Penrhos1920 Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 The drawing below is a coach roof that I've drawn in 2D using AutoCad 2000 and converted as far as I can into a 3D model for printing. The right purple profile has been extruded to form the main coach roof. On it's own I've submitted it as an .STL file to shapeways and they have quoted 10 euros to print. On the left are 6 profiles; green through to cyan and red that form the end canopy. There are also 6 black lines that join the 6 profiles. Ignore the vertical lines - they just help line up the profiles. What I can't do (or don't know how to ) is to convert the 6 profiles into a solid with smooth curves. Each of the profiles is a 2D polyline, as are the black lines. Help please, Many thanks Richard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonhaynes72 Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Hello Richard, 2000? Hmmm, STLs have to be 'watertight', no leaks/gaps between the edges. This is going to be tough, tho not impossible, in AutoCAD. The surface modelling tools in 2000, if i remember, are still commands like edgesurf (probably best as joins four edges controlled by the variables surftab1 and surftab 2), or rulesurf, or tabsurf. Long time since I used ACAD to do 3D. Sorry to not be much help, but I'd use your work so far and take it into another 3D package to make your life easier. Good luck, Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
amandalee Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 Hi...If you send me the cad file ill see what I can do, im using Acad most days for work. 2013 has vast improvement over 2000 especially for 3d. Even though other packages are superior. Example is just freehand... regards......Amanda... Image didnt add.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penrhos1920 Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 Many thanks for the offers of help. I have PM'd all of you. I have tried Alibre in the past but couldn't get beyond the tutorials. I would really like to be able to learn how to do this myself. I have tried using Autocad 2010 which we have at work, but no-one does 3D in my office, but failed to get the LOFT command to make the correct 3D model. STLs have to be 'watertight'' date=' no leaks/gaps between the edges.[/quote']How do you check for gaps? Surely if you move a 3D object next to another using snap to object there will be not gap? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
billbedford Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 How do you check for gaps? Surely if you move a 3D object next to another using snap to object there will be not gap? Moving 2 objects next to each other, or even intersecting can produce separate shells. It depends how your software's STL export works. The way round this is to do a boolean join before you export. To check for problems in STL files you need to down load Netfabb Studio Basic or use their cloud service. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etched Pixels Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 Does autocad have a hull() operator ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penrhos1920 Posted June 27, 2012 Author Share Posted June 27, 2012 Does autocad have a hull() operator ? It appears not. What does "hull" do? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etched Pixels Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 It puts a surface around a series of 2D or 3D profiles so for example with a coach roof you can take a set of vectors like in the drawing in the question and it will wrap them in a surface. Given enough samples you get a nice dome or whatever is needed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penrhos1920 Posted June 30, 2012 Author Share Posted June 30, 2012 It appears that the LOFT command in Autocad is similar to the HULL command elsewhere: "With the LOFT command, you can create a new solid or surface by specifying a series of cross sections. The cross sections define the profile (shape) of the resulting solid or surface. Cross sections (generally, curves or lines) can be open (for example, an arc) or closed (for example, a circle). LOFT draws a solid or surface in the space between the cross sections." - Autocad manual I have now at last managed to get the LOFT command to work; having found a work around on the web. But it does not follow the profile exactly. This shows a dimple half way up the end. Plus I've added a light housing that appears in some photos. (I've only just realised it does not appear in all photos so I must work out which coaches had it and when. I've also installed 123D which has helped me to visualise where it has gone wrong. Now to work out a different set of profiles so that it lofts as it ought to. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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