Issues with extruding imported svg

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DhanOS
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:55 pm

Issues with extruding imported svg

Post by DhanOS »

Hi everyone!

I'm usually trying to learn and find out solutions on my own, but CAD software is complicated and one needs a lot of time spent with it to make themself comfortable with it. I'm running out of time currently, so I figured I'll ask for help.

I created some text and added a heart (svg) in Corel Draw and then exported everything as svg (text converted to curves). My goal is to extrude parts of it with different heights and then print on a 3D printer. With a bit of search in Google, the answer was to use FreeCAD, so here I am :)

I'm creating a project, then a part and a body. Some tutorials said to use import to add an SVG to the project, but import opens SVG aside for me (like not in a project), but drag and drop worked and I imported SVG as paths. I used Draft and rescaled and moved these paths, then converted them to sketches. I switched to the Sketcher and added 2 own sketches to connect unconnected letters. Now I switched to Part Design and I'm trying to extrude sketches using "Pad a selected sketch" but as a result, I'm getting an error: "Failed to validate broken face". My guess is that's because of crossed lines in a sketch? The heart extrudes, but not the letters.

Can I kindly ask you to help me or explain to me how to fix it? I'm attaching both the said SVG file and the project. The project is messy as I'm looking around and trying to learn (this is the first time I'm using FreeCAD, or any cad software like this), but basically, I want to extrude 3 visible sketches under the body.

Thank you in advance.
Attachments
kochanym_dziadkom.FCStd
(439.91 KiB) Downloaded 13 times
kochanym_dziadkom.svg
(7.29 KiB) Downloaded 12 times
TheMarkster
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Posts: 5505
Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2018 1:53 am

Re: Issues with extruding imported svg

Post by TheMarkster »

When I do these I use Part workbench Extrude directly on the imported paths, then do boolean cuts. There is a problem with the Z, there is a self-intersection. This I cured by using DraftToSketch tool to make a sketch and edit the sketch to remove the self-intersection. All Extrudes are 3mm. Sometimes some of the Extrudes go in the wrong direction compared to the others. Select those that when the wrong way and toggle Reversed property to True for all of them all in one go.
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Attachments
kochanym_dziadkom_markster.FCStd
(363.5 KiB) Downloaded 7 times
DhanOS
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:55 pm

Re: Issues with extruding imported svg

Post by DhanOS »

Thank you very much. With your help and more googling, I'm finally progressing. I want to do it myself to learn how. I was able to extrude, fix the direction of the extrusion, perform boolean cut operations, etc.

However, I hit a wall again and cannot find a solution. It's more because of the FreeCAD complexity (meaning a lot of functionality) and me being new in all of this than anything else.

So, you did not say how to fix the z letter, so I turned it into a sketch and entered the editing of the sketch, following your advice. but then I did not know how to edit the line, so I just removed it and placed a straight line "connecting" the dots (they turned yellow while clicking). The extrusion is not solid and I don't seem to know why. Can't find a reason. When I convert the sketch back to draft, it converts it to a path and a line (path is everything except for this removed line and line is the one I added) so I cannot extrude it in this mode too. Any advice here, please?

Extruding sketch:
fc1.jpg
fc1.jpg (40.86 KiB) Viewed 1054 times

sketch -> draft:
fc2.jpg
fc2.jpg (5.17 KiB) Viewed 1054 times
chrisb
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Posts: 53922
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 9:14 am

Re: Issues with extruding imported svg

Post by chrisb »

There are probably open ends. Sketcher ValidateSketch can find and repair such sketches; but be warned, you have to edit the sketch afterwards and check that it isn't overconstrained.
A Sketcher Lecture with in-depth information is available in English, auf Deutsch, en français, en español.
DhanOS
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:55 pm

Re: Issues with extruding imported svg

Post by DhanOS »

This helped, there were "2 missing coincidences found", I successfully extruded a solid from this letter. Thank you!

But how would you go about connecting these 2 points with a line "the correct way" so the issue would not occur? I know there's a way :)
fc3.jpg
fc3.jpg (39.74 KiB) Viewed 1022 times
TheMarkster
Veteran
Posts: 5505
Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2018 1:53 am

Re: Issues with extruding imported svg

Post by TheMarkster »

With autoconstraints on when you make a new edge to connect the other 2 it will apply the coincidence constraints automatically. In this instance the block constraint could be applied to the other 2 bspline edges to ensure they do not move while attempting to constraint the new edge to them. You don't want them moving and coming away from the other edges at the opposite ends.
DhanOS
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:55 pm

Re: Issues with extruding imported svg

Post by DhanOS »

Ok, I think I understand this too.
Thank you very much to both of you. It's so nice to see a helpful community that does not reply with just rtfm :) It's rare nowadays.
You helped me a lot and let me start using OpenCAD. :D
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