Getting Text into a Catia Part

Catia doesn’t really handle adding text to it’s CAD models very well. There is a way to do it with a little bit of creativity though.

We first start out with a new CatDrawing. In this we’ll create the text object, set the font/size/etc as needed. Once thats all set, save it as a DXF file.

Example Text in CatDrawing

Next up we want to re-open the DXF in catia. This will have the text as raw vector objects rather than as text now. We want to copy that object so we can paste it into a drawing in the CatPart that we want to add the text into.

Copy the Vector Object
Pasted Text

With the text pasted into a drawing, we can do anything with the text in the same way as any other drawing, like extruding it.

Extruded Text

Resources:

Converting 3MF files to STL

We’ll be using Microsoft 3D builder for this conversion. Its a simple use of the tool but it works out well. Just open your .3mf file in Microsoft 3D builder, and save it back out as an STL. I’ve found this to be the easiest way as its all free software provided by MS.

It’s no simpler than opening the file in 3d builder, clicking save as, and saving it out as a new file type.