[keen]

Hi All - I have jumped across into this forum to see if anyone can give me the latest info on V21's ability to receive files ex Probing/Digitizing. specifically I have a Tormach mill which is controlled by Mach3 - and I use BCC v21.

I would like to buy a (hopefully not too expensive) digitizing probe and learn how to reverse eng 3D parts - Tormach and Mach 3 seems to be well set up to do this? - But my main question is: Once the part has been digitised and the 'point cloud' file is made - can it be imported into V21 in some form so it can be converted into a solid or surface (and then modified, repaired etc) - or is this too big an ask for V21? - is anyone out there doing this?

Thanks for any help!

Still keen

[smurph]

This is typically done in specialized "meshing" software. It takes the point cloud information and user input to transform the point cloud into something more palatable for the CAD/CAM software.

To this end, one of the Mach digitizing plug-in guys is also working on a meshing program.

Steve

[keen]

Thanks Steve

Do you or does anyone know of a good affordable 'meshing software' package out there - i will google it but any info welcome!

still Keen

[smurph]

Yeah, google on this search "point cloud meshing". The first three are about the most affordable. The first two, Point Cloud and Points-to-Polys have a demo that you can try out. I have loaded both of these. The third, VRMesh, I don't know if the have a demo. But it looks to be quite capable. It's also more expensive.

I'd wait until you actually have a point cloud to try out before installing any of them.

Steve

[ger21]

Thanks Steve

Do you or does anyone know of a good affordable 'meshing software' package out there - i will google it but any info welcome!

still Keen

Try MachCloud. It's free.
http://www.machsupport.com/artsoft/d.../downloads.htm

[keen]

Thanks Gerry - looking now!

[keen]

OK - so i downloaded and unzipped machcloud, found a sample "hand" point cloud file - found the tool to flesh it out - and found it could only be saved as STL. BCC does not import STL. But on googling STL coversion software - seems i have many options!

Any comments welcome!

Still Keen

[racefast]

if you need i can provide you a point cloud i have a centroid equipped mill with full digitizing capabilities I am running v22 and i would be interested in doing the same thing you are wanting to do so if you could give me some feedback on your findings i would be happy to give you a point cloud file but it is in a dig file format

[The One]

Keen,

BobCAD will import STL files, and I suggest the Binary format. If you look at the STL created by MachCloud in Notepad you will see that it is ASCII format.

Regards

[tjones]

There is an easy way to do this. Bobcad does open the binary STL files but Machcloud only exports ascii.

So use another program to cleanup and convert to a stl format Bobcad likes.

http://meshlab.sourceforge.net/


It's free source so have fun.

[keen]

if you need i can provide you a point cloud i have a centroid equipped mill with full digitizing capabilities I am running v22 and i would be interested in doing the same thing you are wanting to do so if you could give me some feedback on your findings i would be happy to give you a point cloud file but it is in a dig file format

Thanks - I will get back to you if i need that - cheers

[keen]

Keen,

BobCAD will import STL files, and I suggest the Binary format. If you look at the STL created by MachCloud in Notepad you will see that it is ASCII format.

Regards

Thanks - tell me - where in V21 is the opening files in STL? If i look in the drop down from 'files of type' - i don't see STL - or any mention of STL in my V21 manual. Does it go also by another name? keen.

[keen]

There is an easy way to do this. Bobcad does open the binary STL files but Machcloud only exports ascii.

So use another program to cleanup and convert to a stl format Bobcad likes.

http://meshlab.sourceforge.net/


It's free source so have fun.

Thanks - I copy below - which format would you import and export? Cheers

"painting interface for selecting, smoothing and coloring meshes.
Input/output in many formats:
import:PLY, STL, OFF, OBJ, 3DS, COLLADA, PTX
export:PLY, STL, OFF, OBJ, 3DS, COLLADA, VRML, DXF
Point Clouds support. Now 3D files that are composed only by points are well supported in PLY and OBJ format.
U3D support; MeshLab is the first open source tool to provide direct conversion of 3D meshes into the U3D format. Now you can create pdf, like this with 3D objects with just MeshLab and LaTeX. [/B][/I]"

[The One]

keen,

Sorry, V21 does not import STL files. It is V22 only that supports this import type.

Regards

[tjones]

Sorry....been answering so many V22 questions I didn't notice this was a V21.