converting a .dwg file to a solid

[gryles]

Hi

Is it possible to convert a .dwg file into a solid model using Inventor 2010?

I have attached a wireframe electric motor in .dwg format.

Cheers

Greg

[victor.tolentino]

Hi,

Try to follow the procedure attached.

Regards,

Victor Tolentino

[JDMather]

> have attached a wireframe

It is not a wire frame - it is 12931 faceted planar surfaces. I think I would use a reference to remodel. About a hours work would result in a much prettier and smaller (file size) model.


The faceted solid model is 10.5 MB. Modeled from scratch would probably be a tenth of that size and look much better (see attached).

[JDMather]

I would do a quick drawing and then use the dimensions to recreate using Revolved and Extrudes.

[gryles]

Thank you

[Mark.Hopkins]

Has anyone ever had the problem in inventor, when you open an autocad dwg file, the options button is greyed out and you can't chose or change anything?

[pcrawley]

Open the DWG in AutoCAD Mechanical - save it as an IGES file - then import the IGES file into Inventor.

(Tends to make stupidly large files - quick sketch and a revolve is a MUCH better suggestion.)

[Mark.Hopkins]

Hey thanks Peter,

Initially I had trouble exporting from AutoCAD to iges as it didnt export some of the wireframe. I think it had something to do with surfaces or something (I have very limited autocad 3d moddeling experience so not too sure)

 In autocad I then exploded everything I could, there seemed to be blocks within blocks. And then saved as a STEP file. It created a single solid which is usable in Inventor. (for civil foundations)

The part created is opaque, so im not sure how to get looking like a solid.  Changing the colour didnt help.

So ive almost been sucessfull, and almost there.

Any advantages in using IGES over STEP?

[pcrawley]

Right-click the surface model in the Inventor browser and remove the tick from "Translucent" - but it's still a surface model.  

Really - the time you've spent on it so far would have been much better spent modelling it as a couple of sketches and features!  (Have you had a look at look at the file size?)

[Mark.Hopkins]

Not a problem, the ipt file created  is 4mb

The issue is the dwg file is complicated enough to not want to reproduce the work again. The AutoCAD files are supplied by a 3rd party, I would rather import thier data than risk making a mistake reproducing it. I also hate having to do things twice

For myself this is likely to be required more often in the future, so I would rather spend a little time figureing it out now and save time in the future.

[pcrawley]

Fair call.  Sometimes (Ok - rarely) the IGES import will solidify the incomming model.  On the occasion where it does not, you can attempt a repair in Inventors repair environment - but that can take weeks.  I would work with the imported surface model.  (Actually - Inventor 2013's repair environment is a considerable improvement over previous releases.)

The problem will come later when you create drawings.  Surfaces are slower to draw than solids, and by default, surfaces don't actually appear.  Right click the model in the drawing browesr tree and check "include surfaces". 

Hope that helps.

[JDMather]

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@pcrawley wrote:

Fair call.  Sometimes (Ok - rarely) the IGES import will solidify the incomming model.  

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I see no reason to fool with the IGES (and IGES can be set to save as solid rather than surface), but as I said - I would not fool with IGES, there is an easier way.

[JDMather]

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@Mark.Hopkins wrote:

 In autocad I then exploded everything I could, there seemed to be blocks within blocks.

Any advantages in using IGES over STEP?

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Big mistake.

No.

[Mark.Hopkins]

The part created will not be modified in inventor, so- a surface model part will be fine for this application.

You mention an easier way? Can you please enlighten me?