[SCzEngrgGroup]

I've been working with the SprutCAM demo, and am really struggling with some aspects. If I import a DXF or Alibre part file, it seems to treat them as monolithic entities, and I can find no way to select specific features for operations, as I can with IGES files. What's the trick? I would, ideally, like to work directly from the Alibre models, but that seems, at present, to greatly limit the flexibility in defining toolpaths - it works fine if I let SprutCAM do what it wants to do, but I have limited ability to make it do what I want it to....

Regards,
Ray L.

[dbrija]

I've been working with the SprutCAM demo, and am really struggling with some aspects. If I import a DXF or Alibre part file, it seems to treat them as monolithic entities, and I can find no way to select specific features for operations, as I can with IGES files. What's the trick? I would, ideally, like to work directly from the Alibre models, but that seems, at present, to greatly limit the flexibility in defining toolpaths - it works fine if I let SprutCAM do what it wants to do, but I have limited ability to make it do what I want it to....

Regards,
Ray L.

In Alibre, with your part open, "Tools->Add-ons->Sprutcam sends the part to Sprutcam.

Just make sure in Alibre you setup the units to be "Inches"

[SCzEngrgGroup]

In Alibre, with your part open, "Tools->Add-ons->Sprutcam sends the part to Sprutcam.

Just make sure in Alibre you setup the units to be "Inches"

I don't have any problem at all getting the model INTO SprutCAM. File->Import works fine, and the model loads and displays correctly. And, I can do simple operations, like a Waterline operation on the entire model. It's just that once it's in there, I have ONLY a Mesh representing the ENTIRE model, and there seems to be no way to de-compose it into faces, edges, etc, that can be individually selected as the targets for a Job Assignment, as CAN be done with IGES files. Am I missing something, or is this a (SERIOUS) limitation in the import capability?

The same is true of STL imports.

Regards,
Ray L.

[scottsss]

Did you use the sew command??? Could you post the model and Sprutcam file so we can what your doing.

[Gerry Sweetland]

I don't have Alibre so maybe I shouldn't comment. I use SolidWorks and when I click on the little icon in SolidWorks for SprutCam it exports the model as a iges file and opens SprutCam for me with the model in the work area of SprutCam in model mode. I then select the whole model and "Sew Faces" while still in SprutCam Model Mode as well as locate zero as needed and rotate part as needed. I thought Alibre dose it the same way as SolidWorks... exporting out of Alibre and into SprutCam that is.
All I use is iges files, I guess because I solid model everything I need to machine.

Can you attach a file that gives you problems in SprutCam, all mesh, etc.?
Gerry

[SCzEngrgGroup]

The Alibre file, and the resulting SprutCAM file are attached. This was exported from Alibre using Tools->Add-ons->SprutCAM, though I get the same result loading directly into SprutCAM using File->Import.

[Gerry Sweetland]

I would not try to import a Alibre .prt file into SC. I would export or save as out of Alibre as a iges file and import the iges file into SC.

I also have problems when I try to import a SolidWorks .sldprt file into SC.

I have always just worked with iges files
HTH
Gerry

[SCzEngrgGroup]

I would not try to import a Alibre .prt file into SC. I would export or save as out of Alibre as a iges file and import the iges file into SC.

I also have problems when I try to import a SolidWorks .sldprt file into SC.

I have always just worked with iges files
HTH
Gerry

Gerry,

That's great, IF you have Alibre Pro, but I have Alibre Personal, which does not do IGES export.... Is that really the only option? Seems odd that it will read an Alibre Part file, and properly display it, but can't extract the necessary geometry information? Same goes for STL import. The information is there, and it CAN interpret and display it. Why restrict the functionality?

Regards,
Ray L.

[dbrija]

Gerry,

That's great, IF you have Alibre Pro, but I have Alibre Personal, which does not do IGES export.... Is that really the only option? Seems odd that it will read an Alibre Part file, and properly display it, but can't extract the necessary geometry information? Same goes for STL import. The information is there, and it CAN interpret and display it. Why restrict the functionality?

Regards,
Ray L.

Bingo! I have Alibre Expert, and if I open your Alibre part, and use Tools->Add-ons->Sprutcam, Alibre automatically exports as IGS, and auto-sews the part, and it has faces, etc....

Too bad Alibre limits this.

[dbrija]

I don't have any problem at all getting the model INTO SprutCAM. File->Import works fine, and the model loads and displays correctly. And, I can do simple operations, like a Waterline operation on the entire model. It's just that once it's in there, I have ONLY a Mesh representing the ENTIRE model, and there seems to be no way to de-compose it into faces, edges, etc, that can be individually selected as the targets for a Job Assignment, as CAN be done with IGES files. Am I missing something, or is this a (SERIOUS) limitation in the import capability?

The same is true of STL imports.

Regards,
Ray L.

I ws thinking doing it this way might iges export to Sprutcam, but it appears not to....

[BurrMan]

I ws thinking doing it this way might iges export to Sprutcam, but it appears not to....

