Enroute and 3d models/STL

[Anonymous]

Alright. I need help. 

The issue:

STL's created from 3d models in Autocad do not import correctly into Enroute. This last stl that was sent to our CNC guy not only came out slightly angled, but slightly larger in size(a couple 100ths of an inch). In Addition there are some 'bubbles'. Along straight edges we get these rounded corners (see pictures below)

This has apparently been going on for a while, before i even got to this company. our CNC guy has been just using dxfs and extruding them in Enroute, this only works for simple shapes though...

Has anyone seen this at all? I'm not sure if this is an Enroute issue or an Autocad issue. Even if it is an Enroute issue is there anything I can do it Autocad to make it not so drastic?

And before anyone asks:

Stl was made from a 3d solid, not a watertight mesh

model has no angle to it

model is exact size of 96.00000000

Thanks much

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

STL is a format, that is based on triangulation or at least facetted.

What you can do in AutoCAD is to raise the sysvar FACETRES to 10, which created then a finer faceting, however, it does not support real arcs/curves.

Having that said I would strongly suggest to find a interchange format that can transfer 3D models from AutoCAD to your other system that supports real curved surfaces.

I don't know Enroute, however looking to >>>that pdf<<< it supports e.g. DWG files, so why not using that?

- alfred -

[john.vellek]

Hi @Anonymous,

I have never seen discrepancies or differences between the original geometry and the STL created from STLOUT.  Have you tried creating an STL and bringing it into another application such as Fusion 360? I tried this on my side and found no issues.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[Anonymous]

FACETRES is set to 10

I'm going to try using a straight dwg file. Our CNC guy is busy at the moment so it'll be a few. I'll keep you posted.

[Anonymous]

I agree the stl seems to come out fine in a 3d viewer. I havent looked at it in Fusion 360, but I have previewed in Autodesk Viewer and the standard 3d viewer that comes with windows. 

I don't know if this is even an AutoCAD issue or if its purely Enroute. Regardless, I'm trying to exhaust my options on this end before we dive into the world of Enroute. 

[Anonymous]

So we checked it out and sending a dwg to enroute doesn't work. I also tried sending a saved down version of the file and an stl created off the saved down version. The dwg wont open and the stl still has the same problems in enroute. Thanks for the idea though. 

[john.vellek]

Hi @Anonymous,

If a DWG did not work with Enroute I think you might have a bad install of Enroute as their documentation clearly states that a DWG should work.

. Have you contacted there support?

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[pendean]

Maybe you did not send an old-enough version: might be worth asking them about it all https://www.thinksai.com/tips/enroute/tech-problem

[Anonymous]

It says we can import a 2014 DWG file into enroute and we tried using a 2013 file type, which didn't work. 

I'm trying to just exhaust all our options on this end first.  Our CNC guy is going to be talking to customer support sometime today. I'll be sure to post the answer for anyone else who's interested. Thanks for the input!

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> sending a dwg to enroute doesn't work

I would then ask the vendor of Enroute why they list DWG if it's not supported.

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

Our CNC guy is going to be contacting them today. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[Anonymous]

DWGs only work in enroute if they're 2D apparently... 😕

[john.vellek]

HI @Anonymous,

Good to know - thanks for the information.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> DWGs only work in enroute if they're 2D apparently

Can't believe that as in the PDF they mention DWG with Mesh! Meshes are 3D objects.

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

So Ive never made Mesh parts, ever... and here we've always been just modeling 3d solids. So maybe if I send him a mesh, but trying to convert it to a mesh after its a solid provides undesirable results... 

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> but trying to convert it to a mesh after its a solid

>> provides undesirable results

Can you show a 3D-Solid and the Mesh result you get from that? (as DWG-files so we can try the same on our workstations).

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

Here you go. There's nothing in the files except the model in one and the mesh result in the other.

I got the mesh from just using MESHSMOOTH

Thanks.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

please use command _CONVTOMESH

Or run command _MESHOPTIONS and match to that settings:

The marked fields define how smooth your curved surfaces will be triangulated.

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

Alright, so I made the mesh all nice and smooth like you showed (thanks by the way), and yes it does work to bring in a mesh from a dwg file. That being said, it has the same issues the stl has, and a mesh takes up more memory in the program... so that's a no go....

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> it has the same issues the stl has

Does that mean the Enroul shows this file with incorrect size and not the same smoothness as you see it in AutoCAD?

In that case I guess that can only be solved by the vendor of Enroul, then it's not AutoCAD itself.

>> and a mesh takes up more memory in the program

If you mean memory for AutoCAD then please see the mesh only as last step in a copy of the original file to export the geometry. Your working file should stay as 3D-Solid!

Sorry, - alfred -