Inconsistent Normals on Release 7 and Solidworks

Rhino
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Been using Rhino for over 20 years so pretty experienced. After upgrading to Release 7 a few months ago, I’ve been running into an issue where STP files or SLD files I’ve imported in from Solidworks have surface edges with inconsistent normals. At first, I chased this down one surface at a time but it’s like unraveling a sweater. Once I flip the normals of an errant surface, the next surface won’t join properly.

I’ve found that joining everything into a solid works but I have to join, then explode, and then join again for it to actually close properly.

Up until Release 7, I’ve never experienced this when working with solids and surfaces originally built in Solidworks.

I’m figuring out how to work around it (see above,) but something is amiss!

1 Like
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Hi Evan - can you post or send to tech@mcneel.com an example stp file? The developer has been tuning up stp lately so it would be good to know if there is something amiss there. Please include a link back here in your comments to tech.

Meantime, I think maybe you discovered this, if the object is solid in Rhino, Select > Explode >Join should sort out the normals.

-Pascal

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Absolutely!! I’ll send something tomorrow.

This is why I’ve always loved Rhino. Your team is always quick to address any issues. You listen to your users and that’s not often seen in the CAD software world.

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@evan3

True.
… This is why (I’ve) we’ve always loved Rhino.

Regards
Rodolfo Santos.

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Dear Pascal, The files from solid works are after importing also very slow (dramatic) (not workable)
The same files i could play with in Rhino 6.

Also when i save from rhino 7 the imported solid works files back to version rhino 6 3dm all problems are gone when i open them again with rhino 7

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Hi Juan -

Please post an example STEP (?) file that causes this behavior. Also, please run the Rhino SystemInfo command and copy-paste the result here.
-wim