Export to CNC

[beastro]

Good afternoon,

I have to export some parts that will be cut by a local service on a CNC wood cutting machine. I have never used those type of services. What kind of file do they require and are there any special parameters that have to be observed in terms of cutting resolution? I would like to have at least a faint idea before talking to them about the details...

Thanks a lot!

Berthold

 

[bigseb]

Good afternoon,

I have to export some parts that will be cut by a local service on a CNC wood cutting machine. I have never used those type of services. What kind of file do they require and are there any special parameters that have to be observed in terms of cutting resolution? I would like to have at least a faint idea before talking to them about the details...

Thanks a lot!

Berthold

Phone them and ask. They all have their specific requirements depending on their processes and software.

 

[JST]

In my experience, most will be fine with a STEP or IGES file. That is in USA, do not know about your vendors..

There are some systems that want an STL file, and a few that still want DXF in release 12 format for 2D stuff.

 

[beastro]

Thanks. It seems they want 2D Autocad files.

 

[bigseb]

Thanks. It seems they want 2D Autocad files.

So dwg or dxf will do.

 

[beastro]

So dwg or dxf will do.

Thanks Sebastian,

This is a bit embarrasing, but I have to admit that I am mostly unfamiliar with the 2D portion of Alibre, as I never need it. Most of my models are exported to STL for 3d-printing. I only once, many years ago, had to send a 2D CAD file to a laser-cutting facility. They where different small parts with irregular radii that had to be cut from a brass sheet. When I received the parts, all the supposedly round sides came out as poligon sides. Much as a 720mm disk looks when I export it to Alibre draw and Export is as DWG. I attach screenshot. All the display settings are set to fine, but for some reason the shape is converted to a polygon.
My concern is that my exported DWG files with rounded shapes will end up as Polygons as well on the CNC woodcutting saw.

Are there any special parameters that need to be set for creating drawings 1:1 for later export to CNC production equipment? I attach 2 example DWG files.

Thanks

Berthold

 

[bigseb]

I have no way to open dxf or dwg files. I'm pretty sure though that the facets you are seeing is just within AD and not the actual geometry i.e. AD don't display too well...

 

[HaroldL]

You could try setting your facet resolution to Fine in File Properties. It helps when exporting to KeyShot although I don't know why it should have any effect on DXF output since, as I understand it, DXF describes the geometry not the display.

 

[simonb65]

I have no way to open dxf or dwg files.

For reference ... DXF Viewer, it's free from https://www.dxfviewer.com/ . Pretty handy for quick validation before you send a blind .dxf file to someone.

 

[bigseb]

For reference ... DXF Viewer, it's free from https://www.dxfviewer.com/ . Pretty handy for quick validation before you send a blind .dxf file to someone.

Honestly I really couldn't be bothered. I have use for dxfs maybe once every two years. But thanks for the link!

 

[beastro]

For reference ... DXF Viewer, it's free from https://www.dxfviewer.com/ . Pretty handy for quick validation before you send a blind .dxf file to someone.

Thanks Simon,

That is very useful in my current situation!

 

[beastro]

You could try setting your facet resolution to Fine in File Properties. It helps when exporting to KeyShot although I don't know why it should have any effect on DXF output since, as I understand it, DXF describes the geometry not the display.

View attachment 31995

Thanks Harold,

I did setup everything for best display quality, but still get polygons on my display.
I am surely missing something here, but can somebody enlighten me why a simple vector based circular graphic with defined redius should be displayed as a polygon in Alibre? Would it not be much more reasonable to assume that, beyond pixel resolution issues, a circle is displayed as a circle?

 

[bigseb]

That's just Alibre. Even with all the graphics updates it still can't display arcs properly.

 

[HaroldL]

Compared to previous versions it looks like v22 does not let you adjust faceting as fine. I think v2012 had better facet display but with the new v21 and v22 graphics it's not so fine. That should not impact dxf output though, in my opinion.

BTW, this faceting is even an issue in SolidWorks, at least the last version I was using at work, but it had an even finer adjustment. Just sayin'.

 

[beastro]

For reference ... DXF Viewer, it's free from https://www.dxfviewer.com/ . Pretty handy for quick validation before you send a blind .dxf file to someone.

Thanks everybody!
The DFX viewer displays the exported dfx files correctly without artifacts, so I guess it is a pure display issue. Still wondering about the logic of facetting in a 2D graphic environment...

 

[bigseb]

Thanks everybody!
The DFX viewer displays the exported dfx files correctly without artifacts, so I guess it is a pure display issue. Still wondering about the logic of facetting in a 2D graphic environment...

That's been around for ages. I'm not convinced all the graphics updates were actual improvements. That might sound mega harsh, its not meant that way. But the graphics just aren't there yet.

 

[Ralf]

Hi Berthold,

You can reimport DWG files with AD:
AD Home -> Open -> DWG / DXF -> File Properties -> Display -> Curve Smoothness -> Fine
(The Curve Smoothness setting in 2D has been available for more than 10 years )

 

[beastro]

Good afternoon,
I sent my files to a workshop in AutoCad 2018 DXF file format. However they say that they can't open it and ask for DXF version 12 polyline. I don't see any DXF version 12 polyline option in the drawing export options. I understand that this is an older file format. Can somebody enlighten me which available option would be compatible?
Thanks!!
Kind regards

 

[DavidJ]

AutoCAD 14 DXF looks like the oldest format now offered. The list of options was trimmed a little recently as it was getting very long with the addition of the newer AutoCAD formats.

 

[JST]

Autocad 12 is THE MOST POPULAR output wanted by, or accepted by, nearly every program that wants DXF input. Makes no sense to delete it.

That was a standard "base point" version. It should always be available in order to be compatible with the bulk of other programs out there that can accept some form of CAD output.

A ton of miscellaneous machinery accepts it, from waterjet machines to machines that cut cardboard, and sign maker's equipment. Some ONLY accept that type CAD output, otherwise you need things like Coreldraw, etc.

ODDLY, it is missing from V21, although other exports back to earlier versions are present.