New mark feature, layer in dwg / dxf, save copy as from part vs save copy as from dwg

[steve_lindley]

Hi. We've just installed 2023 and I've been looking at the new mark feature. Before this install we were having part numbers and revision numbers etched onto sheet metal parts by our suppliers, so I want to see how to translate our process.

Currently, to give us control of where the etching is and what size, in our .dwg of our part, we create a blank sheet with a flat pattern view. On the view we add Text, where we use the iProperties of the part to fill in the part number and revision number. This ensures we don't see it in the model and places the characters on a Dimension layer, rather than the Visible layer. Our suppliers requested this, so that their software can determine between a cut through and an etch. We then save copy as dxf from the drawing. We actually use an ilogic rule to generate dxf, pdf and STEP file in one go, but that rule is only performing save copy as function and I can replicate my issue without the rule.

With the new feature, Autodesk recommend creating it in the flat pattern of the .ipt, so that it doesn't appear elsewhere, so that works for us no problem.

I've also been through the Styles Editor in the .ipt and changed the text to suit what we want. I've left the layers as 'out-of-the-box' for now.

However, I can't seem to get those layers to translate to the .dwg. If I do a save copy as dxf from the flat pattern in the .ipt, those layers do come through to the dxf no problem. If I save copy as dxf in the usual way from the dwg they don't.

I see the text but it's on the Visible layer, which means I'm likely to get it cut through by our suppliers. Is this a flaw, or am I missing something? In the flat pattern view in the dwg, if I select one of the characters, I can see from the Annotate ribbon that the layer is the Visible one, so it must stem from there. I can't find anything in the Styles Editor for the drawing that might control it.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Steve,

The reason why the Mark edges are exported to Visible layer is because these edges are indeed body geometry. If you want to export it from the drawing view to DXF, you will need to hide those edges.

The ability to control Mark layers is actually in Sheet Metal Flat Pattern Save Copy AS DXF workflow, not in the drawing.

Many thanks!

[steve_lindley]

I would be interested to hear how other engineers create their dxf files for laser cutting, in terms of providing information such as thickness, part number, etc. We have a process that places a text label alongside each of our dxf profiles with part number, thickness, material grade, revision number and scale. Despite supplying detailed drawings alongside, we find often this information is missed, so it's a belt and braces affair. Creating dxfs from the ipt doesn't allow for this, so are we in a minority creating dxfs from drawings, or is there a way to get this info to come from the ipt?

[TechInventor20]

the way you are describing is how we use it to. currently we are testing the mark feature. it was a big hipe at the beginning but after creating drawings everybody was not happy with the fact that you can't adjust the layer.

[vishnuteja_srikanti]

yeah i understood now but now i have one question how to do save copy as from sheet metal flat pattern to dxf  using vb.net to is there any code.

i couldnt find any keywords when i am looking in flatpattern definition 

[andrewiv]

Here is the sample program from the Programming/API help.