the
CATIA V5 model, and any publications of vertices, edges, or faces in CATIA V5 can be converted into
set definitions in Abaqus/CAE.

1.4

Using the CATIA V5 Associative Interface

The CATIA V5 Associative Interface offers two associative import methods: automatic associative
import and manual associative import.

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OVERVIEW

Automatic associative import

Automatic associative import transfers the geometry of a CATIA V5 model to Abaqus/CAE in

a single step. Sessions of CATIA V5 and Abaqus/CAE must be running simultaneously on the
same computer. Using the CAD Connection toolset, you establish a link between Abaqus/CAE and
CATIA V5. As soon as an assembly file is created by the CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in,
the assembly is imported automatically into Abaqus/CAE. 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. For detailed instructions on performing an
automatic associative import, see Using automatic associative import, Section 5.1.
Manual associative import

Manual associative import is a multistep procedure that can be used to perform an associative
import when CATIA V5 and Abaqus/CAE are not running concurrently or are running on different
computers. Using the CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in, you can save an assembly (.eaf)
file and a parameters (.par_abq) file to a specified location. Using the CAD Connection toolset,
you can import the geometry into Abaqus/CAE or use the assembly file to update an existing model
in Abaqus/CAE at a later time. For detailed instructions on performing a manual associative import,
see Using manual associative import, Section 5.2.

1.5

Direct import
The CATIA V5 Associative Interface also allows you to perform a direct import of CATIA V5 geometry
into Abaqus/CAE. Direct import is a nonassociative import that does not require the use of the CATIA V5
Associative Interface plug-in. You can save a model in the standard CATIA V5 Part (.CATPart) or
Product (.CATProduct) file format. You can import the model geometry from this file to Abaqus/CAE
at a later time using the traditional part import techniques (see Importing a part from a CATIA V4- or V5format file, Section 10.7.5 of the Abaqus/CAE Users Manual). Material definitions and publications
are not imported with the model. Abaqus/CAE creates a new part each time you perform a direct import,
so any model features that you defined in Abaqus/CAE are not retained between imports.
If you do not have access to the CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in, you can use the direct
import capability to import the geometry of a CATIA V5 part or product into Abaqus/CAE. The ability
to move between associative import and direct import provides flexibility in the approach that you use
for transferring models from CATIA V5 to Abaqus/CAE.

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SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

2.

System requirements for the CATIA V5 Associative

Interface
The CATIA V5 Associative Interface is supported only on Windows platforms (Windows/x86-32 or
Windows/x86-64).
To install the CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in, you must use an installer that is specific to
the CATIA release you are using. Installers are available for CATIA V5R19 and later releases and for
Abaqus/CAE 6.9 and later releases. To perform bidirectional associative updates using the geometry
parameter update capability, you must have Abaqus/CAE 6.11 or higher. For the latest information
about which releases of CATIA V5 and which platforms are supported by the CATIA V5 Associative
Interface, see the Dassault Systmes DSX.ECO Knowledge Base at www.3ds.com/support/knowledgebase or the SIMULIA Online Support System, which is accessible through the My Support page at
www.simulia.com.
Direct (nonassociative) import does not require the use of the CATIA V5 Associative Interface
plug-in and is available for CATIA V5R13 and all later releases.

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UNITS

3.

Units
CATIA V5 allows you to change the displayed units of measure in a model; if you change the displayed
units, all measurements and parameters in the model are converted and updated to reflect the new
units. Abaqus/CAE has no units built into it. When you use associative import to transfer a model
from CATIA V5, Abaqus/CAE imports the displayed numerical measurements without regard for the
displayed units.
For example, consider a model created in CATIA V5 of a cube that measures 30 millimeters on a
side (see Figure 31). If the displayed units in CATIA V5 are millimeters, Abaqus/CAE imports a cube
with a side length of 30. If the displayed units in CATIA V5 are centimeters, Abaqus/CAE imports a
cube with a side length of 3.

Figure 31

Abaqus/CAE ignores the displayed units when importing models from CATIA V5.

