converting nurb splines from IGES

[haggai]

Hi,

 

When converting 3rd degree nurb curves brought in from an iges file to Mastercam, it seems that the analyze command won't work? Is Mastercam using different data types to represent curves?

 

any suggestion? Can you help?

 

thanks, haggai

 

 

(sorry. this is my first time with Mastercam, Just trying to help my tool maker who is having hard time dealing with my files which were created using A|W.

[Trevor Bailey]

What type of geometry is it? Are you trying to machine fonts or other graphics?

[BernieT]

what does Mcam say when you do 'Screen - Statistics'? You should have splines or possibly 'Surface curves'.

 

Do you have any "mask' on??

 

[ProductDevelopmentGuy]

Haggai,

Are the splines actually visible? What happens when you try to 'Analyze' them?

Able to send me a file? ([email protected])

PDG

[haggai]

Yes, the splines are visible. I have tried since my first posting to use the conv-to-arc command, and that worked ok. Still I was hoping that there will be some automatic way to convert all the nurb splines to arcs and lines rather than having to do it manually. Also it seems that in some cases an arced nurb spline will be broken up to many sub sections arcs when openning in Mastercam.

 

I will send you a sample iges file which will contain 2 circles each made of 4 sections.

 

haggai

[Trevor Bailey]

You are using the way that I was refering to. There is another way. It is a little time consuming, but you will have much less code in the end. Once you CON-ARCS, you will have many small arcs. Change your colors and use Create-spline to lay a spline over the arcs. It sounds kind of funny, but it actually works pretty good. YOur code will be much smaller and it should create much bigger arcs for machining.

[haggai]

Bernie,

 

didn't know about screen - statistics Is there a special settings for iges importing?

what does it means "mask on"?

 

 

haggai

[haggai]

ok, here it is -

 

I am trying to make a little more cost effective by trying to reduce the amount of time my tool maker has to spend in Mastercam. If possible he would be able to open up and file that will give him all the information he needs. nothing more nothing less. Thers are just too many splines out there and it could translate to weeks of works. (and tons of money)

If he will have to create new splines to get arcs it's a disadvantage...

 

haggai

[Trevor Bailey]

YOu may want to look at the system that is exporting the geometry. That seems to be the problem. Not all systems export drafting, etc... the same way. It could just be a simple setting that is being over looked by the engineer that is exporting.

[ProductDevelopmentGuy]

Haggai,

I got your file and I can see where the problem is. The data consists of both splines and IGES "copious data" entities. Copious data entities are essentially strings of points, or polylines. When reading an IGES file, we default to bringing these in as lines. You'll notice in ScreenStatistics that there are 6 splines and 73 lines.

I agree with Trevor in that the problem originated with the software package that generated the IGES file (I never heard of "Maya V5.0" but that's what the file header says). Find out if they can output the data differently - as all arcs or all splines.

Or you can do this: Using a combination of Screen/Endpoints and Create/Spline/Automatic you can convert the lines to splines. You could even then use Modify/ConvToArcs to get arcs, which is probably what you want. I'm e-mailing you my splines.

PDG

[BernieT]

In the menu on the left of your screen, 5th from the bottom, 'Mask' should be off.

[Fig sign]

quote:

---

"Maya V5.0"

---

PDG !

This can be Maya program , widely used in animation and 3dgames.

It can save in IGES format !

 

Iskander ? Where is my Flack cannon ?

[Zero]

Yes, Maya is made by Alias. It's their animation/3d games package like plasttav said.

 

[ 07-03-2003, 02:42 PM: Message edited by: Zero ]

[haggai]

PDG,

 

ok, I am understing this a little better now, but.

please excuse my ignorance in Mastercam -

I believe to be able and use 'analyze' they have to be lines or arcs, not NURB splines, right? How will Create/Spline/Automatic will help?

What would be the reason to ever converting lines to splines?

 

 

haggai

[Fig sign]

If an iges file is not only wireframe but also surfaces he can create curves from surfaces .

What for do you need this poor creatures (How do you call them-3rd degree nurb curves)??

 

Many times all this hot talk about geometry worth nothing - if you have surfaces you can easily and fast enough recreate it and it will be more accurate and clean that the original , trust me !

 

Iskander teh curvebuilder _/

[ProductDevelopmentGuy]

Haggai,

But what is it that you're trying to do with these entities? What did Screen/Statistics tell you is in the part? What I did was make splines for you where the IGES import was making lots of little lines.

If you're happy with the lines fine. If Screen/Statistics is telling you that there are Copious Data entities (instead of lots of little lines), in that case you should read the IGES file in again and go to Masking on the IGES dialog and click 'Import copious data as lines' ON, since copious data entities in Mastercam are pretty useless.

The splines you are apparently complaining about are there after you import the IGES file - there are 6 of them and they're selectable and everything. I'm trying to remove some of the confusion over the other stuff you're seeing.

PDG

 

[ 07-03-2003, 05:18 PM: Message edited by: ProductDevelopmentGuy ]

[haggai]

Wow, you guys are so helpful! thanks for everyone who is helping here.

 

ok, what I am trying to do in this test is simplify the work for my tool maker as much as possible. Indeed He is a very experienced tool maker (30 years or so) but not so much experience with Mastercam. My experience is 10+ years in 3d software but never Mastercam until a few days ago. Indeed, I have used Maya to export to iges, not having any other exporting tools on my linux workstation.

 

Like Iskander guessed I am trying to get curves from surfaces, but I did not realize there is a way in Mastercam to get the curves from the surfaces? Is there such way? from your answer I am guessing that it's possible to extract curves. It would be great if you can tell me how.

 

Originally the tool maker was trying to 'analyze' from the surfaces but was unable to get any reading. so I tryed to send him a simplified file which contain curves which I extracted from the surfaces in my 3d software.

