Hi, I have a file sent from a client both formats .dwg and .dxf
I tried to import these files many times in all possible configurations in the Options window but without to succed to open really on of them in 3D surface format. Can anybody help please? What do I do wrong or what should I do to open this file?
Thank you Anna for taking the time to help. I got before the same wire 3D model as you and I tryed to create surfaces but it was not much use of it: endless time uploading a small inbetween surface and disturbed model with lots of zizag wireing and all kind of just flat surfaces inbetween the initial wireing...
Cheers
Gabriel
You can't import it directly into Solidworks as a 3D surface because it doesn't contain any AutoCAD surface entities. It's looks like it's elevation contours made from 3D polylines and points. I'm assuming that this came out of EaglePoint or GeoPak or something.
If you want to bring in surface data then the person that supplied you with this file will need to create a tin using 3Dfaces or a polyface mesh. Note that there's a fixed number of triangles that a polyface mesh can contain in AutoCAD. That's one of the reasons they stopped using them around the time Autodesk came out with Civil 3D. Your best bet is to have them export the TIN (land surface) as an STL file which you can import as selectable geometry.
Your land boundary is small enough to bring into Soildworks, but unless you're laying out an oil refinery, your land form is going to make whatever your working on really small when you zoom out. More importantly, thecorners of your boundary appear to be located in a UTM NAD83 coordinate system which means you're drawing boundary coordinates start at X = 390288.5658 Y = 755633.461-which is far outside of Solidworks 1000M cube space. You'll need to relocate the landform to the origin.
Final bit of advice. Solidworks isn't equipped for land development tasks or roadway layout and it's not even a really good architectural package. that being said, if you're doing prefab or structural work, your best bet is to export the Solidworks model to AutoCAD and then use Civil 3D or GeoPak or something to to grade the site upto the building. If you're looking to put together a rendering of your project on a site, then use Max or Maya or Blender or something.
Thank you John for taking your time to help. Am not working prefab, structural or architectural; I need the ground surface for a emplacement presentation of mechanical structures. The person who sent me the AutoCAD files said that they have on the file a full surface. I will ask them if possible to export thge file as you say as STL file. Is just pitty that in AutoCad they cannot export the data as STEP or IGES file... Am new at SW; Could you please tell me how to relocate the landform to the origin please?
Cheers
Gabriel
Gabriel, the easiest way to relocate the landform is to open it in AutoCAD (or Draftsight if you don't have AutoCAD) and move everything by the lower-left corner of the terrain model to 0,0,0
I went ahead and did that to your draiwng before importing it into Solidworks. See attached.
As for the surfaces your friend said were in there: If he's using some specialized terrain objects, it's possible that they're not showing up on Draftsight or AutoCAD because he doesn't have 'save proxy objects' enabled. What softtware package does he have?
Hi John,
The friend is using AutoCAD but me I cannot use at all the DWG files in my SolidWorks so I couldn't open your drawing in 3D, just in viewer 2D. Where do I get Draftsight?
Previously I could open and save a 3D drawing and now I tried to simply move it to origin; but when I messured the distance from the lowest left point to the origin I got a strangely result x=46.62, y=142.59, z=545.9!!! and the whole 3D terrain appears like 150mm. Am wondering what the zoom scale it is!!!
Thanks again for helping and the goodwill.
Thanks Anna, Icould download and start the program then opening the DWG file I got the same scaled (???!!!) small model... but I could move it to the origin reference.
Cheers,
Gabriel
Gabriel, you need to set the units of the file when you import it.
There is likely no surface data in the file. Just wireframe data.
I did a File > Open > DXF > Import to a new part as > 3D Curves or Model. It imports as 3D curves with millimeter units.
You will need to generate your own surfaces from the curves.
Cheers,
Anna