If the displayed units in CATIA V5 are mixed units (Feet, Inch, Fraction/64; Feet, Inch,
Fraction/16; or Feet, Inch, Decimal), Abaqus/CAE converts all measurements to feet before
importing the model.
Because Abaqus does not apply any unit-based conversion factors to numerical parameters in a
model, the parameters must be self-consistent. The individual parts in an assembly should use the same
units system. When you import an assembly with mixed units into Abaqus/CAE, all of the parts are scaled
to a consistent set of units before the import. However, if you subsequently update the Abaqus/CAE

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UNITS

assembly by importing an individual part, the units for that part are not scaled and may be inconsistent
with the existing dimensions in Abaqus/CAE. In addition, keep in mind that displayed units in CATIA V5
can impact not only the length dimensions of an imported model, but also the parameters in an imported
material definition.
If you use direct import to transfer a model from CATIA V5, all dimensions in the model are
converted to millimeters before they are imported into Abaqus/CAE. You have the option of scaling
these dimensions during the import process; for more information, see Importing a part from a CATIA
V4- or V5-format file, Section 10.7.5 of the Abaqus/CAE Users Manual.

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INSTALLATION

4.

Installing the CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in

The following procedure describes how to install the CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in on
Windows systems. You need administrative privileges to install the plug-in. CATIA V5 must be
installed and licensed on your system before installing the plug-in. For more information about system
requirements, see Chapter 2, System requirements for the CATIA V5 Associative Interface.
1. Download the appropriate CATIA V5 Associative Interface installation file from www.simulia.com.

There is a different installer for each CATIA V5 release.

2. Run the CATIA V5 Associative Interface installation executable.
3. Follow the prompts in the installation process. You must provide the following information:

The CATIA V5 service pack on which the plug-in will be installed. The installation procedure
automatically detects all of the appropriate CATIA V5 service packs that are installed on your
system.

The installation directory for the plug-in. The plug-in does not need to be installed in the same
directory as CATIA V5.

4. The installation process creates a Windows desktop shortcut and a Start menu shortcut for the

CATIA V5 Associative Interface. Use either shortcut to start a full version of CATIA V5 that
includes the CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in and, if it is installed on your system,
Abaqus for CATIA V5.

4.1

Determining the build date of the CATIA V5 Associative Interface

plug-in
To determine the build date for the CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in that you are using, select
AbaqusAbout Abaqus plug-in from the CATIA V5 main menu. The dialog box that appears
contains trademark information and the build date for the CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in.
This information may be necessary if you are contacting SIMULIA for troubleshooting issues related
to the CATIA V5 Associative Interface.

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USING THE CATIA V5 Associative Interface

5.

Using the CATIA V5 Associative Interface to import a

part or assembly from CATIA V5 to Abaqus/CAE
The CATIA V5 Associative Interface includes three techniques for exporting models from CATIA V5
to Abaqus/CAE:

Associative import, which can be performed automatically or manually, allows you to transfer model
data (geometry, materials, and publications) and subsequent design changes from CATIA V5 to
Abaqus/CAE without losing any analysis features that are defined in Abaqus/CAE.

Geometry parameter updates allows you to modify parameters that define CATIA V5 features from
within Abaqus/CAE. The updated parameters are propagated to the CATIA V5 model and back to
the Abaqus/CAE model.

Direct import allows you to import the geometry of a standard CATIA V5 Part (.CATPart) or
Product (.CATProduct) file into Abaqus/CAE.

For a more detailed comparison of the various import techniques, see Chapter 1, CATIA V5 Associative
Interface: overview.
The CATIA V5 Associative Interface is supported on Windows platforms only. For more
information about system requirements, see Chapter 2, System requirements for the CATIA V5
Associative Interface.

5.1

Using automatic associative import

Follow the instructions given below to import an assembly from CATIA V5 to Abaqus/CAE using
automatic associative import:
1. Start Abaqus/CAE, and enter the Assembly module.
2. From the main menu bar, select ToolsCAD InterfacesCATIA V5.
3. From the CATIA V5 dialog box that appears, choose Auto-assign port and click Enable.

Abaqus/CAE displays the port number that it assigned in the message area. (If desired, you can
click Specify port and enter the port number.)
4. Start CATIA V5 using the Windows desktop shortcut or the Start menu shortcut that was created

during the installation of the CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in.

