autocad to sheetcam problem

SheetCam related questions and tips can be posted here
Post Reply
User avatar
_Ogre
3.5 Star Member
3.5 Star Member
Posts: 529
Joined: Sun Sep 15, 2013 4:26 pm
Location: Motown

autocad to sheetcam problem

Post by _Ogre »

i have a problem file.
drawn in autocad 2017; looks good, the dxf looks good, but when i import into sheetcam i get rotated eclipses

this is a screen capture from autocad. i use trim to confirm all lines are closed
a lot of copy/paste/rotate to get the dwg to look this way
gingerbread problem autocad.JPG
this is what the the file looks like when imported into sheetcam with the rotated eclipses
gingerbread problem sheetcam.JPG
had to delete half the dxf file. my .8mb dwg file saved as a 5.4mb dxf file
Attachments
stefan chicken coop SIGN 3.dxf
(599.41 KiB) Downloaded 65 times
bulltear 4x8 cnc plasma table, candcnc bladerunner w/dthc, hypertherm powermax 65, sheetcam, mach3
laser cross hair for hypertherm torch http://www.plasmaspider.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=12508
an ogre smiley :mrgreen: how cool!
Old Iron
3.5 Star Member
3.5 Star Member
Posts: 681
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2014 5:12 pm

Re: autocad to sheetcam problem

Post by Old Iron »

It opens in Qcad just like yours does in Sheetcam.
Must be your cad program.
Attachments
Chicken coop.JPG
Old Iron
3.5 Star Member
3.5 Star Member
Posts: 681
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2014 5:12 pm

Re: autocad to sheetcam problem

Post by Old Iron »

Try this
Attachments
stefan chicken coop SIGN 3.dxf
(553.3 KiB) Downloaded 65 times
Simko
3 Star Member
3 Star Member
Posts: 265
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 9:32 pm
Location: North Central Pennsylvania

Re: autocad to sheetcam problem

Post by Simko »

Try this...

If you save the file as an R12 DXF it will get rid of the true ellipses and replace it with a bunch of small curved line segments approximating a true ellipse.

Once you have the DXF saved as R12, open it back up in AutoCAD and do the following:

- With nothing selected type PEDIT in the Command Line
- Click on one of the non-ellipse pieces of the outline
- It will ask 'Do you want to turn it into one?'
- Enter Y and press enter
- Then type J and hit enter
- Select ALL of the objects that make up the outline
- Hit enter once they are all selected

Your outline will now be a single entity polyline.

Even as a polyline, the ellipses will still be made up of short curved lines. I would then open the file in the vector editing software of your choice (Illustrator, Inkscape) and 'Reduce Nodes' or 'Simplify' to make the 'fake' ellipses more CNC friendly.

AutoCAD ellipses are evil!
Steve

Homebrewed plasma table in the works, NSK linear rails, 3.2:1 belt reduction, CandCNC Plazpak 1A with DTHCIV Ethercut, Hypertherm 85, CommandCNC and SheetCAM
Click here for build post
User avatar
steel 35
3.5 Star Member
3.5 Star Member
Posts: 634
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2015 11:12 am
Location: N of Cali.

Re: autocad to sheetcam problem

Post by steel 35 »

I tried as is no go; then I opened it with solid edge, looked good and saved it with another # only change. Sheetcam looked good.

Thanks for the polyline lesson Simko!
PPL HDG 4X8
Hyp 65 duramax's
C&CNC 620-5 Ethernet
Inkscape, Solid Edge, Sheetcam, Autocad 2K
Corel X7 Student NO DXF!
EasyScriber
User avatar
_Ogre
3.5 Star Member
3.5 Star Member
Posts: 529
Joined: Sun Sep 15, 2013 4:26 pm
Location: Motown

Re: autocad to sheetcam problem

Post by _Ogre »

sorry guy... i had a brain fart
typically when i use a lot of plines, such as a trace, experience says to explode the whole dxf before importing into sheetcam
i exploded the dxf, saved it and it imported fine into sheetcam

simko: i will save your idea for a nastier dxf file, thanks for the lesson
i've been using autocad 10 thru 2017 for 20 years, sometimes it still throws me a curve
bulltear 4x8 cnc plasma table, candcnc bladerunner w/dthc, hypertherm powermax 65, sheetcam, mach3
laser cross hair for hypertherm torch http://www.plasmaspider.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=12508
an ogre smiley :mrgreen: how cool!
Simko
3 Star Member
3 Star Member
Posts: 265
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 9:32 pm
Location: North Central Pennsylvania

Re: autocad to sheetcam problem

Post by Simko »

I started after you with Release 12 in 1996. 8-) I still do almost everything with the command line and the space bar. It is way faster than clicking on icons.

You must have your PELLIPSE setting set to 1. Otherwise, you would not have been able to explode the ellipses.

Glad you got it working!
Steve

Homebrewed plasma table in the works, NSK linear rails, 3.2:1 belt reduction, CandCNC Plazpak 1A with DTHCIV Ethercut, Hypertherm 85, CommandCNC and SheetCAM
Click here for build post
User avatar
tnbndr
4.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
4.5 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 1669
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2012 4:30 pm
Location: New Berlin, WI
Contact:

Re: autocad to sheetcam problem

Post by tnbndr »

AutoCAD ellipses are evil!
as are splines!!!
Dennis
LDR 4x8, Scribe, DTHCIV
Hypertherm PM45, Macair Dryer
DeVilbiss Air America 6.5HP, 80Gal., 175psi, Two Stage
16.9scfm@100psi, 16.0scfm@175psi
Miller 215 MultiMatic
RW 390E Slip Roll (Powered)
AutoCAD, SheetCAM, Mach 3
http://ikescreations.com
Simko
3 Star Member
3 Star Member
Posts: 265
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 9:32 pm
Location: North Central Pennsylvania

Re: autocad to sheetcam problem

Post by Simko »

tnbndr wrote:
AutoCAD ellipses are evil!
as are splines!!!
Agreed!
Steve

Homebrewed plasma table in the works, NSK linear rails, 3.2:1 belt reduction, CandCNC Plazpak 1A with DTHCIV Ethercut, Hypertherm 85, CommandCNC and SheetCAM
Click here for build post
Post Reply

Return to “SheetCam”