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Fastest way to create DXF of sheetmetal for lasercutter?

36 REPLIES 36
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Message 1 of 37
hotreneke
2301 Views, 36 Replies

Fastest way to create DXF of sheetmetal for lasercutter?

What is the fastest way to create a DXF for our lasermachine?

My current method:
- make a sheet metal part
- create the flat pattern
- make a drawing of the flat pattern
- save the drawing as dxf
- open the dxf in Acad and remove unnecessary layers (bend lines, dimensions)
- save the dxf

Is there a faster way?
36 REPLIES 36
Message 2 of 37
JDMather
in reply to: hotreneke

My method:
- make a sheet metal part
- create the flat pattern
- right click on face and select Export Face As DXF


No idw file needed.

This should have been covered in your training. Post back if you can't figure it out.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Autodesk Inventor 2019 Certified Professional
Autodesk AutoCAD 2013 Certified Professional
Certified SolidWorks Professional


The CADWhisperer YouTube Channel


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Message 3 of 37
petercharles
in reply to: hotreneke

What training
Message 4 of 37
JDMather
in reply to: hotreneke

Surely anyone spending >$5k USD on a professional design tool is investing a like amount on professional training?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Autodesk Inventor 2019 Certified Professional
Autodesk AutoCAD 2013 Certified Professional
Certified SolidWorks Professional


The CADWhisperer YouTube Channel


EESignature

Message 5 of 37
Anonymous
in reply to: hotreneke

There is.
- make a sheet metal part
- create the flat pattern
- right click on flat pattern node in the browser and select Save copy as
DXF.

You can although export face of unfolded part as DXF. If all you need are
contour lines - than this way is cleaner. It doesn't bring a ton of stuff
into AutoCAD file which you will have to purge at the end of the day. But if
you need bend lines to be shown in the flat pattern - then Save copy of the
whole pattern as DXF is the way to go.
Regards,
Igor.

--
Web: www.meqc.com.au
www.boatworks.meqc.com.au
wrote in message news:6300124@discussion.autodesk.com...
What is the fastest way to create a DXF for our lasermachine?

My current method:
- make a sheet metal part
- create the flat pattern
- make a drawing of the flat pattern
- save the drawing as dxf
- open the dxf in Acad and remove unnecessary layers (bend lines,
dimensions)
- save the dxf

Is there a faster way?
Message 6 of 37
luciacasu
in reply to: hotreneke

The recommended method:

- Select the Flat Pattern node in the browser

- "Save Copy As" allows to configure the layers flat pattern entities, including turning the visbility on/off


Hope this helps,
Lucia Casu
Inventor Development


Lucia Casu

Fusion360 Development

Message 7 of 37

Hello,
I have a similar problem. I need to export an inventor part to dxf format, however to use it on my press brake simulation software (Vbend), instead of my lasercut. Problem is that I need to export the part with the bend lines, and the file is not usable immediately.

What happens exactly is that I turn off the layers i do no use, keep the bend lines and outer contours (I checked a video which was posted on a website to do this), and enforce the profile to polyline feature. But when i zoom in on the dxf file, the connecting point between the contour and the bend line is not accurate (bend line is actually crossing the contour). Is there a way to automatically correct this ?

This is a MAJOR issue for us, as we have to rework every single file.I have to clean it up before, which causes me a big headache, since i have to do this for around 300 parts for each assembly (100 + assemblies). You can imagine the work.

Any help would be very very very highly appreciated (can't emphasize enough on that).
Message 8 of 37
luciacasu
in reply to: hotreneke

Hi,
can you share the data set (including the DXF file)?

Which version of Inventor are you working with?

Thanks,
Lucia Casu
Inventor Development


Lucia Casu

Fusion360 Development

Message 9 of 37
Anonymous
in reply to: hotreneke

Right... Unfortunately, most think that for that kind of money, the
software should lead you by the hand.

Companies who used to spend $50,000.00 on a design seat never skimp on
training, those who used to spend a few hundred $ on a design seat don't
know what training is.

Ken

JDMather wrote:
> Surely anyone spending >$5k USD on a professional design tool is investing a like amount on professional training?
>
Message 10 of 37

Hi,
Here are the files as promised. Concerning the inventor version, it's inventor pro 2010. Edited by: micheltehini8035 on Dec 9, 2009 4:14 PM
Message 11 of 37
stevec781
in reply to: hotreneke

I do it the way you say. I dont use the right click/save as method as I usually have more than 1 part so its easier to make a 1:1 drawing of all my parts and then save as dxf for nesting in acad.
Message 12 of 37

hi, sorry tried to upload the files earlier, but wasn't able to. here's the first one.
Message 13 of 37

here is the corresponding dxf file.
Message 14 of 37
kellings
in reply to: hotreneke

Right click on the file and select "send to compressed zip folder" and then try to attach that. I think you can only attach 1 file at a time unless the files are included in a single zip file. An the file has a max size limit of 2MB

Kevin Ellingson
Technical Specialist

If my post resolves your issue, please click the Accept Solution button.
Message 15 of 37
Anonymous
in reply to: hotreneke

I think it's a max size of 1.5MB, not 2MB
--
Dennis Jeffrey, Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert
Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified Expert.
Instructor/Author/Sr. App Engr. Tel. (260) 399-6615
http://teknigroup.com
Message 16 of 37

here it is
Message 17 of 37
Jacky-Li
in reply to: hotreneke

Hi,
Our developer has began to investigate about this issue.
Moreover, can you change your flange's bend transition to avoid this issue?
the step is as below:
1.open your part file
2. edit the flange feature one by one
3. change the bend transition in the bend page to be "Intersection"
Message 18 of 37
JDMather
in reply to: hotreneke

>here it is

This doesn't address your immediate problem - but I thought you might be interested in how I might model your part - it looked to me like you are doing too much work. (see attached)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Autodesk Inventor 2019 Certified Professional
Autodesk AutoCAD 2013 Certified Professional
Certified SolidWorks Professional


The CADWhisperer YouTube Channel


EESignature

Message 19 of 37

hi,
jacky, the solution you gave about the transition did not work out.

I saw that you guys remodeled the file. Could you please give me and idea so far of what has come up with you ?

Does it seem like a cam mistake, or is it something software related? If the first, could you please point out what is being done specifically, and if the latter when would there be an update release?

btw, thanks a lot, I am pretty much impressed by the support.
Message 20 of 37

hi, aparently the guys in product development tell me the problem is still there, even with the file you have modeled.

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