Hello,

I've started using Moi for designing guitars mainly .
Since I want to use the drawings or models for "home built" cnc machining I need to have a 2d contour drawing of the model I designed .

I have 2 cam programs :

"cut3d" reads stl , 3ds etc so I can use this program to rout 3d shapes direct from Moi ( carved top etc ).

"sheetcam" is a 2 and 1/2D cam program and it is very fast and easy to rout holes pockets etc .
The only problem is that it needs dxf files .

Because I like Moi so much for drawing I would like to make a 2 d cad drawing of the instrument part I need and then export this in wathever format is best to keep the same lines , curves etc .
I've tried converting iges to dxf with some freeware programs but it doesn't give me any good results .
When I give a certain thicknes to the 2d drawing ( extrude all edges ) I can export it in stl , 3ds etc but then it has a thickness and I haven't been able to get it back in a 2d file yet .( blender etc )

The first drawing in 2d would be my main plan .From that drawing I will make all the 3d shapes and save that in other files for routing with my 3d cam program .

Can anyone give me some tips on what to use .
Since I'm not really industrial or so I would like to get a budget solution if possible.
I really want to buy Moi when it is released , It makes me draw so fluently and the display is superb .( great program !!!!)
It's all is fairly new to me so I still have to discover alot in this 3d world .

When i've finished some models I'll put some pictures on the moi forum .

Thanks ,

Paul

Hi Paul, probably your best bet at the moment would be to use Rhino (http://rhino3d.com) to convert your curves to DXF format.

I do plan on adding DWG and DXF support to version 2.

But I think it may be possible for me to cook up a basic 3DM to DXF conversion program before then that might work. It would be pretty basic, probably just break curves into polylines and not try to convert circles as circle entities, etc... Do you think that would do the job?

If so, maybe you can send me a few example DXF files zipped up to me at moi@moi3d.com. I'll take a look at them and see if it might be possible for me to do a kind of basic converter program.

- Michael

Michael ,

Thanks for the reply I just sent the files to you .


Greets ,

Paul

Hi Paul,

>>"sheetcam" is a 2 and 1/2D cam program and it is very fast and easy to rout holes pockets etc.
>>The only problem is that it needs dxf files .

If SheetCAM can generate a path from "2^1/2D" or 3D DXF file then you could try translating STL file to DXF one by ADMesh (http://www.varlog.com/products/admesh/).

So after you download and unzip this file, the workaround would be:
- draw 2d curves in MoI
- extrude it slightly (e.g. 10 units)
- export surfaces as STL (only upper/lower edge will be important when adjusting mesh parametres in meshing dialog window)
- put the STL file along with "admesh.exe" and "stl2dxf.js" in the same directory
- run stl2dxf.js (double click on it)
- you should get a DXF files for all STL files which will be found in given directory

Now, you can try importing DXF file into SheetCAM...

Petr

Petr ,

Thanks for the reply .
I will try your suggestions .
I already did export in stl by giving the drawing a certain thickness but I wasn't able to take the thickness off in the programs I tried .(blender, turbocad etc )
Sheetcam reads only 2d files .(I use dxf ) .
Michael is trying to write some basic 3dm to dxf module so we'll see what that is going to be .( what a great service !! )
I can do my main contour with my 3d program ( cut3d from vectric ) but some operetion function better in 2 1/2 d.
I'll post some pictures soon of the cam and the physical routing .
For the manufacturing of these guitar models I will have to do different operations on the same object so I'll machine 2 1/2 d and 3d in separate steps .I will not machine the whole model at once . I just have a home constructed cnc router so I don't have the option of doing complex toolchanges and so .
Well I'm going to try admesh now I'll let you know what happens .
Here's already an attachement of a visual contour path with cut3d from a model extruded from a basic 2d drawing in Moi.

