Trouble making .dxf line drawing into solid

[Jim_Bob_Jumpback]

It finally looks like I have found a CAD program that I can deal with, but am having some trouble.

My process starts with using a digitizing board to turn tracings into .dxf line drawings.

I need to turn a .dxf line drawing into a solid extruded object. So I imported it into FC and extruded it. But I cannot figure out how to make it a solid. I need to subtract the solid from a block, which will be exported to another program to make G-Code cut files. I tried using mesh, and some other things, but cannot get it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Jim Bob


.dxf file https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxvzI1 ... sp=sharing

.FCStd file https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxvzI1 ... sp=sharing

[quick61]

It finally looks like I have found a CAD program that I can deal with, but am having some trouble.

My process starts with using a digitizing board to turn tracings into .dxf line drawings.

I need to turn a .dxf line drawing into a solid extruded object. So I imported it into FC and extruded it. But I cannot figure out how to make it a solid. I need to subtract the solid from a block, which will be exported to another program to make G-Code cut files. I tried using mesh, and some other things, but cannot get it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Jim Bob


.dxf file https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxvzI1 ... sp=sharing

.FCStd file https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxvzI1 ... sp=sharing

I downloaded your dxf file and opened it in FreeCAD. Went to the Part Workbench and selected the Extrude tool. Checked the box that says "Create solid" and extruded it. Worked fine for me. I then Cut it from a cube with no errors is geometry. I started to look at your other file but it looks like you have a converted mesh in there that is way to finely meshed to be of any use. It's the part that is making the file so big.

Mark

[bejant]

Greetings Jim_Bob_Jumpback,

My process starts with using a digitizing board to turn tracings into .dxf line drawings

Off topic but I'm interested in knowing what digitizer setup you're using? Just curious...

I cannot figure out how to make it a solid.

I too can extrude the .dxf into a solid as Mark has done, the file is attached if you want to have a look. The .fcstd file is about 36 MB so I won't mess with it, but as Mark posted the mesh isn't the issue.

20140728a_stand.png (7.67 KiB) Viewed 3147 times

[Jim_Bob_Jumpback]

Greetings Jim_Bob_Jumpback,

My process starts with using a digitizing board to turn tracings into .dxf line drawings

Off topic but I'm interested in knowing what digitizer setup you're using? Just curious...

I cannot figure out how to make it a solid.

I too can extrude the .dxf into a solid as Mark has done, the file is attached if you want to have a look. The .fcstd file is about 36 MB so I won't mess with it, but as Mark posted the mesh isn't the issue.

20140728a_stand.png

Thanks, this helped me out of an immediate bind. I still don't know why I cannot get it to work myself.

On your question, I have 2 digitizer boards, both older, but they work well. I mostly use a Calcomp Drawing Board 3, 36"x48" with a height adjustable stand. This one was a Craigslist steal at $100. I also have a GTCO Roll-Up 2, 36"x48", which I have as a backup, EBAY ~$300. There are only a couple of digitizing software solutions out there, and I use Logic Trace, by a guy in Austin. It is very simple, but does what it is supposed to do. I simply click click click, then export a .dxf file. Then use Cut 2D to massage the design and generate the G-Code.

My company provides custom storage and transport solutions. We sell stock cases, and I build custom ATA-style cases. I have a shop-built CNC router that is used to cut foam. We do a lot of gun cases, which is 2D work. I recently got an order for a carrying case for a downhole tool model. These guys have to lug their display models all around the world to various trade shows. The main part of the model I built up in FC using cylinders and cones, then subtracted that from a block of foam, and exported to another program to generate the G-Code. The part that I was having trouble with is the stand for the model.

Thanks again for the help. I will come back and do some reading when time allows, and hopefully make some worthwhile contributions here.

[jmaustpc]

Thanks, this helped me out of an immediate bind. I still don't know why I cannot get it to work myself.

Hi Jim_Bob
You did not post your Help menu, about FreeCAD data....so everyone is guessing what your version data might be.

Is there any chance you are trying to use a old out of date FreeCAD version? There was a time when the behaviour you described was correct, the way FreeCAD was supposed to work. If you extrude an edge you get a face or shell, not a solid. To get a solid you had to first create a face, as an extruded face could be a solid.

Adding the tick box "create solid" is a convenience that was added to FreeCAD, from memory, a year or two ago. It allows you to extrude a closed edge, or wire, to produce a solid rather than just a shell or face.

There is now also a parameter "is solid", for a Part Extrusion, after its construction in the data tab in comboview.

The other common reason for this to fail is that the dxf profile is not closed. It sometimes a matter of tolerances.