Abaqus appears in the CATIA V5 main menu bar.
5. Load the model to be exported, and select AbaqusExport to Abaqus/CAE from the CATIA V5

main menu.
6. From the Export to Abaqus/CAE dialog box that appears, specify the following information:

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USING THE CATIA V5 Associative Interface

a. Select Open Abaqus/CAE as the export Method (see Figure 51).

b. If necessary, change the default number in the Port field so that it matches the port number

displayed by Abaqus/CAE when you enabled the CAD interface.

c. If the CATIA V5 model includes publications of faces, edges, or vertices, you can export these
publications to the Abaqus model as set definitions. Toggle on Face, Edge, or Vertex to

translate the associated CATIA V5 publications into Abaqus sets.

d. If materials are applied to the CATIA V5 model, toggle on Materials to export the CATIA V5

materials as Abaqus material definitions. If the CATIA V5 model includes multiple materials
with different properties but the same name, only one of these material definitions is exported
to Abaqus/CAE.
Only the material definitions are created in the Abaqus model; sections and section assignments
are not defined.
7. Click OK in the Export to Abaqus/CAE dialog box.

CATIA V5 saves all of the parts in the model, and the Abaqus/CAE Export Log dialog box appears
with a summary of the entities that were exported. Click Close to close the Abaqus/CAE Export
Log dialog box.
The model appears in the current Abaqus/CAE viewport. If an assembly is open in CATIA V5, the
parts are imported into Abaqus/CAE and an assembly of part instances is created automatically. If a
single part is open in CATIA V5, only the part is imported into Abaqus/CAE. You can use the parts
and the assembly in an Abaqus/CAE analysis; for example, you can apply sections to the parts, and
you can apply loads and boundary conditions to the assembly.
8. If you modify the model in CATIA V5, click the Quick export to Abaqus/CAE icon

to
update the model in Abaqus/CAE. The modified model is imported immediately into Abaqus/CAE
using the settings previously specified in the Export to Abaqus/CAE dialog box.
Abaqus/CAE imports only the modified parts. Any changes that you make to the position of parts
in the CATIA V5 assembly will also be exported to Abaqus/CAE. Any components that you
deactivate or activate in CATIA V5 are suppressed or resumed similarly in Abaqus/CAE. If you
hide a component in CATIA V5, the visibility of that part instance in Abaqus/CAE is turned off;
use the Assembly Display Options in Abaqus/CAE to control the visibility of part instances (for
more information, see Controlling instance visibility, Section 76.14 of the Abaqus/CAE Users
Manual).
Modifications to material definitions and publications in CATIA V5 are also propagated to
Abaqus/CAE.
Features (such as loads and sets) and geometric modifications that you created in Abaqus/CAE
are updated to account for the changes to the CATIA V5 parts. Abaqus/CAE will be unable to
regenerate some features if the topology of the part has changed significantly.

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USING THE CATIA V5 Associative Interface

Figure 51

Use automatic associative import to transfer the model directly to Abaqus/CAE.

9. From the Abaqus/CAE main menu bar, select ToolsCAD InterfacesCATIA V5 to show the

port number that is being used or to disable the connection with CATIA V5. For more information,
see Creating a CAD connection, Section 60.1 of the Abaqus/CAE Users Manual.

5.2

Using manual associative import

Follow the instructions given below to import an assembly from CATIA V5 to Abaqus/CAE using manual
associative import:
1. Start CATIA V5 using the Windows desktop shortcut or the Start menu shortcut that was created

during the installation of the CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in.

Abaqus appears in the CATIA V5 main menu bar.
2. Load the model to be exported, and select AbaqusExport to Abaqus/CAE from the CATIA V5

main menu.
3. From the Export to Abaqus/CAE dialog box that appears, specify the following information:
a. Select Write to file as the export Method (see Figure 52).

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Figure 52

Write an assembly file.

b. Click Browse, and specify a path and file name to which the assembly file will be saved.
c. If the CATIA V5 model includes publications of faces, edges, or vertices, you can save these
publications as Abaqus set definitions. Toggle on Face, Edge, or Vertex to save the associated

CATIA V5 publications as Abaqus sets.

d. If materials are applied to the CATIA V5 model, toggle on Materials to save the CATIA V5

materials as Abaqus material definitions. If the CATIA V5 model includes multiple materials
with different properties but the same name, only one of these material definitions is saved.
Only the material definitions are subsequently imported into the Abaqus model; sections and
section assignments are not defined.
4. Click OK in the Export to Abaqus/CAE dialog box.

