[dannyboysd89]

Is there any possible way to convert a dxf to a solid model, beside redrawing the part as a solid? I have found many "3-D DXF files" and can do nothing with them, but look at all the lines in Autocad, or look at the top in Alibre as a 2-D image. I do not know a ton about AutoCAD, maybe there is a way to stitch this DXF to a Solid, and export it as a .sat, OR maybe there is some converter that will do it too. See the attached image of the F117 as an example of what I have.

Thanks,
Dan Brinkman

[ger21]

The short answer is no. Redoing it as a solid in AutoCAD would be difficult, but doable for a skilled user. Why do you need it as a solid? Where are you going to export it to?

[cadman]

Like ger21 said, no. The geometry in your DXF file does not contain the information that defines the surfaces or mass of a solid. You will need to import it into a cad system and create surfaces from the geometry and save it as a parasolid, SAT, etc... . I'm not aware of any converters out there to automate the process but....

CM

[sdantonio]

Given a wire frame like those pictures above in Dan's post. Can you mill directly from them or does your g-code have to be generated from a true solid?

Steven

[ger21]

Wire frame is a vague term. If the model is a mesh, or composed of individual faces, (which I'm guessing it is) you can get g-code from it. If it's just a line drawing, then you can't.

[dannyboysd89]

Like sdantonio said I want to make some 3 axis g-codes out of them and machine them put of machinable wax or something easy like that. Everybody else does cars, well I think a plane is as interesting, especially if I had the hard part done, like just transfer the dxf to solid, scale it, create the code. That was my ultimate goal.

Dan

[HuFlungDung]

Given the wireframe version of the model, it is possible to create surfaces directly from those edges, to create a surface model. I think that is what they mean by the term 'hybrid modeller' which can model either as surfaces or as a solid.

Even while creating surfaces from boundaries, sometimes you need to use your artistic sense to determine what kind of surface is actually contained within those boundaries. In OneCNC for example, you can create surfaces from edge boundaries if you so choose. It would still be quite the task to do it, because they would be done one at a time. However, it would not be as bad as starting from scratch with solid modelling that aircraft.

[sdantonio]

With all this in mine, can you folks recomend a good solid, 3-D (whch is probably redundent to say), software platform to work from. In my case, I am starting fresh with my drawings. So I can learn and work in a new platform if necessary.

Steven

[ger21]

http://www.alibre.com/xpress/

[dannyboysd89]

I use Alibre and am very satisfied with it.

Dan

[dannyboysd89]

Huflung,

So using these dxf models and importing them int MasterCAM or GibbsCAM, I should be able to create some sort of cutting geometries? MasterCAM or GibbsCAM are my 2 choices, I am learning MasterCam and have access to it at the local Tech School, or have access to Gibbs at work, but am not comfortable with either, but I comfortable with solid modeling, so maybe I start there and create some models in Alibre.

DAN

[psychomill]

Do the Mastercam or Gibbs you're using have solids installed? If so, you could do the same with them. Create the surfaces and build the solid from them or just recreate as a solid.

The only thing to watch for when building surface/solids from any wire frame is that the outcome of some things (features of the part) will depend on how the wire frame was created. For example, if the wire only represents absolute edges of surfaces, everything you create will be essentially "flat". If your part has some curved surfaces (not spline edges but like concave/convex face) it won't come out that way. Same for some other key features like radius blends or corners.

If the wire was converted from surface/solid files to begin with, it should have all the data there to create the proper surfaces/solid.

If you're just looking at the modeling aspect of it, and you're comfortable with Alibre already, then thats the way to go too. Just with Mastercam or Gibbs, you can also cut it as well as design it...