6 Replies Latest reply on Apr 21, 2011 11:53 AM by Rachayl Duker

    Export to DXF with closed polylines

    Rachayl Duker
    Rachayl Duker Feb 21, 2011 4:03 AM

      Hi,

      Our client says they need DXFs for laser cutting in the form of closed polylines. Can you save it like this from Solidworks? Or do you have to open the DXF in AutoCAD (or DraftSight etc.) and transform the outlines there? (If so, would someone mind telling me which tool to use? AutoCAD help is not doing it for me.)

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        • Re: Export to DXF with closed polylines
          Mark Greenwell
          Mark Greenwell Feb 21, 2011 4:32 AM (in response to Rachayl Duker)

          Hi Rachayl,

           

          In Auto cad to change lines to polylines do the following.

           

          In command line type in PEDIT, then select one of the lines.

           

          This will prompt you to change line to polyline choose YES.

           

          Then select Join and select all lines, Press enter (twice I think). Lines should now all be continuous.

           

          Thanks

           

          Mark (SolidWorks 2011 SP2)

          • Re: Export to DXF with closed polylines
            Markku Lehtola
            Markku Lehtola Feb 21, 2011 5:55 AM (in response to Rachayl Duker)

            Doesn't SW's "Save as" dialog's "Options"-button give you that when saving dxf? There's "save all as polyline"-option, but I don't know if that means they a closed.

             

            br

            Markku

            www.sloworks.fi

            • Re: Export to DXF with closed polylines
              Michael Closson
              Michael Closson Feb 21, 2011 7:53 AM (in response to Rachayl Duker)

              We do the same thing a lot when we send profiles to the shop floor.

              My understanding is when the profiles aren't polylined, they can be out of sequence.

              A polyline puts them in sequence, not necessarily where the operator would start and end but at least in order.

              Having said that, I have found there must be some sort of precision round-off in translating to dxf.

              In AutoCAD, if two entities' endpoints don't meet exactly, then it won't polyline.

              This seems to happen a lot, mostly where a radius is in the profile.

              Sometimes, using Fillet set to 0 you can reconnect endpoints but sometimes that won't work, either.

              I usually will then just delete the fillet and run the fillet command again with the same size radius. Then it will polyline.

              I ended up writing a little macro to select the fillet to obtain its size, delete it and re-fillet the corner.