Monty Roberts wrote:

snips...

First to clear up some confusion. What I did was take your .dxf file and
import it to rhino 2.0. After that I used the curves contained in your .dxf
file to make a 3D part (hope it was to scale{8>O!!). Then I exported an
.iges file of that 3D part only. The iges file only contains the 3D info, no
dimensions or text. The reason is to make the file much smaller and cleaner.
When you import it into another software program there are less errors to
deal with. The iges file I sent is written specifically for mastercam and
may or may not work well with other software. In mastercam you write your
tool paths based on the 3D data, not the drawing. The drawing flows from the
3D data and is therefore secondary, and only used for low tech inspection
(i.e. a guy with calipers and a drawing). If you have a 2D cad program, the
3D iges file will definitely send it for a loop.

The way this is done (er should be done) is the info is contained in the 3D
data. A deminimus drawing is generated from the 3D data showing interface
dimensions, tolerances and material specifications. If you change the 3D
database, the drawing automatically updates. Rhino won't do this, because it
is not parametric, so I don't even use a drawing. It seems trivial to do all
this with a part as simple as this plate where a 2D vector file is all that
is needed to generate G-code for the part, but a compound surface, 3D part
makes this a necessity, and why not just do everything the same way. The
world is no longer flat like a drawing board. Although I still have some
nostalgic feelings for T-squares, triangles, scum-bags, electric erasers,
and a BH4 pencils, I DO NOT miss view projections or compound surface
development!!!

I think Rhino 2.0 is about $800, unfortunately it only works under MS
operating systems. Check out the 5 axis gantry mill cutting out a plug for a
boat hull on their homepage. Try making a drawing for that! The same process
can be used for aircraft parts.

http://www.rhino3d.com/

I attached the generic iges file format. If acad 12 does not do 3D you will
probably still have problems. I remember trying to do 3D in early Acad and
it just won't cut the mustard. It is more of a 2.5D program. The iges and
dxf standards have changed a lot to keep up with new technology, which makes
backwards compatibility somewhat dicey. Try it and see.

Monty

OK Monty I will give it a try. I think we have the problem partial solved
as Chuck has TurboCad 7.1 and can send us hi rez pictures of Tracy's drawings.

Paul Lamar
 
The AirCraft Rotary Engine NewsLetter.              Powered by Linux.
ACRE NL web site.
http://home.earthlink.net/~rotaryeng/            http://www.linux.org