Alibre's native file format "Used" to be ACIS, so a SAT file.. I have read latley that it is now STEP.. But they also create their own proprietary version of the STEP file, to handle their assemblies and such also.. The goemetry in the file posted is defined as "STEP" geometry. I think Alibre always had "2 such formats". So an Alibre STEP and a generic STEP. The Alibre one may be incompatable with other importers due to the proprietary stuff, so you would use the regular STEP exporter for translation to other systems. Using the "SprutCAM Built in" alibre support would be the way to go (Not importing alibre parts) Unless you specifically save from alibre in a neutral format.

[scottsss]

That is funny, I have the personal edition and was able to export out an IGES file. This is how it came into Sprutcam.

Gerry,

That's great, IF you have Alibre Pro, but I have Alibre Personal, which does not do IGES export.... Is that really the only option? Seems odd that it will read an Alibre Part file, and properly display it, but can't extract the necessary geometry information? Same goes for STL import. The information is there, and it CAN interpret and display it. Why restrict the functionality?

Regards,
Ray L.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

That is funny, I have the personal edition and was able to export out an IGES file. This is how it came into Sprutcam.

What version of Alibre are you using? The current version (2011) of Personal does NOT support IGES export - only .STL. Per the Alibre website, only Pro and Expert support IGES.

Regards,
Ray L.

[scottsss]

2011 personal, but I've been using it off and on since 2010.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Sooooo..... If an IGES file is the only way to get full functionality, what is the point of being able to import the other formats? Seems relatively useless, as it significantly limits what you can do....

Regards,
Ray L.

[Gerry Sweetland]

Sooooo..... If an IGES file is the only way to get full functionality, what is the point of being able to import the other formats? Seems relatively useless, as it significantly limits what you can do....

Regards,
Ray L.

That's too bad that Alibre PE doesn't export iges files. I don't know what you are supposed to do with the other formats. I looked up STL in SprutCam help and got the following...

"Importing objects from STL files

The format allows transferring volumetric models, represented using flat triangles. The files normally have an *.stl format. The system imports both, binary and text formats.

There are no limitations on the type of importable objects. Should there be problems with importing files in binary format, try importing via text format, for it is platform-independent.

Note: A model transferred via <STL> format is approximated by many triangles. Therefore, transmission without accuracy loss is only possible for some geometrical model types. To transfer models, it is a commonly held view that you set approximation accuracy, when exporting that is not less than the required machining tolerance, or, to use a more accurate format (e.g. <IGES>)."

Note the second paragraph in the quote from SprutCam Help, something about "text Format". Do you have any options in Alibre to choose how the file is exported?

Like I said earlier, I have only used iges files in cam software, except a long time ago when I used DXF 2D from CadKey to MasterCam ver. 5... that was a looong time ago.

Seems that Alibre PE is the limiting factor here, not SprutCam.
Don't know how much it would put you back but maybe upgrade to Alibre Pro?

I'm not sure how far you could get in some other Cam software if you can only export DXF and STL files, I have no experience but if STL only comes in as one mesh you might not be able to click on faces or edges in some other Cam package either?

Sorry for not being much help, hopefully someone with more experience than I can help you more.

Gerry

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Gerry,

"Note the second paragraph in the quote from SprutCam Help, something about "text Format". Do you have any options in Alibre to choose how the file is exported?" - STL files can be in text or binary format (binary is more compact), but the information contained in the two files is identical - just a long list of triangles. Alibre only exports .STLs as text.

It is possible, in fact fairly easy, to separate out faces and edges from .STL data, which is why I'm surprised SprutCAM doesn't seem to do it. A while back, I wrote a converter to extract a .DXF from a .STL - took just a few evenings of effort, most of which was spent understanding the vagaries of .STL files output by different CAD programs. How accurate a .STL is, is a function of how many triangle the mesh is composed of. Alibre allows you to set the precision of the .STL, and mine is currently set to 0.001", which means all surfaces and edges will be within 0.001" of their true position.

Regards,
Ray L.

[MichaelHenry]

Ray,

Have you tried to use the Alibre add-on that comes with SprutCAM?

I have Alibre Expert and it allows me to transfer the part from within Alibre directly to SprutCAM, with no need to save it as an IGES or STL file. In practice, I open the part in Alibre, use Tools | Add-ons from the Part menu and select the SprutCAM Add-on option. You will probably need to install teh add-on from SprutCAM.

I realize that your version of Alibre will not exort in IGES format, but perhaps the add-in can get around that limitation.

Mike

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Ray,

Have you tried to use the Alibre add-on that comes with SprutCAM?

I have Alibre Expert and it allows me to transfer the part from within Alibre directly to SprutCAM, with no need to save it as an IGES or STL file. In practice, I open the part in Alibre, use Tools | Add-ons from the Part menu and select the SprutCAM Add-on option. You will probably need to install teh add-on from SprutCAM.

I realize that your version of Alibre will not exort in IGES format, but perhaps the add-in can get around that limitation.

Mike

Mike,

Nope - seems to still just export a STL. There's no functional difference between doing and export from within Alibre, or doing an import from SprutCAM.

Regards,
Ray L.

[MichaelHenry]

Ray - sorry to hear that. At one time there was an import/export add-on that might give you IGES export, but I couldn't find any info about it on Alibre's web site.

If that sounds like something you might want to pursue you should probably contact them directly.

Mike