Camduct layers on DXF export

[dimitry.shan]

Hello all,

     I am working with duct board and need to cut some sides with straight knife and others with angled knife. However, my machine needs the DXF file to have layers; one layer corresponds to one tool (straight knife) and the other layer to angled knife. i was able to nest a part and camduct shows the green and blue (straight and angle cut) lines correctly but this does not show on the DXF file. Am i missing a setting?

[Mike_Arcari]

If you select all the parts you want to export in viewer and choose export dxf file or export dxf with layers this should export the parts with overlaying lines also

by the looks of your screen shot you have exported the dxf parts from a nest which will not export the other lines

also note that dxf file export will only do a qty of 1 so if you have a qty of more than 1 on any of the parts then you need to duplicate these manually

screenshot below of how I export them

hope this helps

[dimitry.shan]

thank you for your response. I will export only one nest sheet and not multiple, i am only using ductboard, and come edges are cut so it could be folded, and the other side will serve as a connector or face to connect to other duct. The folding side has to be on one layer and the other on another. My machine would then assign one layer to angled cutter and the assign the other layer to straight cutter.

[LanceTSM]

I have replied to your previous post (https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fabrication-cadmep-forum/how-setup-camduct-to-work-with-ductboard/td-...) also but I'll repeat it here as well.

To get the layers as you want them when exporting a nest as dxf:

You need to setup the DXF Output Layer Mapping to map CAMducts layers to the dxf file layers.

This is done in CAMduct via "Database - Manufacturing - Tool Defaults - Layer Mapping - Export"

See attached screen shots

[dimitry.shan]

Yes that seem to work, one last question, changing the mapping would alter which layer is which correct? do i need to change any other settings or this is the only one for DXF export. Do i need to change any settings on the MACHINE setup?

[LanceTSM]

Yes, you are mapping CAMduct's layers to the dxf file layers and assigning them a name and colour in the dxf file.

If you are using just dxf export the machine settings are not used.

[dimitry.shan]

I want to ask something, in the nested image, the green lines represent one layer, and the blue represent the other layer, how do i map that to the real DXF export?

[dimitry.shan]

I want to ask something, in the nested image, the green lines represent one layer, and the blue represent the other layer, how do i map that to the real DXF export?

[LanceTSM]

"This is done in CAMduct via "Database - Manufacturing - Tool Defaults - Layer Mapping - Export"

See attached screen shots"

Your Green lines will be Bevelling and you Blue lines will be Cutting.

[dimitry.shan]

i wanted to know if there is a way to find all the settings done by checking the dxf file it self? the things is that i had this camduct all setup, my pc got corrupt and i lost the set database. However i have some older dxf files that work.

[LanceTSM]

You could import the working dxf file into CAMduct and see what the layer names and colours are.

Otherwise open the dxf in Autocad or a compatible viewer and see what the Layer names and colours are.

Some controllers use layer names and others use layer colours to assign tooling, so you need to find what your machine needs.

[dimitry.shan]

I dont get it, i have assigned all layers to tools, but when i export the nest to DXF, the layers are either missing or mixed up? Please see the attached settings i did and an image of the old working dxf file import page.

[dimitry.shan]

Sorry one image was missed

[dimitry.shan]

really this is driving me crazy, the nested image shows the green and blue lines as they should be, but the DXF output layers do not correlate at all. please point me to what on earth am i doing wrong...

[LanceTSM]

Your screen shot shows settings for "Import" layer mapping.

You need to select the radio button for "Export" and set the layers there.

See highlight.

[dimitry.shan]

yes i know about that i took the wrong screen shot, by any chance is there a way to send you the database? or should i take some images? but this forum allows three images only...

[dimitry.shan]

sorry for all that confusion, i have made an image of all the settings that i have touched, please see if you can spot the mistake?

[LanceTSM]

I'm not in the factory for a few days to check but my thoughts are that you may need to map the export layers by tool not by layer.

And map them from the Defaults, not your assigned tools. ie. Select - "Default Cutting", "Default Grooving", "Default Bevelling", "Default Marking" etc., as this is how they are assigned to the Ductboard patterns when added to a job.

Give this a try and see what you get.

[dimitry.shan]

please tellll me how you did it.... this is exactly what i was looking for , please share your settingss!!! this thing is busting my brain for a month now...

[dimitry.shan]

a strange observation, i am getting the KNIFE layer and a 0 (named) layer, the zero named layers seems to be a mix of bevels and some cut lines... may be some how i am not setting the beveling correctly?