Import ACAD Drawings 1

[kennyjg]

Hello All,

Well I'm back with more "Q",s. My question is:

What is the fastest, simplest, easiest way to import an ACAD drawing into SW keeping the DIMS & Tolerances intact? I also have the drawing with a Template showing basic items, such as P/N, tolerances, drawing size, etc.

Can I also import those in intact?

Then I want to save it as an SW file.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

KenJG

 

[ctopher]

You can open a .dwg file within SW. You may have to play with the fonts, all may not import. The GD&T symbols may or may not import also.

Chris
SolidWorks 11
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[SBaugh]

File\Open\DWG/DXF is the best way to import files into SW. Then select "Create new SW drawings, next, select the Layers you want to bring in or not. Watch the tabs (model, Layout) to know what your bringing in Should stay on Layout I believe. Next, select the options (center in sheet, SW paper size, etc...), Finish.

If they do not all show up, either they are there in a color you cannot see (white), or the layer was not selected, or it just did not translate over. Importing ACAD documents is alot like importing Model data... its some times a crap shoot on what you get and what you don't.

Scott Baugh, CSWP
Berry Plastics
Cad Admin\Design Engineer
GEASWUG Greater Evansville Area SWUG Leader

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"

faq731-376

 

[kennyjg]

Hello All,

Sorry for the late response. I have found the solution. Thanks for your help and I'm sure I'll be back again for more help. The reason I needed to do this is that the machinist says he rather have the ACAD drawing is DXF or SW format. Since some of the files are scaled I need to re-scale the drawings 1:1. That's not the problem though it's when I re-do the dims & tolerances to fit the drawing it removes some of the tolerance settings. Then I have basically go back a re-dim the drawing, too much time. I'm not a machinist so I don't know why they need these type of files in DXF /SW format. Anyway's I found out how to import everything intact and save as SW file.

Best Regards
KenJG

 

[ctopher]

I agree, I don't know why they care. Send them PDF drawings. Don't give them something they can change themselves.

Chris
SolidWorks 11
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[berkshire]

Ctopher,kennyjg,
some CNC machines use DXF files for direct input. Is your machinist asking for a paper drawing or a DXF file?
If he is looking for a file, he is going to be very unhappy with a PDF except for reference.
If he can accept a SW file see if he can use the model direct, so do you do not have to do drawings.
If he can only use DFX , one thing I do is to place a 1" square in a discrete corner of the drawing, so the machinist can check the scale with the machine.
B.E.


You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.

 

[drawoh]

kennyjg,

When I send drawings out to the shop, they go out on paper, and/or as PDF. This preserves my formatting and all my symbols and tolerances.

Fabricators routinely ask for DXF files. When asked, I provide them. The scale information should be reliable, although they need to study my tolerances on the paper/PDFs. When you import CAD format[ ]A to CAD format[ ]B, you should assume that not all the fonts and symbols imported correctly. The DXF file is scale information only.

2D CAD tip. Draw everything 1:1. Scale the title-blocks and plots. Everybody's life will be simpler.

--
JHG