[pp-TG]

Hi All,

Just wondering if it is possible to change a drawing of a solid to surfaces in mastercam?

I drew the part in solidworks prety complex drawing had to draw by lofting the drawing to get the many different curvs. I saved the drawing as a stl. is there a way once i open this file in mastercam v9.0 to change this to surfaces or can someone tell me how to go about scalloping this type of drawing...As of right now when I try to surface/scallop this part no geometry is selected any insight on this would be greatly appreciated....


Thanks,

[JDW]

We save as wireframe and surfaces as iges. This works in proE

[pp-TG]

Thanks, Jdw

Just to add to my 1st post the message i am getting is surface operation does not contain any drive surfaces. If this helps anyone help me....

[Matt Berube]

Avoid .STL unless there is no other way.

To export a part from Solidworks to Mastercam, use Parasolid (.x_t)

You should have no trouble importing the parasolid or slapping toolpaths onto it.

[pp-TG]

Thanks Matt,

I will try that thanks for the good info....:cheers:

[dolphin1]

depending on what version you can bring the file in as a sldprt from solidworks.

Mike

[Matt Berube]

depending on what version you can bring the file in as a sldprt from solidworks.

Mike

True. The latest versions of Mastercam even allow you to open a .sldasm. This can be very handy.

[chuy]

simple...create surface from solid... the only thing it leaves you no wireframe.

[Steve Arteman]

When you have the solid up, pick the solid, create curve all edges , this will create the wire frame if it is missing. (when importing a solid, you have to select a check box to bring in the wireframe), then create surface from solids. If you created your solid in Mastercam yorself, same goes there is no wire frame unless you create it.
Steve
www.cad2cam.net

[cadcam]

Actully in Version X and up when you bring in the solid the wire option is on and you will get the solid with wire. But there is an option to turn that off if you don't want the wire.

90% of the time I do not need the wire and cut from the solid as is.

[chuy]

Sweet!!! I never knew that...tried it worked like a charm!!! I always used SW or some other software to get the wire frame if I needed it...Do you know if you can create a surface or solid from the wireframe model itself?

[Steve Arteman]

You Can create solids and surfaces with wireframe you have to make them.
Steve
www.cad2cam.net

[chuy]

Ya...I was just hoping for an easier route...like the one you just pointed out..

[Matt Berube]

I don't understand the desire for wireframe geometry...

99% of the things I do can be toolpathed directly from the solid. Occasionally I have to create a few curves but I never require a complete wireframe...

[cadcam]

Matt I am with you.

[chuy]

Are you a machinist?...If so, than you should understand the how usefull it is, especially for eliminating some excess toolpaths that are a waste of time.

[Matt Berube]

Chuy, I graduated from a technical high school (machine shop) in 1991 and have been a machinist / toolmaker ever since. A couple years ago I became the (one and only) full-time programmer at my place of employment and as such have not had much shop time since...

I don't know it all but I doubt my boss would pay me what he does to produce inefficient programs.

I wonder if perhaps you are not aware of all of the options for using solid entities in Mastercam toolpaths ?

Name some things you can do with wireframe that I can't do with solids and I'll see if I can teach you a thing or two.

[chuy]

HUH!?... Are you kidding!? There are plenty of instances where it's nicer to have a wireframe...UH...I don't know... lets see, like maybe if you don't have the tool and you need to manipulate something...If you want to honeycomb an area....sorry if I hit nerve....I have a buddy like that...wants to create the simplest part from a solid...while he's doing that I'm using a simple wireframe...
by the time he's done with the nice drawing, I'm sending programs to the machine.

Graduated from a technical school like what Devry or Heald....LOL....Just messin with ya don't get all butt hurt...

[Matt Berube]

Hey Chuy,

Early riser or up late ?

I don't think I'm "butt hurt"...

I just don't think you understand the options you have available.

We weren't talking about creating parts. We were talking about importing an existing part, right ?

I guess I don't really understand why wireframe is better when you say "don't have the tool and you need to manipulate something...If you want to honeycomb an area" but that's OK we can agree to disagree.

[chuy]

What's not to understand?...Importing or creating who cares...you still need to make the thing...If you get a solid from whom ever your making the part for
it still needs to be made? Especially if it's prototype...and you need to manipulate it...