Thanks ,

Paul

G-Cod no alternative for your cnc-router??
www.cncportal.com/downloadfree.htm
work with opennurbs (3dm)

Thanks for the link Eddi ,

I downloaded the program an it seems quite nice .( and free )
My 3d cam program ( cut3d from vectric ) can import 3ds and stl so I can go straight from moi into that .It has a bit more features than freemill.
It's usefull for most routings but it routs in rasters like the "freemill" program .
For fast pocket and accurate routings in the main body shape it's easier to use 2 1/2 d cam ( with dxf )

Petr ,

I tried the ADmesh , It gives me a dxf but not really readable .
When I use for instance Blender . I can export from moi to blender in STL ( extruded ) .
I can take of the height visually but when I save to dxf in Blender it gives me a DXF file with the original height again.
Maybe I haven't studied Blender enough .
So I'll keep on trying .

Thanks ,

Paul

Hi Paul, I cooked up a converter for you, you can download it from here:
http://moi3d.com/download/3dmCurves2DXF.zip

Unzip this to some folder, then run the 3dmCurves2DXF.exe program.

It will ask you for the name of an input .3dm file, and then the name of an output .dxf file.

It will read through the input .3dm file and convert any curve objects it finds to Spline entities in the DXF file.

Please let me know if this works to transfer your curve data over.

- Michael

Hi Michael ,

Superb !!!!! and a big thanks for the work .
I'll be running some tests right away and I'll let you know .

Greetings ,

Paul

Michael ,

First of all thank you very very much for the mini 3dm to dxf convertor .
It works quite well and it should be just right for my purposes .
I opened it in Turbocad and some other programs I have ( freeware , alibré x press, solidedge 2d ).
The splines that replace the curves are wel in their place .
This mini 3dm to dxf convertor will do the job for me I hope it will be usefull to somebody else also .

I'll keep the forum informed about my guitar building process with Moi .

Paul

Works like a charm ! Even the curves 3D (is that normal ?
Bravo!

Hi Paul, that's great, I'm glad that it will help!

I'm looking forward to seeing some guitar stuff, it would be very interesting if you could take some photos of different stages in the process and post them.


@Pilou - seems like this converter may help in more situations than I had thought!

I'm still planning on doing a much more comprehensive DWG and DXF export for version 2, but this seems to be a good step for transferring curve data to apps that don't support IGES.


> Even the curves 3D (is that normal ?

Yup, it will convert any kind of curve, either flat or 3D.

- Michael

Michael ,

I tried a 3d file and it partially worked .
I'll do some more tests on it in the next days and let you know .


Paul

< seems like this converter may help in more situations than I had thought!
yes but after for use it, it's not so evident in the case of curves 3D :)
Yet by the simple aspect thats great, but for use it as entity it's another story :)
because they don't define a planar surface :)

Hi Paul, just to make sure we are talking about the same thing - by 3D I meant curve objects that might swoop around with different z values, instead of just being flattened on the xy plane.

Here's one example:




I didn't mean models with surfaces or solids like a sphere or solid box.

If you do run into any problems, please send me a .3dm file with the problem curve in it.

- Michael

Michael ,

You're right I converted a file with surfaces and some curves . that's why I tought I was missing some lines and curves because they were actually surfaces, and the lines that were still there were the start lines and curves I made before making surfaces with them .sorry about that !!
I'll try some thing in the next days .

Paul

This script macro might be useful for some data transfer stuff - this will duplicate every edge of every surface or solid in the scene as a regular independent curve object. Those curve objects can then be processed into DXF using that utility.

You can do this manually by selecting all the edges and doing copy/paste, this just makes it easier to process everything with one keystroke if you've got multiple objects.

script:var breps = moi.geometryDatabase.getObjects().getBReps(); for ( var iBrep = 0; iBrep < breps.length; ++iBrep ) { var brep = breps.item(iBrep); var edges = brep.getEdges(); for ( var iEdge = 0; iEdge < edges.length; ++iEdge ) { var newedge = edges.item(iEdge).clone(); moi.geometryDatabase.addObject( newedge ); } }

To use it, go to Options / Shortcut keys and set up a new one, paste this in as the Command part.

- Michael

That's works again here from a cube solid :)
each cubes' Edges are divided in small edges

But when you select all a face you can create a real face 3D:) (in google Skechup)
(cubes' edges are always divided)

Hello ,

I just tried the macro script and it all works well . Now I can see all the edge curves of the surfaces when I use the convertor to DXF.

Many thanks ,

Paul