584,849 active members*
4,123 visitors online*
Register for free
Login
IndustryArena Forum > CAM Software > Uncategorised CAM Discussion > drawing board drawings to cad drawings
Results 1 to 6 of 6
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Posts
    213

    drawing board drawings to cad drawings

    Trying to get a handle on this CAD stuff, I would like to produce a DXF cad drawing and using sheetcam get the G code for my machine .

    I am attempting to copy a relatively complicated antique piece which involves many sweeping curves. I am a little long in the tooth so methods I am comfortable with are probably a little out of step with modern practice I was working on the board long before the advent of the PC and most other computers for that matter. So here is my procedure I am producing a drawing based on a photograph ,scaling each of the major components .When I have a reasonably similar scaled sketch I overlay it with ships curves and for the smaller details french curves. When this is completed I anticipate overlaying a grid on the drawing and read off the XandY coordinates and transfer these to produce a CAD drawing . A problem I may have is that sheetcam does not like splines and any splines would have to be converted to polylines. Most ship and french curves I believe are second degree curves so I am not sure if sheetcam will see them as that. any suggestions to simplify this precedure or answer the sheetcam recognition question would be appreciated. regards mike hide

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    35538
    Some CAD programs can convert splines to short straight segments, which should work OK if you use enough segments. Also, some CAD programs will do this automatically if you save as a version 12 or older .dxf.
    Gerry

    UCCNC 2017 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2017.html

    Mach3 2010 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

    JointCAM - CNC Dovetails & Box Joints
    http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    460

    Drawing to cad

    Mike I'v reverseenginered part's with the DRO on my mill and a pointed edge finder wright the X&Y of point's along the curve and in your cad program and eather arc conect the dot's or spline to generate the curves Pick out the points at the end of streight lines and line conect points Good luck kevin

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Posts
    803

    drawing board drawings to cad drawings

    I've done a LOT of this type work
    curves no problem, Art to Part
    Yes I am an oldtimer also
    On a drafting board in 1958,
    Brian O
    Been doing this too long

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    683
    I've tried a few raster to vector conversion programs and none of them produced the wanted results for manufacturing parts. i suppose it might be OK for architectural drawings but not for CNC manufacturing. There's been no substitute for reversing a raster image in a good CAD package in my experience. Cut a few parts and get the client to agree on accaptable tolerances.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Posts
    29
    I often have to reproduce parts which have sections knocked off or rusted away.. The easiest way to do so by far is to use a CAD program such as Rhino which allows you to use a photo/scan/drawing as a background image and to draw on another layer on top of it. I usually photograph the part, set the image as background in Rhino, scale it so that it is full size and draw over the edges, adding in the missing parts. Then I can save it as an Autocad-type DXF or DWG file and use one of the DXF-to-G-code converters to produce a script for my cnc machine.

Similar Threads

  1. No dxf/cad drawings
    By plexer in forum Uncategorised WoodWorking Machines
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 08-14-2010, 06:33 PM
  2. Replies: 0
    Last Post: 01-15-2007, 08:37 PM
  3. Tap To Drawings
    By bumper in forum BobCad-Cam
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 03-24-2006, 02:43 AM
  4. CAD Drawings
    By rfmerrill in forum Uncategorised CAM Discussion
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 05-03-2005, 12:43 AM
  5. CAD Drawings
    By noid in forum Employment Opportunity
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 09-30-2004, 04:14 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •