How to debug a DWG for Solidworks?

[Orphan]

Hey guys,

Basically I was e-mailed a 2d autocad DWG file and it apparently has 'more than one open contour' then it offers to attempt to merge them but then comes up with an error saying 'an endpoint it wrongly shared by multiple entities'.

Now short of checking every single point to to make sure everything meets etc is there anything in solidworks or another program to make sure the drawing doesn't have any issues with it? I've tried using 'Check sketch for feature' and selected Boss Extrude but all it does is tell me there is something wrong not show me where it is.

I'm a self taught user of solidworks and am getting better with stuff inside solidworks but have had no experience fixing problems with bringing drawings in. I have brought in several drawings in the past without a problem but now I need to find out how to fix the drawings that have issues so I can use them.

Any input or links to a tutorial would be great

Thanks.

 

[ctopher]

Are you sure it was an AutoCAD file? Was it created by another Autodesk 3D application, then saved as a 2D AutoCAD .dwg? This problem is common.

Chris
SolidWorks 08, CATIA V5
ctopher's home (updated Aug 5, 2008)
ctopher's blog
SolidWorks Legion

 

[Orphan]

I'm not 100% sure I just remember him saying he was using auto cad a while ago. All I know besides that is the drawing is saved as a DWG format. It was also created as 2D originally I know that.

I've got a few other DWG's for standard fittings etc off the net and they have all been fine it just seems this one has some issues.

Any idea how to find them easily and fix them? It seems like there are just some points that aren't meeting up 100% or two lines on one. I don't know what an endpoint being wrongly shared means though, which seems to be the reason it can't try to auto fix the drawing.

Thanks.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Are you importing the DWG as a sketch in a model, or as a SolidWorks drawing?

 

[Russell67]

We have ran into this quite alot. My method for handling this.

1) Open the file in DWGeditor and move the objects to were you would like the origin to be.
2) Convert all the lines to solid lines and purge the drawing several times.
3) Import the drawing into solidworks.
4) Open the sketch convert all the lines to construction.
5) Fix all entities
6) Start a new sketch then convert the entities that you want trim and cleanup then create you extrude features.

If the object is a multi-extruded boss just convert as required.
Seems like a lot of steps but retains the original geometry from the drawing. If you also take the original drawing and attach it to the design binder then at least you won't need to hunt for were the gemetry came from. Also allows some pre-edit in DWGeditor to eliminate bad exporting of circles.

 

[Orphan]

CorBlimeyLimey I imported the DWG file into a new solidworks 3D part to use as the basis for the new part and as far as I am aware it is imported just as a sketch.

Thanks for the detailed response Russell, its a bit late here at the moment so I will give it a go in the morning and see if that does the trick The drawing does have a lot of holes so thats good that it will be fine with all their locations.

 

[rfus]

CLB hit the nail on the head. Import the dwg into a drawing. Create new Solidworks drawing -> Convert to Solidworks entities. It probably has multiple layers that are laying over the top of one another when imported into a part. Turn on only what you need. Then simply use ctrl+C ctrl+V to take the sketch entities and closed outlines out of the drawing and into your part.

rfus

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Have you tried using the Tools > Sketch Tools > Repair Sketch function?

I never use AutoCAD geometry in a SW model. I have found it faster and safer to redraw in SW, because of the problems you are encountering.

 

[ctopher]

Same here. I do not use AutoCAD dwgs imported into SW. Just as much work (or less) to start from scratch.

Chris
SolidWorks 08, CATIA V5
ctopher's home (updated Aug 5, 2008)
ctopher's blog
SolidWorks Legion

 

[Orphan]

I thought I'd mention I have SW 2006.

Yes I have tried using the repair sketch function it says that endpoints are wrongly shared.

It seems that DWG editor is the way to go, I haven't really used it much before so I guess I will have a go at figuring it out. Russels instructions are a tad above what I know at the moment so I will see what I can do. It seems to have a pretty decent help file so I will read through it.