[Jim_Bob_Jumpback]

Here is the ABOUT info:

OS: Windows 7
Word size: 64-bit
Version: 0.14.3700 (Git)
Branch: releases/FreeCAD-0-14
Hash: 32f5aae0a64333ec8d5d160dbc46e690510c8fe1
Python version: 2.7.6
Qt version: 4.8.5
Coin version: 4.0.0a
SoQt version: 1.6.0a
OCC version: 6.6.0

[jmaustpc]

Here is the ABOUT info:

OS: Windows 7
Word size: 64-bit
Version: 0.14.3700 (Git)
Branch: releases/FreeCAD-0-14
Hash: 32f5aae0a64333ec8d5d160dbc46e690510c8fe1
Python version: 2.7.6
Qt version: 4.8.5
Coin version: 4.0.0a
SoQt version: 1.6.0a
OCC version: 6.6.0

There is a known bug/issue with DXF in that version, on Windows, I don't know what the solution will be just yet ...I expect a solution will be offered soon.

[yorik]

What is that bug with DXF Jim?

[jmaustpc]

What is that bug with DXF Jim?

Hi Yorik

As we discussed elsewhere there would seem to be more than one DXF issue.

When I posted that I was actually thinking about steve49suzuki (and another post, see below) but it looks like his problem was that the files were not downloading because you said Github had problem yesterday. So I assume that his problem are resolved.

Here norm said this example file

wka_2014_07_28_Halo_v10f.FCStd

(4.75 KiB) Downloaded 56 times

did not export to dxf properly for him in the 0.14 release version but did in master, the original poster had found he had problems exporting it with 0.14 release. I had no problems exporting his file from the at the time latest FC from master on my Linux system. Norm said there had been a dxf fix recently committed into master, after 0.14 release.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7175#p58032

I did not have a copy of 0.14 release compiled in which to test the file. I am now compiling 0.14 release so I can test myself. I'll be back in a few hours, tomorrow for me, with the results of my tests.

Jim

[jmaustpc]

Hi again Yorik

I have now compiled 0.14 release, with external Pivy and OCE0.15 from Kubuntu 14.04.1 and I can confirm what Norm found,...I get error messages when I try to export this file (but it exports fine in FC master).

DXF libraries need to be updated. Downloading...
downloading https://raw.github.com/yorikvanhavre/Dr ... olorMap.py ...
downloading https://raw.github.com/yorikvanhavre/Dr ... Objects.py ...
downloading https://raw.github.com/yorikvanhavre/Dr ... Library.py ...
downloading https://raw.github.com/yorikvanhavre/Dr ... fReader.py ...
processing Sketch
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<string>", line 4, in <module>
File "/home/user/Downloads/cad/FreeCAD/0.14release/Build_0_14_release/Mod/Draft/importDXF.py", line 1808, in export
dxf.saveas(filename)
File "/home/user/.FreeCAD/dxfLibrary.py", line 904, in saveas
else: self.export()
File "/home/user/.FreeCAD/dxfLibrary.py", line 922, in export
self._write_section(outfile,'blocks',self.blocks)
File "/home/user/.FreeCAD/dxfLibrary.py", line 896, in _write_section
file.write(str(x))
File "/home/user/.FreeCAD/dxfLibrary.py", line 619, in __str__
e=''.join([str(x)for x in self.entities])
File "/home/user/.FreeCAD/dxfLibrary.py", line 399, in __str__
result+='%s\n' %_point(point[0])
File "/home/user/.FreeCAD/dxfLibrary.py", line 106, in _point
return '\n'.join([' %s\n%s'%((i+1)*10+index,float(x)) for i in range(len(x))])
<type 'exceptions.TypeError'>: object of type 'float' has no len()
Stack Trace: Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<string>", line 4, in <module>
File "/home/user/Downloads/cad/FreeCAD/0.14release/Build_0_14_release/Mod/Draft/importDXF.py", line 1808, in export
dxf.saveas(filename)
File "/home/user/.FreeCAD/dxfLibrary.py", line 904, in saveas
else: self.export()
File "/home/user/.FreeCAD/dxfLibrary.py", line 922, in export
self._write_section(outfile,'blocks',self.blocks)
File "/home/user/.FreeCAD/dxfLibrary.py", line 896, in _write_section
file.write(str(x))
File "/home/user/.FreeCAD/dxfLibrary.py", line 619, in __str__
e=''.join([str(x)for x in self.entities])
File "/home/user/.FreeCAD/dxfLibrary.py", line 399, in __str__
result+='%s\n' %_point(point[0])
File "/home/user/.FreeCAD/dxfLibrary.py", line 106, in _point
return '\n'.join([' %s\n%s'%((i+1)*10+index,float(x)) for i in range(len(x))])



Jim

OS: Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS
Word size: 64-bit
Version: 0.14.3703 (Git)
Branch: FreeCAD-0-14
Hash: c6edd47334a3e6f209e493773093db2b9b4f0e40
Python version: 2.7.6
Qt version: 4.8.6
Coin version: 4.0.0a
SoQt version: 1.6.0a
OCC version: 6.7.0