JOIN making 3D POLYLINEs ???

[madcadder]

I guess the only way to ask this question is to long story version it... Sorry.

I am taking assemblies/parts made in Inventor that have been exported to DWG.
Opening in AutoCAD 24
3DROTATE the part to all facing up (TOP)
EXPLODE / EXPLODE / EXPLODE
Crossing window across all the parts and changing the Z to 0 for all start and end points (FLATTEN changes the size of the parts. 6.125 turns into 6.124983147, etc)
Running OVERKILL to get rid of duplicate lines on top of each other
Running KILLDOTS to get rid of zero length lines
JOIN around the outside of the parts.

At this point every polyline is made into a 3DPOLYLINE
If I explode the 3DPOLYLINE and JOIN it again, then it makes a regular 2DPOLYLINE.

Why does it make the 3DPOLYLINE first if all my Z is zero?
Is there a step I can do to stop this from happening?

Thanks,

[Ed Jobe]

Seems like a lot of hoops to jump through. What are you trying to do? Why?

3D solids explode to 3D polylines. Did you know that you can export an Inventor sketch? Maybe there’s an easier way?

[madcadder]

It is a lot of steps. Because of using the wrong software for the job, I am taking someone else's millwork creations and preparing the parts for CNC work.
If they make a tall cabinet then I have to take it apart to all the individual pieces and flatten it out so that I apply the tool paths and nest it with a 3rd software.

[Ed Jobe]

I’m not at work today so I can’t test out a solution. Sorry.

Is this a one time deal?

[madcadder]

No, this will probably turn into a semi-regular process.

Sorry for my delay in reply. We are M-Th doing 10's now.

[Opie]

Would creating a layout with the correct views displaying each 3D face (Top, Left, Front, etc.) work? You may need to set each viewport to display as the Hidden view style. Once you have that set, you could right-click and Export Layout To Model or via the EXPORTLAYOUT command. This will create a new drawing showing what is visible in your layout into model space. The new drawing will be scaled based on your viewport scales. This may flatten everything to simple 2D elements.

I haven't tested this workflow to verify as I don't work with Inventor models.

[Ed Jobe]

No, this will probably turn into a semi-regular process.

Sorry for my delay in reply. We are M-Th doing 10's now.

If it's going to be regular, then you might consider getting the right software. You can try out Inventor or Fusion 360 by renting for a month or buying some tokens. Fusion 360 includes tools to create tool paths from the model. Just upload the Inventor model.

https://www.autodesk.com/products/fu...#manufacturing

[madcadder]

If it's going to be regular, then you might consider getting the right software. You can try out Inventor or Fusion 360 by renting for a month or buying some tokens. Fusion 360 includes tools to create tool paths from the model. Just upload the Inventor model.

https://www.autodesk.com/products/fu...#manufacturing

We have both Inventor and Fusion. Unfortunately, this is for taking fixtures, blowing them into their individual pieces from either AutoCAD drawings or the one person that makes them in Inventor, manually nesting the parts, and running it through Mastercam.
This company should have been using Cabinet Vision for the last decade, at least.
I've been trying for a year to get them to go with Microvellum, so that we can at least use something AutoCAD based. But, they are probably another year from actually footing that bill.
Until then it is my job to suffer with the wrong tools for the job and make it work the best I can. (Maybe...)

[Ed Jobe]

Interesting... My brother uses Cabinet Vision. It goes right to his CNC router...I think.

Can you post a sample Inventor assembly? Include the part files. I don't see why you can't get Inventor to help you.

I did a test in Inventor. See the attached files below. First I created a part of a cabinet side. Then I inserted a couple views in a dwg. Then I selected VIEW1 and executed the Insert In Models Space command. Then I created a copy of the block and exploded it. All single entities of lines and circles.

[madcadder]

I did it all through a LISP. After I manually set all Z to zero I run a routine to explode a selection set, run a modified version of code borrowed from killdots (giving proper credit in my routine ), run overkill on the the selected area, join, and explode.
Then I can join just what I want to when done.
It works and saves having to do it all manually.

- - - Updated - - -

Interesting... My brother uses Cabinet Vision. It goes right to his CNC router...I think.

Can you post a sample Inventor assembly? Include the part files. I don't see why you can't get Inventor to help you.

I did a test in Inventor. See the attached files below. First I created a part of a cabinet side. Then I inserted a couple views in a dwg. Then I selected VIEW1 and executed the Insert In Models Space command. Then I created a copy of the block and exploded it. All single entities of lines and circles.

my joke amoungst friends is that "this company has been in business for 14 years and they are 15 years behind the competition in software used to efficiently build a box".