Fillet on a 3D polyline - sweep path

[RockyBrown4134]

Is there a way to sweep a 3d polyline in AutoCAD 2012? Colleague has a sweep path that he wants to put radii in the corners. I know that in the past you could not do it. I didn't see anything in any post that told me otherwise.

Thanks

[Patchy · Accepted solution]

3D Polyline objects may not be filleted, it has been that way.

[RockyBrown4134]

Thanks.

Yes, I knew that, but just wanted to make sure I didn't overlook a change.

[JDMather · Accepted solution]

You can fillet a 3D path in Inventor.

[craigo73 · Accepted solution]

Hi RockyBrown

There is a way in AutoCAD, However it's tedious. Draw what you need using the Line command then fillet to the correct radius, join everything and you should see that it's become a spline. Then Extrude along a path as needed. Hope that helps (only saw your post recently as I had the same problem.
Craig

[JDMather]

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@craigo73 wrote:
Hi RockyBrown

There is a way in AutoCAD, However it's tedious. Draw what you need using the Line command then fillet to the correct radius, join everything and you should see that it's become a spline. 
Craig

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Can you attach example dwg (of 3D path, not a planar 2D path) (in r2012)?

[craigo73]

Hi JDMather

I'm new to the whole "CAD" world. Also let it be noted that I used AutoCAD 2013 for this problem.
I started a new drawing, 3D Model workspace, SE Isometric view.
I drew the lines with Line command, using X,Y and Z axis.
When I was finished, started the Fillet command and used varying Radius inputs.
Then used a Crossing Window and selected everything, started Join command - the lines and arcs become a Spline.
Drew a Circle at the beginning of one line.
3D Rotated the circle 90'.
Started Extrude, selected Circle then chose Path option, selected the Spline.
And that's it.
I will upload a file when I have the time

Craig

[braudpat]

Hello Craig & Rocky

Welcome to the Autodesk/AutoCAD Forums !

YES it's not possible to fillet a 3D Pline with AutoCAD

but with the right Lisp/VLisp routine you can simulate a fillet with many segments ...

So you will find attached a nice VLisp routine (3DPolyFillet) from Gilles (gile) which does the job - I am using it since about 2008 ...

I have done minimum translation in US/English and retested this french routine on ACAD 2014 ...

Thks to Gilles (gile) !

[viner_mp]

Yes man. There is a way to do something like that. 

1 - Draw the 3D POLYLINE 

2 - Then explode the line

3 - Do the FILLET

4 - Use command JOIN to join the lines and do your path

I hope that help you!

[JDMather]

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@viner_mp wrote:

Yes man. There is a way to do something like that. 

I hope that help you!

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Attach your example please.

[panchal.nirav440]

You have to explode 3D poly lines and after you can fillet the radii you want to apply. Then If you need single entity you can use "Join" command for that. The selected line with radii will convert in single entity.and Then you can use sweep any object which is now intersecting on selected sweep path.

[rshort]

Yes and No. - I know this is a very rude of a way to get this done, but HEY, it gets done

Draw your 3DPOLY with the sharp corners, once finished with the shape of and line endpoint, complete the command. Now command PEDIT, select the 3DPOLYLINE and Spline Curve it. This won't give you specified radius's, but it will give it a look of realization.

Now, if your needing closer radius's.

Draw your 3DPOLY with the sharp corners, once finished with the shape of and line endpoint, explode the 3DPOLY, radius each corner to your specific radius, it will not let you re-join your lines and radius's unless you can parallel your UCS. So re-start your 3DPOLY command and trace your exploded 3DPOLYLINE, small increments in your radius's until your to the end of your old 3DPOLY, end the command. Now command PEDIT, select the 3DPOLYLINE and Spline Curve it. This won't give you your exact specified radius's, but it will get you real close.

[sandincsonytab]

Draw your path the normal line command.  Then create a new UCS pick the X along one axis of the path and Y along the other side of your path.  Next do a normal polyline command and trace your path.  After that you can fillet your path and then use the Sweep to extrude along the path.  This also allows you to create paths that are skewed. You just have to clean up your construction lines.  Hope this helps.

[robbar30]

Thank you kindly, works like a charm

[leeminardi]

Here's a method to convert a 3dpoly that really bends at odd angles in three dimensions to a 3D path with rounded corner that can be used with the sweep command to create a 3D tube.

Start with the 3dpoly that has sharp corners and explode it to lines.  Add a sphere with the radius for the corners you want at each corner of the 3dpoly. The green lines in the image below is the 3dpoly and the spheres indicate where the corners should be rounded.  The red box is included to aid in visualizing the 3D nature of the geometry.  The spheres will be used to estimate the radius size.

Set object snaps to End and Nearest.

Give the spline command followed by M (method) and CV (Control Vertices).

Click osnap end at the end of the line (1), then click 3 times using Nearest at a point on the line approximately a distance equal to the radius of the sphere (2, 3, 4), pick once at the corner (5) then 3 times on the line exiting from the corner  as shown below.

Continue the process along the 3dpoly adding 3 CVs at the entry to a corner, one CV at the corner, and 3 CVs leaving the corner.  The result will be a single spline that looks like this.

The explode of the 3dpoly is necessary because I had trouble with the object snaps nearest working consistently on a 3dpoly during this process.

Unfortunately, the resulting spline is not acceptable to the sweep command.  Use splinedit to convert the spline to a 3dpoly  (precision 1) which is acceptable to sweep.

I used spheres to help me estimate where to place CVs.  You could eyeball  the location for these CVs or place points at a distance of the radius from the corner. 

It important to note that when creating a spline using CVs that if 3 CVs are at the same location the spline can have a sharp corner there.  This assume that you are creating a degree 3 spline, AutoCAD's default. The number of coincident CV points necessary for a sharp corner is equal to the degree of the spline.

[schulz8NPAP]

You can try this lisp.

Regards

Jochen

www.black-cad.de