Looking for help with Solidworks

[mmganga]

Hello,

I am helping a friend of mine convert a file for manufacturing; I've not worked with SolidWorks before (other than opening files/etc.) but I need somebody to help us with a simple job:

(1) we have a general concept drawing made up of a part (this is not in solidworks);

(2) we have a set of (xyz) coordinates for the part;

(3) we'd like to obtain the same part as an IGES or similar part to send to manufacturing.

Anybody who can help, we'd be very grateful! Depending on the complexity we could also pay some small amount as well.


Thanks so much!

 

[ctopher]

Search YouTube and SW Help for learning how to use SW.
Create the part, save it, then save as IGES.

Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP5.0
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

1) Which program was the concept drawing created in? What format?

2) How were the XYZ coordinates obtained?

3) Why not send the drawing to the manufacturer? Or are you intending to use a Rapid Prototype shop?

 

[mmganga]

Chris -- I obviously have gone through this and it wasn't really that easy of a learning curve -- hence my posting here.

To answer the other points:

(1) -- the program used for concept was mathematica, it plots very complex equations and generates surfaces;

(2) -- using the program from (1) the surfaces are exported to xyz cloud-type points;

(3) -- most manufacturers want to have IGES type files to work with and they do not understand cloud points or do not want to deal with the conversion, etc.

Please advise, thank you!

 

[looslib]

The xyz-cloud points will need to imported into SW and a mesh surface created, then solidified. Then you will have a sloid model that others can work with.


"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."

Ben Loosli

 

[mmganga]

I got to the point that I import it and create a mesh surface; once I try to solidify it using the wizard it creates a surface. I try to thicken it but it gives some form of errors (registration?). This would imply to me that I'm doing something wrong or there is some non-exact simplification in the surface translation (from mesh) process...

I think I'm in over my head; I can post what the issues are if you guys can walk me through them; but I'd still like some more help from advanced users like this group.

Thank you!

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Can you post what you have created in SW? Or the points data.

 

[mmganga]

Here's what I was able to get in SW 2011 -- note the file is a little large (48 Mb):

http://www.4shared.com/file/PMOq9Psu/exact_mesh.html

I'm attaching what I would like the end result to be and the point file (zip file).

Any thoughts?

Thank you!

 

[mmganga]

Another view of the end goal result...

 

[mmganga]

...and the points file (unzip it to get xyz text file)

 

[rollupswx]

That looks pretty easy to model under 2meg file size with the standard tools in SWx. If I had the point cloud I would use only for reference and then discard (it would not be part of file).
Save as IGES solid or STEP.

 

[rollupswx]

Can you give a bit of information about the purpose of the part?
After examining - I suspect what you have isn't the actual geometry you are after based on my experience with similar parts.
But your use could be different enough that I am mistaken.

 

[mmganga]

Sure -- this is a reflector for a dish-type antenna, nothing unique but it's generated as an exact point cloud from a math program -- it's not a reverse engineered system (this can be seen from the huge point cloud file).

Anybody who can help? Or help me step by step...

Thanks!

 

[ctopher]

You may need to fix the point data.
See:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwn4Fw9FyAA

Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP5.0
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[mmganga]

The file is generated using exact data points from a math software; so it shouldn't be errors in the data; it should be exact -- do you think this may be a problem?

Thanks!

 

[ctopher]

What I see in the file is a long string of numbers, nothing separating XYZ.

Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP5.0
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[mmganga]

Sorry, if you use the 3D Scan tool (add-on) in SolidWorks and you import the file it will be ok (import as meters).

Here are the first three lines of the file (this xyz file is contained in the zip file attached in my post from 16 Aug 11 12:06

Lines in the file:

0,0.1,-0.18297
0,0.10033,-0.18285
0.00057735,0.10017,-0.18291
0.00057735,0.099833,-0.18303

...etc...

 

[rollupswx]

...generated using exact data points from a math software...

What are the formulas used in the math software?
This looks like it should be very simple generated from curves without the overhead of the point cloud calculation (that is what the CAD software does).

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Well, although the preview shows something resembling a Pringle, nothing shows or is select-able in the graphics window when the exact_mesh.sldprt file is opened.

 

[mmganga]

Unfortunately the equations are complex and are not in closed form (i.e. you cannot write z = x * y or something similar). We already tried to simplify them but no software other than a math-type software would process them...

CorBlimeyLimey -- the file should open ok...it works fine on this side, opens up a mesh/surface that can be selected...