 

my guess is the it will be best if I can do the 2 things. i.e:

 

1. a. extract curves from surfaces

b. convert to iges

c. convert iges curves file to Mastercam

d. convert nurb splines to lines & arcs so they

can be analyzed

 

2. a. convert surfaces to iges

b. convert iges surfaces file to Mastercam

c. extract curves from surfaces (if possible)

so they can be analyzed.

 

anything you can tell me on these 2 proesses will be great,

 

thanks,

 

haggai

[pactec]

Sounds to me like the Tool Maker is trying to analyze the display lines on the surfaces. Meaning the "mesh" within the surface.

You don't need to extract curves unless you're going to use them to cut, either directly or as a boundary.

Toolpaths, surface, rough or finish, select surfaces and away you go. Or, toolpaths, contour or pocket and pick the spline or chain the lines and again away you go.

 

HTH...

[Reece L Gibson]

Am I way off by saying you need to Click on "Create", "Curve", "All","Edges"?

I go to the Options and set the tolerance very low(.0002)

Some times when I have trouble, I create Solids out of the Imported model and everything seems to chain better.

But this process is not always sure fire.

Working with IGES files has been very smooth and very rough at times.

[Fig sign]

There is a very mighty tool Analize->dynamic !

With it you can get a ton of information about your enteties (like surface angles, dinamic point position,radius and so).

Mastercam is not Solidworks but nevertheless it is a mighty tool that mighty enough to handle most cases with a speed and efficiency .

As I told before I prefere to build my own geometry cause it gets more clean then after 1 or more confertions that a file passed by it`s way.

To describe all ways to create geometry on surfaces can get a little novel to write not I article .

You can create curve on one specific surface edge ,all edges ,make slices (sections),project curves on surfaces, squash(flatten),create parting line, unfold surface curves ,roll curves and unroll them,build splines from points,curves,etc,convert splines to arcs and lines and more.

And you can convert surfaces to solid and enjoy all the solid tools might.

In two words ,Mastercam is enough for me for anything I do at my job ,and IMHO I do rather complex things .

But to create curves you need for specific things ,for many cases of 3d jobs you don`t need it at all or need one or two contours,not all model.

Just tell me what for your toolmaker trying to analyze your model and we will help you to solve

it.

I don`t want to hurt you or your toolmaker and as a matter of fact I am self-taught Mastercam user that went the hard way all the way, but it looks like you put your guy on Mastercam yesterday without no entrance teaching or smthn and today waiting for him to produce a mold.

Just give him a couple of days ,get some course

for hime and enter him here .

He will ask a direct question, he will get the direct answer !

 

Iskander saz After two days of a hardway I made my first rather complex electrode !

 

[ 07-04-2003, 06:51 AM: Message edited by: plasttav ]

[BernieT]

+1 for plasttav!!!!!

 

I like your answers, Iskander. A pleasure to read!! Thank you !!!

[haggai]

Iskander,

 

thank you for your detailed answer. I am just beginning to get the idea of how powerful Mastercam is. it's quite mind boggling.

 

I have been comfortable modeling fast in some of the most popular animation packages, and in particular I like the ability to use animation to simulate the motion of moving parts. (my current mold has quite a few)

 

the bottom line I am hoping to use Mastercam for CAM but don't feel the immediate need to use it for CAD.

 

I want to emphasize also, this is a whole new thing for me and I am building this experimental mold mostly so I can get some learning experience. the most important thing for me on this project is to be able and understand and hopefully create the most effective work flow process between me and the toolmaker.

 

 

my toolmaker have been using Mastercam (I think version 7) for 2 years or so. He has been taking some classes too. He can do simple stuff but is having a more difficult time with programming for more complex 3d surfaces. I believe he likes to 'analyze' in order to re-measure everything. I will check on that with him.

 

 

Here are some questions I have -

 

Is there an easy or automatic way to extract all contour curves from the all surfaces in Mastercam?

Do you convert to solids for the purpose of rapid prototyping?

Is it safe to assume that Mastercam should be able to handle and generate automatically the proper toolpath for just about any complex 3d surface?

What good documentation is out there?

 

 

haggai

 

p.s by the way, atta israeli? atta medaber ivrit?

[Nachum]

Hi Haggai,

 

rak achshav karati, vehashem Haggai nishma li Israeli.

האם אתה רואה גם את העיברית?

 

Baruch haba ve-ani sameach shdavka Israeli hizliach laazor - Alex Hamitkare gam Iskander.

 

Shabat Shalom,

Nachum

[Fig sign]

Hi .Haggai ! Shalom uvraha !

 

JC does you company that`s dreamwork that made once The Neverhood and a lot of other nice stuff?

I an sorry I am in hurry now so I will give a full answer later now a couple of words :

 

Is there an easy or automatic way to extract all contour curves from the all surfaces in Mastercam?

Create ->curve-> all edges ps make sure that in options a tolerance is suatable for you .

Do you convert to solids for the purpose of rapid prototyping?

Mostly not ,but for mold building yes it gives

very fast tools like boolian remove to produce cavities and more .

Is it safe to assume that Mastercam should be able to handle and generate automatically the proper toolpath for just about any complex 3d surface?

DEFINITLY YES !!!!

CAm is the strongest Mastercam side.

What good documentation is out there?

Books that come with Mastercam ,other books ,help,examles ,thAt come with Mastercam cd-rom and this forum.

 

 

quote:

---

p.s by the way, atta israeli? atta medaber ivrit?

---

Ken ,ani yehudi!

But this is international board and you are getting answers from all over the world and English is a preferable language !

 

Iskander teh polyglot

 

[ 07-05-2003, 09:42 AM: Message edited by: plasttav ]