The Abaqus/CAE Export Log dialog box appears with a summary of the entities that were saved
and a list of files that are required to subsequently import the model into Abaqus/CAE; click Close
to close the Abaqus/CAE Export Log dialog box.
CATIA V5 saves the model in assembly (.eaf) file format. You can now end your CATIA V5
session. If necessary, copy the assembly file and all of the required files (as reported in the
Abaqus/CAE Export Log dialog box) to the computer where you will be running Abaqus/CAE.
5. Start Abaqus/CAE, and select FileImportAssembly from the main menu bar.
6. From the Import Assembly dialog box that appears, select the assembly (.eaf) file that was
written in Step 4, and click OK.
7. From the Import Assembly from EAF File dialog box that appears, select the assembly or
individual part instances to import, and click OK.

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The selected part instances appear in the current Abaqus/CAE viewport, and all appropriate set and
material definitions are created. You can use the parts and the assembly in an Abaqus/CAE analysis;
for example, you can apply sections to the parts, and you can apply loads and boundary conditions
to the assembly.
For more information about importing assembly files, see Importing an assembly from an assembly
file, Section 10.7.14 of the Abaqus/CAE Users Manual.
8. If you modify the model in CATIA V5, use the following steps to propagate the changes to the

model in Abaqus/CAE:
a. Repeat Steps 14 to create an updated assembly file. The name of the assembly file can change

between imports; however, the names of the parts and products in the CATIA V5 model must
remain the same.
b. Open the existing model in the current viewport of Abaqus/CAE.
c. Import the updated assembly file using the procedure in Steps 57.

Abaqus/CAE imports only the modified parts. Any changes that you made to the position of
parts in the CATIA V5 assembly will also be imported to Abaqus/CAE. Any components that
you deactivated or activated in CATIA V5 are suppressed or resumed similarly in Abaqus/CAE.
If you hid a component in CATIA V5, the visibility of that part instance in Abaqus/CAE is
turned off; use the Assembly Display Options in Abaqus/CAE to control the visibility of
part instances (for more information, see Controlling instance visibility, Section 76.14 of the
Abaqus/CAE Users Manual).
Modifications to material definitions and publications in CATIA V5 are also propagated to
Abaqus/CAE.
Features (such as loads and sets) and geometric modifications that you created in Abaqus/CAE
are updated to account for the changes to the CATIA V5 parts. Abaqus/CAE will be unable to
regenerate some features if the topology of the part has changed significantly.

5.3

Updating geometry parameters in an imported model

The parameter update capability allows a bidirectional associative import, in which you modify the
dimensions of certain geometric features in an imported model in Abaqus/CAE, then propagate these
modifications to the original CATIA V5 model. Using parameter updates, you can work exclusively in
Abaqus/CAE after importing a model while keeping the CATIA V5 model up to date with any geometric
changes. This allows you to keep your Abaqus/CAE and CATIA V5 models synchronized while you
optimize your design based on the results from your Abaqus analyses.
To modify a dimension using parameter updates, that dimension must be defined as a parameter
(real, integer, length, or angle) in a CATIA V5 formula, and the formula must be associated with a partlevel feature; for example, the radius of a hole feature should be specified using a variable parameter,
not a specific numerical value. Assembly-level geometry features cannot be modified using parameter
updates. During an associative import, the CATIA V5 Associative Interface passes a list of parameters

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USING THE CATIA V5 Associative Interface

to Abaqus/CAE. You can use the CAD Parameters dialog box in Abaqus/CAE to modify the values
assigned to each parameter, then pass the updated values back to the CATIA V5 model; the geometry
of both the CATIA V5 and the Abaqus/CAE model is updated based on the new parameter values. To
help you choose the desired parameter, Abaqus/CAE highlights the associated feature when you select
a parameter in the CAD Parameters dialog box. Geometric modifications made to the Abaqus/CAE
model using standard Part module and Assembly module tools are typically retained in Abaqus/CAE
between updates and imports, but they cannot be propagated to the CATIA V5 model.
You should make only incremental changes to the parameters to ensure that the original features of
the CATIA V5 model are retained. For example, if you make a large change to the radius of a fillet, the
parameter update could attempt to delete faces of your CATIA V5 model, and the update operation will
fail.
Bidirectional import via parameter updates is supported only by Abaqus/CAE Version 6.11 or
later and by CATIA V5 R19 and R20. To update geometry parameters, CATIA V5 and the CATIA V5
Associative Interface plug-in must be installed on the computer where you are running Abaqus/CAE.
In addition, a CATIA V5 session must be running before you perform a parameter update from
Abaqus/CAE.
Follow the instructions given below to update the model geometry using bidirectional import:
1. Load the part or assembly to be exported in CATIA V5.
2. To create a parameter that can be exported to Abaqus/CAE and to associate the new parameter with

