A CATProduct assembly can open in CATIA with missing components even when the top-level product file is valid.
CATProduct references separate CATPart files and nested product content. If those files are missing or moved, the assembly becomes partial, and so does any STEP exported from it.
CADProps does not rebuild CATProduct assemblies: a CATProduct upload shows only the thumbnail saved in the file. The checks below happen in CATIA, on the sender's side, and on the STEP export you receive, which you can open in the STEP viewer.
Why CATProduct references break
Typical causes include:
- only the root CATProduct was sent;
- CATPart dependencies were omitted;
- nested product files are missing;
- folders were flattened or renamed;
- duplicate filenames became ambiguous;
- files were collected from different revisions;
- original references point outside the delivered folder tree.
The assembly file cannot supply geometry that exists only in absent CATPart files.
Keep the missing-reference list
Record every unresolved component name or path that CATIA reports.
Send that list back to the CATIA owner and request the exact dependencies from the same release.
Do not substitute a same-named CATPart from another folder or revision unless identity is verified. A replacement can remove the warning while making the assembly incorrect.
Preserve source folder structure
When the package is collected, keep the relative directory layout. Flattening it can break product links and create ambiguous duplicate filenames.
The safest handoff is a collected package from the CATIA project or release rather than a manually assembled set of files from several locations.
A partial product can still look plausible
Outer housing components may load while internal parts are absent, and the bounding dimensions may remain almost unchanged.
A STEP exported from such a session still opens, and its area, volume and mass describe only what it contains. Keep the incomplete status beside every derived property.
Check revision consistency
A CATProduct from one revision can reference CATPart names or structures that differ from another revision. Mixing files may cause both missing references and subtle wrong-part substitutions.
Ask for one coherent released package and record its revision or issue label.
STEP export does not recover missing CATParts
If the CATIA owner exports STEP from a partial product, the neutral file is also partial. Before asking for the export:
- resolve missing references in CATIA;
- confirm the intended product root;
- confirm units;
- agree on the expected components.
Open the STEP in the STEP viewer and verify the component tree, one known dimension and the placements again.
If the original dependencies are unavailable
Document what is missing and what the visible result contains. Do not estimate complete assembly totals from the partial geometry.
If the source CATIA environment can still open the intended product, request a fresh STEP export from the released configuration. That gives a complete neutral snapshot even when reconstructing native references is difficult.
A practical repair sequence
- Preserve the received package.
- Record the missing CATPart and product references.
- Request the exact files from the same release.
- Ask the CATIA owner to open the corrected package and confirm the warnings are gone.
- Ask for one STEP export of the whole assembly.
- Open the STEP and check the component tree, dimensions and placements.
- Only then use total properties.
A complete assembly is established by resolved product structure and verified scope, not by how convincing the rendered image looks.
Missing dependencies or an unreadable version?
These need different fixes:
| What you received or observed | What to check next |
|---|---|
| Only a root CATProduct file | Request the referenced CATPart files and nested assemblies, or a STEP export of the assembly |
| CATIA reports missing components | Restore the exact dependencies and relative folders from one revision |
| The package contains similarly named parts from several revisions | Ask the sender to collect one intended release; do not guess which part belongs |
| A CATPart shows only its thumbnail in CADProps | The part was saved without display geometry; request a STEP export of that part |
| The STEP opens but lacks components | Return to the native package; another export cannot reconstruct absent parts |
CATShape, CGR, 3DXML and CATIA V4 MODEL/SESSION are not supported inputs.
What to request from the sender
Ask for the top-level CATProduct, all referenced CATPart files and nested assemblies, the preserved folder layout and the intended revision, or simply one STEP export of the complete assembly. Ask which application release saved the package and which components should be present. Keep this information with the source; do not put private filenames or project details into a public troubleshooting post.
Checking parts you already have
You can upload individual CATPart files to the CATPart viewer to confirm that a part is the one you expect. Each part shows the display geometry CATIA saved; properties are exact only when its B-Rep is reconstructed completely. This checks parts, not their positions in the assembly.
Files are uploaded for server-side processing. Uploaded files stay private and temporary files are deleted automatically when they expire; see the supported formats and privacy policy for details.
For a structured final review, use the CAD conversion checklist. A STEP file is a neutral geometry handoff, not a replacement for native feature history or a complete manufacturing definition.
Supported 3DXML exports with XML or CATIA V5 binary (UVR) .3DRep tessellations open in the 3DXML viewer, with package-local product references and placed meshes. Units are unverified and assumed millimetres; other binary representations, textures and exact B-Rep are unsupported. Mesh exports do not provide exact CATIA-to-STEP conversion.
Original article: CADProps · https://www.cadprops.com/guides/catproduct-missing-parts/