[Bertho]

I realize this is the machine forum but the controller one basically only contains the SPAM from China.
I have a custom laser cutter (not engraver) controlled by Mach 3 and I convert 2D drawings to G-code with Vectric Pro.

How can I go from a 3D model's single flat face to a 2D drawing to use for laser cutting?
Eventually the item will be a machined box but I am laser cutting the sides and gluing them together for an early prototype.
Thanks in advance,
Bertho

[BAMCNC.COM]

Hmm like how you would cut up a 3D object for 3D printing?

[Bertho]

Laser cutting, not 3D printing.
Simple example: An open box (shoebox) and I want to laser cut holes in the bottom but I only have a 3-D model.
Bertho

[Jmhx2]

Use vectric to draw it from scratch or import the model and only use the depth of the surface you need. It will not be as clean as drawing from scratch & as I use aspire so I am not 100% sure cut will import 3d models.

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2

[Bertho]

Thanks Jnhx,
Vectric Pro will not import a 3D model.
As it is now I recreate it from scratch in AutoCAD which will import directly to Vectric but it is time-consuming and error prone.

[BAMCNC.COM]

I understand its for a laser, but 3D printer software will slice 3D models up into 2D drawings...

[Bertho]

I have a 3D printer and it slices a 3D object into slices to generate G-code for printing those slices.
I have not seen a way to convert a 3D parametric file to 2D drawing in DXF or DWG format.

In Solid Edge I can select a face and I can also selectively slice an object but I have not found a way to save the selected face or slice as a 2D cad file.
Bertho

[Dean448]

I don't know anything about Vectric but in Cambam you can import a STL and there is a command called surface>Plane slice Z (or slice in any plane). If you enter 3 it will create a polyline geometry for every 3mm of the model along that plane. You can break up the polylines, move them to a single plane and create G-Code to laser cut each slice.

[Bertho]

Thanks Dean488,
Remember the input file is a parametric 3D cad file, not an STL. The output needs to be a real CAD file too, not an STL slice.
Eventually I found out that if I create a drawing in Solid Edge there is an option to select a face and later I can delete other views. Finally it can be saved as a DXF/DWG file which is what I wanted. It looks like a regular old-fashioned paper drawing with borders and a title section. All that can be stripped out in AutoCAD to arrive at a clean 2-D file to laser cut.

Thanks for all the replies,
Bertho