an existing CATIA V5 parameter, do the following:

a. Select Toolsf(x) Formula from the toolbar.
b. From the Formulas dialog box that appears, select the CATIA V5 parameter to export.
c. Enter the name of the new parameter. The parameter name must begin with ABQ_ if you want

it to be exported to Abaqus/CAE.
d. If desired, modify the value of the new parameter.
e. Click OK to create the new parameter and to close the Formulas dialog box.
3. To create a parameter that can be exported to Abaqus/CAE and to create a relationship between the

new parameter and an existing CATIA V5 parameter, do the following:

a. Select Toolsf(x) Formula from the toolbar.
b. From the Formulas dialog box that appears, select the type of the new parameter (Real,
Integer, Length, or Angle).
c. Select with Single Value to indicate how the parameter will be defined.
d. Enter the name of the new parameter. The parameter name must begin with ABQ_ if you want

it to be available to Abaqus/CAE.
e. Enter the value of the new parameter. Figure 53 shows the user creating a new parameter
called ABQ_Rim_Hole_Dia. The new parameter is of type Length and has a value of

1.588.

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Figure 53

Creating a new parameter.

f. From the list of existing CATIA V5 parameters, select the parameter that will be related to

your new parameter.

g. Click Add Formula.
h. From the Formula Editor dialog box that appears, enter the formula that relates the

CATIA V5 parameter to your new parameter. Figure 54 shows the user associating a
CATIA V5 dimension (Outer_Rim\Hole.1\Diameter) with the new parameter
(ABQ_Rim_Hole_Dia), which is in turn set equal to a length of 1.588 cm.

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Figure 54

Associating a dimension with the new parameter.

i. Click OK to close the Formula Editor dialog box.

j. Create additional parameters, as desired.
k. Click OK to create the relationships between the CATIA V5 parameters and your new
parameters and to close the Formulas dialog box.

The parameters and the relationships appear in the specification tree.

Refer to the CATIA V5 documentation for more information about defining parameters and
formulae.
Only those parameters whose names start with the string ABQ_ are passed to Abaqus/CAE and can
subsequently be modified using bidirectional update. Each parameter should be referenced only
once within a feature definition. Figure 55 shows the final list of parameters in CATIA V5.

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Figure 55

Parameters in CATIA V5.

4. Import the model to Abaqus/CAE using one of the associative import methods described in Using

automatic associative import, Section 5.1.

When the CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in creates the assembly (.eaf) file, it also
creates an XML-format parameters (.par_abq) file. If you are copying files from one computer
or directory to another as part of a manual associative import, you must perform the following
additional steps:
a. Copy the parameters file and the original CATIA V5 part (.CATPart) files along with the

assembly file.
b. Edit the parameters file to update the File attribute for each Part element; for example:

<Part Name="part name" File="new path to .CATPart file">

When performing a parameter update, Abaqus/CAE identifies the CATIA V5 .CATPart files
that must be updated by first looking in the current working directory and then looking in the
path specified in the parameters file.
5. After the model has been imported, display the list of modifiable parameters in Abaqus/CAE:

In the Part module, select ToolsCAD Parameters from the main menu.
In the Assembly module, select ToolsCAD InterfacesCAD Parameters from the main
menu.

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The CAD Parameters dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 56. Clicking on a parameter name
highlights the portions of the model affected by that parameter in the viewport.

Figure 56

CATIA V5 parameters in Abaqus/CAE.

6. To modify a parameter value, click the appropriate cell in the Value column and enter a new value.
7. When you have changed all of the necessary parameter values, you can update the model geometries,

generate a new parameters file, or reset the parameters to their initial value:

5.4

To update the geometries, click Update. The model features are regenerated based on the new
parameter values, and the geometry of the model is updated in CATIA V5 and Abaqus/CAE.
The original parameters (.par_abq) file is also updated.
To generate an updated parameters file, click mouse button 3 on the CAD Parameters table,
and select Write to File from the menu that appears. If you are currently in the Part module,
only the parameters associated with the current part are included in the file; if you are currently
in the Assembly module, all parameters associated with the model are included in the file.
The model geometries are not updated when you write a new parameters file. You can use the
new parameters file to verify the parameters that are being passed to CATIA V5, or you can use
it to manually perform subsequent parameter updates using the Abaqus Scripting Interface.
To reset all parameters to their initial values, click Defaults. The default values reflect the
values in the current Abaqus/CAE model geometry.

