The connection functionality enables you to import CAD geometries into Mechanical APDL. The following connection comands, which are used to import CAD geometries into Mechanical APDL have been undocumented:
| ~CATIAIN - Transfers a model created with CATIA Version 4.x or lower into Mechanical APDL. |
| ~SATIN - Transfers a .sat file created in ACIS into Mechanical APDL. |
Using these commands, you can import the following CAD/CAE formats:
CATIA V4.2.4 (Windows 10, Windows 11, and Linux)
ACIS 2023 (Linux)
ACIS 2024 (Windows 10 and Windows 11)
The connection functionality generally supports prior releases of CAD files (such as ACIS 18.0, or earlier versions of CATIA).
Table 10.1: CAD Package and Recommended Connection Functionality
| CAD Package | File Type | Connection Functionality to Use |
|---|---|---|
| CATIA 4.x | .model, .exp, .session, .dlv | CATIA |
| ACIS | .sat or .sab | ACIS |
| AutoCAD | .sat or .sab | ACIS |
| Autodesk Inventor | .sat or .sab | ACIS |
| Creo Elements/Direct Modeling | .sat or .sab | ACIS |
Import CATIA V4 or lower files using the GUI
Before you start Mechanical APDL, the file (.model, .exp, .session, or .dlv) you wish to import must exist on your machine or on a known network location. Use the ~CATIAIN command to import the geometry file.
Once the geometry is imported, follow standard Mechanical APDL analysis procedures; the Basic Analysis Guide has many examples. If your imported model contains multiple volumes, Boolean operators are available to further process your geometry (refer to Sculpting Your Model with Boolean Operations in the Modeling and Meshing Guide for more information).
Note: Only surface and volume models are imported. Wireframe models are not supported and will be filtered out.
Import ACIS-based files
The connection for ACIS supports models created with ACIS 2022 or lower. You can import ACIS-based .sat or .sab files that make up an assembly, save them as .anf files, and then compile them into one database. For more information on working with multiple .anf files, see
Importing Multiple Files (Create Mechanical APDL Database) in the Connection User's Guide.
Import .sat or .sab files using the ~SATIN command.
Note: If your imported model contains multiple volumes, Boolean operators are available to further process your geometry (see Sculpting Your Model with Boolean Operations in the Modeling and Meshing Guide for more information).
Problems Specific to the Connection for ACIS
Listed below are several problems you may encounter when running the connection for ACIS. For further troubleshooting information, see Troubleshooting Connection Issues in the Connection User's Guide.
If a part fails to convert into Mechanical APDL, examine filename.sat_log and filename.ans_log. Both files are located in the working directory. The filename.sat_log file contains warnings and errors generated during the conversion that relate to problems in the file itself. The filename.ans_log file contains warnings and errors that relate to building the model in Mechanical APDL.
If a model is sensitive to tolerance, shapes may not be created properly, which can lead to poorly transferred areas. If you find this problem with a model, reimport it using the following steps:
Import the file using the default format (neutral).
Enter the following command in the Mechanical APDL Input window:
XANF,filename.aaa,-tolerance_1.0e-6
where filename.aaa is the name of the file you are working with
The following problems may occur on Windows systems: A sys error may be displayed if the executable is in the wrong directory or if the required shared libraries are missing. Check for proper installation (see the Ansys, Inc. Windows Installation Guide) and reinstall the software.
***Warning: Ansys environment variables: ANSYS261_DIR and/or ANSYS261_SYSDIR are not set.
***ERROR: connection for SAT directory structure is not set. Unable to find the Connection executable.
Either the ANSYS261_DIR or the ANSYS261_SYSDIR variable needs to be set. See the Ansys, Inc. Installation Guide for your platform for information about these configuration variables.