Importing DXF files

[Anonymous]

I need to stack fuselage sections along an axis from imported DXF files. There is a circle in each section that I'm trying to snap to some sort of a reference point/axis as I generate each offset plane for the associated section. How do I generate this reference point/axis in the 1st plane and then project it into succeeding planes?

[ahreum.ryu]

Hi @Anonymous, 

Welcome to the Fusion 360 community! 

To better understand, could you share your file? here is how to share your file. 

my email address is ahreum.ryu@autodesk.com 

I look forward to your reply. 

[daniel_lyall]

@Anonymous

if you know the distance between each part you wont to offset, use a offset plane.

Move the plane to the location where you would like the next sketch to be then project the circle on to the plane you have just positioned.

the projected circle's will be locked to the position of the first circle, so if you move the first one all will move as one, keeping the same spacing and circle size.

if you need to change the position of a circle you will edit the offset plane that will move it up and down, the other offset planes above the one being moved will move by the offset already set.

if you need to move a circle side ways you will need to right click on it and break link then you can move it sideways, but use the plane to move it up and down. 

[daniel_lyall]

Now if you still wont to have a Axis to use for alignment, you would do a similar thing to the post above, but only do one offset plane and a projected circle.

then you can use axis between two point the points will be the center of the circles.

the axis can be extended by just dragging it up or down.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the help. Here is a link to what I am trying to do.

http://a360.co/2dFB2RO

Projecting the circle to the face of the next plane helps but when I move the current imported fuselage section to align, the points don't appear to "snap" on the point. They always appear to be a little off. I can move it manually but they just don't seem to align the way they should. I have been creating "points within a circle, sphere, torus" but this still doesn't seem to help. Whenever I view the drawing from the front the circles within the various planes don't appear to be absolutely concentric. The circles within each imorted fuselage section are not "joined" or married to the ovoid outline so if I invoke the concentric constraint it leaves the outline "behind". Thanks again for the help.

[daniel_lyall]

so there are a couple of problems.

but first off is the projected circle where you wont it to be.

If it is what you do is turn all sketch's off, then you edit one sketch at a time.

what needs done to pull the drawin sketch and the projected sketch together is you select concentric, you select the projected sketch then the drawing sketch that pulls them together.

what would've happened is there are a tonne of points some of the sketches line up with points behind the drawing you would of by mistake selected one of them, when you do things like that loft you have the sketch at a angle so you can see the point easier.

if above is what you wont to do I will pop up a screencast for you

[Anonymous]

I think I understand. Let me work with the suggestion and see what happens. Thanks again,

Asher

[ToddHarris7556]

@Anonymous - 

quick thought - 

the DXF's you're trying to import..... are they actually circle entities? Or is it a bunch of little line segments in the shape of a circle?

Depending on the original source, they may have been exported out as line segments. In that case, Fusion would not be able to see a 'center' point to snap to.

The workaround in this case is either

a) draw a construction line across the circle (of line segments), which will give you a midpoint to snap to; or

b) ground all your line segments, then draw a circle and constrain it to them. i.e. turn all the line segments into construction lines, and draw a proper circle on top of them.

[daniel_lyall · Accepted solution]

they are proper circles if you have a look at the design there is a tonne of points the length of the loft, his projected circles are along the center axis but some of the sketch circles are of to the side,

if you look closely you can see where the circles are constrained to it is a circle on a previous circle, you have to zoom in to see it, it is a easy mistake to make re constraining the circles to the projected circles on the same sketch plane brings them back into line but you have to have it at a angle or you would pick the wrong circle to constrain to.

@Anonymous is it a glider body you are trying to do,

there is a couple of other ways to do it as well as how you are doing it

[Anonymous]

Thanks to everyone for the help; it was invaluable for working through the issues.

Asher

[Anonymous]

Daniel,

Yes it is a model of a Schleicher ASG-29. I have no real intentions regarding doing anything with the CAD model but just wanted to see if I could do it. I would be interested in knowing about the other option you mentioned for generating it. Thanks for all the help. I have only been working in 3d and Fusion 360 for a week.

Asher