Using direct import

The CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in is not required to use the direct import technique. The
geometry of models saved in standard CATIA V5 Part (.CATPart) or Product (.CATProduct) file
formats can be imported directly into Abaqus/CAE. From the Abaqus/CAE main menu bar, select
FileImportPart and select the file you want to import. Detailed instructions on using direct

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import are available in Importing a part from a CATIA V4- or V5-format file, Section 10.7.5 of the
Abaqus/CAE Users Manual.

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6.

Tips for using the CATIA V5 Associative Interface

The following tips will help you use the CATIA V5 Associative Interface to import CATIA V5 parts and
products into Abaqus/CAE. Additional tips are available from the SIMULIA Online Support System,
which is accessible through the My Support page at www.simulia.com.

When you create a new .CATPart or .CATProduct file, you must save the file before you use
the CATIA V5 Associative Interface for the first time. You do not have to save the file subsequently;
the CATIA V5 Associative Interface saves the .CATPart or .CATProduct file before exporting
it to Abaqus/CAE.

After you have imported the assembly from CATIA V5 into Abaqus/CAE, you can continue
to modify the position of instances in the CATIA V5 assembly. However, before you use the
CATIA V5 Associative Interface to update the assembly changes into Abaqus/CAE, you must
update the changes in CATIA V5 by clicking the Update all
icon or by entering [Ctrl]+U. The
CATIA V5 Associative Interface will not export the changes in the CATIA V5 model until you
have updated it.

When you use the direct import method to import a .CATPart or .CATProduct file into
Abaqus/CAE, you can choose to create individual parts or to combine all the parts into a single
part. If you import a .CATPart file, all of the features that are visible in CATIA V5 (solid,
surface, line, plane, and PartBody) are imported as a single part into Abaqus/CAE. For example, if
a part has a solid and a surface that are visible in CATIA V5, both the surface and the solid will be
imported as a single part into Abaqus/CAE. If you want to import only the solid into Abaqus/CAE,
only the solid should be visible. Similarly, to import only the surface as a single part, the solid
along with any planes, lines, points, and sketches that were used to create the surface must be
hidden in CATIA V5.

The default XY, YZ, and ZX planes will not be imported into Abaqus/CAE, even if they are kept
visible in CATIA V5. In contrast, if an additional plane, other than the default planes, is kept visible
in CATIA V5, the plane will be imported into Abaqus/CAE as a small patch of surface along with
the part.

If you import a surface model into Abaqus/CAE and then add a surface feature (fill, extrude, sweep,
multi-section surface, or blend) to the model in CATIA V5, the associativity between the model in
CATIA V5 and Abaqus/CAE is lost until you join the new surface to the original surface in CATIA
V5.

Publications in CATIA V5 are imported as sets in Abaqus/CAE. The following rules apply to
exporting publications:
Publications at only the part level are imported into Abaqus/CAE. Publications at the assembly
level are not supported by the CATIA V5 Associative Interface.
Publications of only vertices, edges, and faces are exported to Abaqus/CAE. Publications of
lines, points, planes, and bodies are not supported by the CATIA V5 Associative Interface.

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If the publication list contains a combination of supported and unsupported objects, only the
supported objects will be imported into Abaqus/CAE; the other objects are ignored.
You must select individual faces for publication. If you drag-select select a face, the
CATIA V5 Associative Interface publishes the feature instead of the face in the specification
tree. A publication of the feature in the specification tree is not imported as a set definition
into Abaqus/CAE.
You can publish a point created in the Sketch module as a vertex; however, the CATIA V5
Associative Interface supports only geometric vertices created in the Part module.

Only material properties that you assign to parts, part bodies, and products will be imported into
Abaqus/CAE. If you assign a material property to a geometrical set in a part, the CATIA V5
Associative Interface will not import the material property into Abaqus/CAE.

The following conventions apply to the conversion of part and product names from CATIA V5 to
Abaqus/CAE:
A part name in CATIA V5 that starts with a numerical digit is imported into Abaqus/CAE with
a p_ preceding the number.
A long part name in CATIA V5 will be truncated to 38 characters when the part
is imported into Abaqus/CAE.
For example, if the part name in CATIA V5 is
PartName_controlaram_YearMade_1998_ModelUsed_2000, the part name in
Abaqus/CAE will be PartName_controlaram_YearMade_1998_Mod.
If a CATIA V5 model contains more than one part with a name longer than 38 characters and
the first 38 characters are the same, the names are truncated to 34 characters and _n is appended
to the end of the name, where n is the part number.

