how to convert non-planar 3d polyline to surface

[MikeHPearce793238]

Need to convert a non-planar 3d polyline to surface. Have found a few suggestions such as CONVTOSURFACE & EDGESURF but they're not working for me or I'm doing it wrong. File attached

[dotson]

Your drawing is assigned a coordinate system of ...

Command: CGEOCS = "HARN/10.UTM-10F"

... which is in US Survey Foot. However your units are Architectural Inches? Also, the coordinates of your objects are outside the usable rectangle of the coordinate system assigned. Those problems aside, attached is an AutoCAD Surface of your 3dPolyline

[MikeHPearce793238]

Thanks. Yeah it's a client file & didn't wanna do too much to it.
So you're gonna give a man a fish?
Thanks again,
Mike

[usa1st799342]

I have struggled many hours trying to convert this object to a surface.
My biggest hurdle now, is that I am unable to get the PLines to join.
I have re-snapped, changed Fuzz settings, changed precision settings, moved, and added vertices, tried with all set to open, and closed.
The red PLines are put in at crucial points to pull the sides to the dimensions needed. I will be placing a few more on the top.
I need to convert this into a surface that I can sculpt, then convert to solid. I will then set the shell thickness, then add external mounts. This will be a 3D printed fuel tank.
What am I possibly missing to join, and convert to surface?? With a planar shape of any kind, surface convert works flawless.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards
Rod

[Ed Jobe]

I'm not sure what operation you are trying to perform. The 3D polylines on the sides are closed. The red lines are lines, not plines.

[Ed Jobe]

I created a surface of the width sides. I think you need more information to create the complex sides.

[usa1st799342]

I have been able to do what do did, but i am trying to close the sides, or make them surfaces that i can extrude.
Thank you for looking at this

[usa1st799342]

Cannot get this closed PLine to convert to surface, or imprint .
What am i doing wrong ?

[Ed Jobe]

Cannot get this closed PLine to convert to surface, or imprint .
What am i doing wrong ?

As I mentioned before, to do it in AutoCAD, you would need more information, e.g. lines across the surface, to give it an idea of how to create the surface. I wasn't able to find a command in AutoCAD or Inventor to convert a 3DPOLY to a surface, but I found the PATCH command in Fusion360.

[usa1st799342]

Thank you so very much. any Idea of how to convert 3D closed PLine or Spline to 2D so I use the Offset tool. I do not have the Civil Eng Cad version. Have a great week
rod

[Ed Jobe]

The definition of 2D is that all the lines are coplanar. It's impossible to make something 3D into 2D without projecting to a single plane.

[Ed Jobe]

BTW, Inventor and Fusion360 both have a command for projecting anything to a 2D work plane. In AutoCAD, in the "3D Modeling" workspace, Surface tab>Project Geometry panel, there is the PROJECTGEOMETRY command that can project to a ucs or view. The FLATTEN command might be able to do it, but could produce an undesirable result.