wireframe question

[Still_Got_Me_Fingers]

I'm new to Mastercam and just started learning about it in Technical College. A friend of mine gave me a pretty elaborate wire frame of a human head he made on software from curios Labs. The only file types we have in common are DXF, and he can't export any type of surfaces. So now I'm looking at what seems to be like hours of work, and I'm still not sure how to make the surfaces apear smooth. Is there anyway to create and strech a surface over a wire frame?

I really want to machine a human head. I think it would be one heck of a learning experience for me.

[Code_Breaker]

Welcome to the forum . . . great fisrt post.

 

If you place your file on the cadcam's FTP stit (at top of this page), I sure you will get several solutions to your problem. If you can't get to the site, then e-mail me.

 

Code_Breaker

[mike.b]

sounds like the model is in polygons? you could find a maya user and have them convert it to nurbs surfaces and export it as iges or maybe convert it to an stl file in the rhino demo? converting to surfaces would be far better if you could. maybe a maya user on the creative cow forum would be kind to you.

[Harryman]

8,9,10... OK now the shoes...18,19,20

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Harryman, still_got_me_hearing and green things in_me_ears

[BernieT]

I think you will need to find another model. To surface a wireframe like you have will require another program (expensive) or one heck of a lot of work.

 

There are many sites on the net that have all kinds of models available. Consider downloadng a trial copy of Rhino3D to help translate their formats into a form that Mastercam can read.

 

Try this:

Turbo Squid

 

Also do a search for 3D cafe. They have free models available.

 

Welcome - Nice 1st post.

[Chris Rizzo]

+1 to BerTau...

 

Toooooo much work for mastercam. There's other programs and other models out there that are better at making slick surface models...mastercam excells at CUTTING the surface, rather than generating it.

 

I have taken wacky wireframes and "draped" a surface over it using Rhino. Rhino has a downloadable trial version available.

[BernieT]

Look on CadCam's FTP site under 'Unspecified Uploads', I put up a file called HumanHead.3dm

 

It is sample model from the Rhino3D CD.

 

In Mastercam 9.1 sp2 - File - Converters - next menu - Next menu - Rhino - Read file

 

Have fun.

[Code_Breaker]

Bernie,

 

 

This is a neat head . . . what did you use this for? What type of toolpath did you use?

 

Code_Breaker

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

Welcome to the board ,Still_Got_Me_Fingers

Look on the files Lazyfun.zip and lazyfunhealed.zip in Iskander_lazytricks folder on ftp .

It was made with Mastercam

Find a thread about it with search .

You can make in Mastercam similar head ,yet it`s not easy

Teh run away bear

[BernieT]

Code_Breaker

 

quote:

---

This is a neat head . . . what did you use this for? What type of toolpath did you use?

---

It is a sample model from the Rhino CD, I just remembered seeing it and put it up for our friend. Haven't even thought about toolpathing it.

 

Look at the levels used, they give a clue to how it was generated.

 

[Still_Got_Me_Fingers]

Wow thanks BerTau. It apears that rhino 3d has created the surface over my wireframe in a snap!! I hope my work has the right converter for rhino, some converters they didn't purchase as an option. I will cross my fingers. Thanks everybody for your insight. I will try to make it a habit to come back to this forum to learn some more.

[Mark Lovelace]

I really want to machine a human head.

 

Just what kind of machining operations do you want to perform on this head, and is it's owner a willing participant?

 

Welcome to the forum. Great alias, by the way. I'm pleased to say I survived 12 years as a woodworker and can still play guitar. I think that moving into programming had something to do with that.

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

Rhino is free ,it seems ,IMHO .

File->convertes->next page ->rhino

[Thad]

Mr. Fingers,

 

Welcome to the forum!

 

Looks like the guys have taken care of you on this one. I'm still trying to figure out if you're from Canada or da U.P.

 

Thad

[Zero]

quote:

---

I hope my work has the right converter for rhino, some converters they didn't purchase as an option. I will cross my fingers.

---

As winnie said, the rhino converter is free with the latest MC version = File->convertes->next page ->rhino

 

Doesnt work the greatest all the time, I get better results using .iges files exported from rhino.

 

Also, Rhino can import/export quite a few more types of files than MC, if you end up using the demo, take a look at the file types it can read. I bet you can find a few more file types in common with whatever program the head was created in (Im guessing 3dsmax or something similar?) and bring in the surfaces and not just wireframe.

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

You can look toward Maya that`s what I plan to do .

Great thing

[Thad]

What are the limitations on the Rhino demo?

 

It's nice to see you back, Zero. Haven't seen you around in a while.

 

Thad

[BernieT]

Haven't used the demo in a long time, but as I remember the Rhino website says it is 'fully functional' for 30 days or 25 'saves'.

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

You can use Maya limitied version from Unreal Tournament2003 or 2004 disk

 

Winnie teh kill dem all !

[Dan_AKA_ROY]

Rhino can do a human head. Use its cross-section curves feature to accomplish it. 1,2,3...presto!