Converting a wireframe into a 3D model or Mesh

[Anonymous]

I have produced a crude wire frame of an object that I am attempting to model and visualize. To do this I mainly utilized the 'Line', 'Arc', and 'Circle' commands under the 'Draw' toolbar under the 'Home' tab. I would now like to turn the wireframe I have created into a 3D object to better visualize it.

What I have tried so far is
- Selecting all of my lines, arcs, etc and selecting 'Smooth Object' option under the 'Mash' Tab. Though, the tooltip specifically states "Turns a 3D object into a Mesh Object", which I don't have a 3D object (in AutoCAD terms) to being with.
- Selecting all of my lines and entering the PEDIT command. From a few links I have found this should convert my line objects to polyline objects, which should then apparently allow me to create a 3D solid or mesh. Though, after selecting the lines I am not sure which of the many options (Close, Join, Width, etc etc) to select. Some "destroy" the drawing, some just continue asking for the same option list forever.

I can't seem to find a good youtube video or google result to help me. The root cause of this issue if my naivety with AutoCAD and most likely my choice of attempting to develop the wireframe from lines, arcs, etc instead of 3D objects/surfaces. I assume the solution would involve converting the line objects into a single polyline object, but again, I am not sure how to perform this command appropriately.

I have attached the .dwg file.

[j.palmeL29YX]

I tried several ways/methods to get a meaningful result - without success.

The model is too complex for AutoCAD.

Where are the wires coming from? Is it possible to simplify the wires. If yes, what is your goal, what do you want to achive?

[j.palmeL29YX]

Attached a first result: created surfaces which follow your given geometry.

Is this what you want?

[leeminardi]

Interesting geometry.

The approach I would take is to loft  pairs of adjacent edges.  Before doing this I would want the edges to have an appropriate correlation.  For example, I would like to loft the red edge with a curve that is the combination of the green and magenta curves in the image below.  Since you used polylines you cannot join these two polylines together as they lie on different planes. 

Your first step is to represent each edge as a single spline.  Set osnap to end and nearest and use about 7 or 8 fit points to define the spline from the polylines that define one half of the ring.  Your first attempt at spline fitting will have some deviation between the spline and the two polylines you are trying to duplicate.  I find it best to change to editing the spline''s Control Vertices (CVs) noting that the next to the last CV at either ends controls the tangency of the spline at the end.  Since your curves have a discontinuity in slope (where the red and magenta polylines meet) I suggest adding an additional 2 CVs near the corner and then, using osnap end, making the 3 CVs coincident.  This will create the sharp corner at this point.

Once you have the 4 curves as single splines you can easily loft between them (2 at a time), place planes for end caps and then use surfsculpt to convert the surfaces to a solid. 

The image below shows a spline fit to two of the original polylines that define an edge.  There are 3 CVs at the highlighted point that creates the desired slope discontinuity.

I find it best to work in top or front views when adjusting CV locations making sure the current UCS is parallel to the view.  It is also a good idea to make judicious use of layers for such a task.

This image shows some progress in using loft with the splines.

Modeling the edges as splines takes some technique and experience. If you are new to spline editing try duplicating some 2D shapes with splines by first using Fit points and then editing CVs.  Learn how to add CVs with splinedit.  Create a slope discontinuity by creating 2 additional CVs and then making 3 of them coincident.

In the image below the white curve is two arcs and the red curves splines.

The second curve is the initial "tracing" of the arcs to create a spline with 8 fit points. The third curve shows an additional CV near the curves cusp.  An additional CV was created to make the sharp corner resulting in the red spline at the bottom.

[Anonymous]

Yea, this is essentially what I wanted. How did you do this?

[SEANT61]

It’s difficult to tell the required parameters of the 3d object from characteristics arising from the use of 2d entities. I agree with @leeminardi  that splines would greatly assist the modeling effort.

If the converging/diverging are not necessarily desired, then another way to approach the modeling/visualization task could be a HELIX and SWEEP task. See attached.

[j.palmeL29YX]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

How did you do this?

---

>>Here<< you go.

(In my dwg file above I did not yet convert the surfaces to a solid).

This result follows your wires. But I am with @SEANT61 and @leeminardi - you should check if you really need such a model. Therefore I asked if you want this (what you have confirmed in the meantime).

If my reply solves your problem, click the "accept as solution" button. This can help others find solutions faster

[Anonymous]

Thank you