topic Re: DXF Import Hangs or does not display in Fusion Support Forum

DXF Import Hangs or does not display

jay.d.gulledge — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 14:57:45 GMT

I am unable to import DXF files, none that I create seem to work. I am converting PDF's to DXF and when importing into F360, either only a couple of lines display or F360 hangs and requires restarting, even after waiting for hours just to see what happens. What I find unusual is that other Cad programs and even the AutoCad online viewer will import and display the file properly. Sample file attached, any suggestions?

Re: DXF Import Hangs or does not display

Phil.E — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 17:36:09 GMT

Please attach a dxf.

Re: DXF Import Hangs or does not display

jay.d.gulledge — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 18:12:12 GMT

Hi Phil, I tried to attach the dxf file but received an error. So I renamed it to a .txt file and uploaded it. If you can see that, you should be able to rename to .dxf. Let me know if that is not a valid usable solution\file.

Thank you for your help!

Re: DXF Import Hangs or does not display

jay.d.gulledge — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 13:41:05 GMT

Attaching a new dxf file. It opens in the AutoCad online viewer and another CAD app, but causes F360 to hang and never opens.

Re: DXF Import Hangs or does not display

HughesTooling — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 13:50:31 GMT

You are just not going to get this to work in Fusion! You have over 7,000 curves, more than 50K surfaces and just over 500 polysurfaces! Fusion does not perform well with more than about 1,000 curves, not sure when it comes to surfaces but doubt it will with 50K+.

Re: DXF Import Hangs or does not display

HughesTooling — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 14:08:52 GMT

@jay.d.gulledge wrote:

I am unable to import DXF files, none that I create seem to work. I am converting PDF's to DXF

Edit. Just noticed the surfaces were created in Rhino while importing. Rhino has a setting to convert wide polylines to surfaces, when I uncheck this setting all I get is curves, 58 thousand of them!

~~Don't know if you have any options with the conversion but what appears to be dotted lines are actually multiple surfaces.~~

~~Here for example this line is 48 surfaces. All the hatched areas have this problem and account for thousands of surfaces in your file.~~

Re: DXF Import Hangs or does not display

g-andresen — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 13:59:23 GMT

Hi,

The file is also bloated by a large number of complex "hatches" (unnecessary for work in Fusion)

günther

Re: DXF Import Hangs or does not display

jay.d.gulledge — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 14:27:36 GMT

Thanks for the replies. So it sounds like it may be an issue with the tool I used to convert the PDF to a DXF file. I have tried another tool (PDF2CAD) that didnt work any better. I am a home\Hobbyist CAD user, so not alot of experience doing real CAD work. Is there a way to convert a PDF to DXF so I can use in Fusion 360? I do not own a license for ACAD and would rather stay in F360 if I can.

Thanks again!

Re: DXF Import Hangs or does not display

HughesTooling — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 14:36:34 GMT

You could try using QCad to clean it up after the conversion. It would help if the hatches where on a different layer so you could select them easier and delete (in QCad). You'll need to experiment to see how the hatches convert with different converters and see how the conversion looks in QCad or any other CAD program before trying to import into Fusion. If you can remove all the hatches and text it will probably be OK in Fusion.

Mark

Re: DXF Import Hangs or does not display

jay.d.gulledge — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 14:55:26 GMT

Thank you Mark. I will take a look at QCAD and see if that will help as you described.

Re: DXF Import Hangs or does not display

g-andresen — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 15:03:57 GMT

Hi,

@jay.d.gulledge schrieb:
Thank you Mark. I will take a look at QCAD and see if that will help as you described.

Since Q CAD currently has everything on one layer, it will be difficult to remove the hatches. As already mentioned, you should convert the PDF to DXF beforehand with various online converters, with the hope that it will be possible to get the hatches on a separate layer.
However, I have doubts whether this is possible with the basic PDF.

günther

Re: DXF Import Hangs or does not display

HughesTooling — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 15:15:57 GMT

@jay.d.gulledge If you're stuck with the hatches after the conversion, another option is select the curves you need and move them to another layer or paste to another drawing in QCad. This would be a bit tedious but still easier than trying to delete the hatches.

For example this section is just 12 curves.

Re: DXF Import Hangs or does not display

HughesTooling — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 15:33:23 GMT

@jay.d.gulledge Sorry but this sort of conversion might be a waste of time. There are no arcs or splines in this file, just lines connected into polylines to look like curves.

This is what one of the ribs look like after extruding, 96 flat surfaces jointed to look like a curve.

Re: DXF Import Hangs or does not display

jay.d.gulledge — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 16:06:22 GMT

Thank you Mark. I believe you are correct regarding the conversion. I am going to abandon this workflow since it is not working as desired and try to come up with something else.

Re: DXF Import Hangs or does not display

Phil.E — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 16:17:20 GMT

Hi,

Neat project. Is the airplane a Mosquito? One of my favorites.

There is a way to use AutoCAD on a trial basis. This would let you sort out things like layers and remove all the extra information.

Also, if the files can be broken up so one shape per file is what you are working with, it gets easier.

And last, have you thought about redrawing the parts using sketch tools in Fusion? There is a workflow that uses imagery to help you draw.

https://help.autodesk.com/view/fusion360/ENU/?guid=SLD-INSERT-CANVAS

The magic to the Canvas command is to right click on it in the browser and "calibrate".

Re: DXF Import Hangs or does not display

jay.d.gulledge — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 17:10:00 GMT

Hi Phil, this is actually an ME-410. Very similar plane but from the opposite side of WWII. The plans are only available in PDF format and was trying to get a shortcut to retracing them in CAD. I have been using F360 for some time and I am comfortable with the UI. I need to get some specific measures and shapes accurate so that I can 3D Print some molds for parts such as the large canopy. Its looking like my options are going to be as you suggested using the canvas to redraw or perhaps using the trial of ACAD. I didnt know this was an option, so I will look at this next.

Thanks!