The associativity between CATIA V5 and Abaqus/CAE is broken when you export a part from
CATIA V5 that contains both a surface and a solid that have been kept visible. As a result, additional
changes in CATIA V5 will not be progagated into Abaqus/CAE. Two workarounds are provided
that allow the associativity to continue:
Save the file in CATIA V5 and start a new associative import into Abaqus/CAE.
Hide any internal surfaces in CATIA V5 and continue the associative import of only the solid
regions of the part.

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7.

CATIA V5 Associative Interface scripting interfaces

You can use the CATIA V5 Associative Interface automation interface to create scripts that export
CATIA V5 parts and products in assembly (.eaf) file format. You can use the Abaqus/CAE Python
interface to manage CAD connections and CAD parameters.

7.1

CATIA V5 Associative Interface automation interface

The automation interface for the CATIA V5 Associative Interface utilizes the CATIA VB scripting
interface to save CATIA V5 parts and products in assembly (.eaf) file format. This automation interface
is based on the following VB interfaces:

ABQCAIVBEafFile writes out the assembly file,

ABQCAIVBEafFileExportOptions specifies which non-geometric entities (face

publications, edge publications, vertex publications, and materials) are exported with the
assembly file (see What is associative import?, Section 1.3, for more information).

ABQCAIVBEafFile.EnableParameterUpdate() sends the port number (required for

parameter update) to Abaqus/CAE. You must call EnableParameterUpdate() before you
call ExportToCAE().

The following template lists all of the commands necessary to save a CATIA V5 part as an assembly
file:
Dim EafFile As CAIEafFile
Set EafFile = CatiaPartName.GetItem("ABQCAIVBEafFile")
Dim ExportOptions As CAIEafFileOptions
Set ExportOptions = EafFile.GetItem("ABQCAIVBEafFileExportOptions")
ExportOptions.FacePublicationExportStatus = [True|False]
ExportOptions.EdgePublicationExportStatus = [True|False]
ExportOptions.VertexPublicationExportStatus = [True|False]
ExportOptions.MaterialExportStatus = [True|False]
EafFile.WriteEAFFile ("DestinationPath")
The same commands can be used to save a CATIA V5 product as an assembly file by using the appropriate
CatiaProductName in place of the CatiaPartName.

7.2

CATIA V5 Associative Interface Python interface

The CATIA V5 Associative Interface Python interface allows you to configure and enable a CAD
connection between CATIA V5 and Abaqus/CAE. The Python interface also allows you to manage

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the movement of parameters between CATIA V5 and Abaqus/CAE. The following commands are
available:

enableCADConnection()
disableCADConnection()
setCADPortNumber()
updateCADParameters()

The CATIA V5 Associative Interface Python interface is described in detail in the Session
commands chapter of the Abaqus Scripting Reference Manual.

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APPENDIX A: WHATS NEW?

Appendix A:

Whats new?

This manual is intended for use with the CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in that was built in October of
2010. To check the build date for your plug-in, see Determining the build date of the CATIA V5 Associative
Interface plug-in, Section 4.1. The following enhancements are available with this release of the plug-in:
Support for Abaqus/CAE 6.11

The CATIA V5 Associative Interface plug-in is available for CATIA V5R20 and V5R19 and is
compatible with the CAD Connection toolset in Abaqus/CAE 6.10, 6.10-EF, and 6.11. For more
information, see Chapter 2, System requirements for the CATIA V5 Associative Interface.
Bidirectional update of parameters

The CATIA V5 Associative Interface now allows you to modify parameters that define CATIA V5
featuressuch as a hole radius or an extrusion lengthfrom within Abaqus/CAE. The updated
parameters can be propagated to both the CATIA V5 model and the Abaqus/CAE model. Figure A1
shows the use of geometry parameter updates in Abaqus/CAE to synchronize geometry changes in both
the CATIA V5 and Abaqus/CAE models.

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APPENDIX A: WHATS NEW?

CATIA V5

Figure A1

Abaqus/CAE

Parameter updates change the dimensions of geometry features in the

CATIA V5 model and the Abaqus/CAE model.

The associative interface parameter update capability is available only in Abaqus/CAE 6.11.

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About Dassault Systmes

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