Exporting Flat Patterns

[neilc78]

I have come up with another sheet metal problem! The company I am working for uses software to automatically tool up and nest flat patterns. The flat patterns must be in DWG or DXF format and must be scaled 1:1. No problem there. However, the software also insists on the edges to be cut being on 2 seperate layers. It requires the cut edges of the part to be on a layer called 'OUTER' and all the internal holes, slots etc to be on a layer called 'INNER'. I have searched help and past posts on this forum and am coming to the conclusion that SW is very weak on layers! I want to avoid a situation where every drawing has to have edges selected and moved onto a new layer manually. It also seems that it is not possible to insert your first view on a drawing to a particular layer either. mapping is another possible solution but again I think I would have to manually set colours of the lines too. It seems to me that SW should allow feature to be out on layers. I am wondering if anyone out there has had a similar problem and developed a decent work around, Perhaps a macro or even an add-on program. Thanks in advance.

 

[SBaugh]

You can save SW Drawing to DWG on layers - See the help - Also investigate the use of a "Custom Map" file.

But Solid models cannot be on Layers... Remember this is SW not AutoCAD.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[neilc78]

Scott, I am aware that this can be done via layers or custom map. What I am saying is that these are slow and inefficient ways of dealing with what must be one of the most common issues in sheet metal fabrication. I am not suggesting either that Solid Models be put on layers but rather that the features used to create those models be. This is what I have to do at the moment. Draw the model, create SW drawing, Export to Autocad, change all the lines to the correct layer. (changing the lines and edges to particular layers within Solidworks is totally cumbersome). Solidworks is not Autocad but I presume they had a good reason to include layers as a function in the 1st place, so there is no excuse for them being so limited.

 

[J-C]

Looks like you'll have to pull it into Dwgeditor and setup the layers. Or get another nesting program.

We send exported dxf files to a progrom called geopoint. It seems to handle the outer and inner features automatically. Unless the Mfg people are doing something I'm not aware of.

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2005 SP5.0 on WinXP SP2
SolidWorks 2006 SP1.0 on WinXP SP2

 

[SBaugh]

The reason it was put into SW is mostly for the Ex-AutoCAD users. You still cannot place Features on a Layer in a drawing. You can only place what you see in the drawing on a layer.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[ng89]

IMO, SolidWorks has put little R&D into its sheet metal applications. I've been at SolidWorks World and tried to find the in0house sheet metal experts to ask them a few questions. The people I am able to get in contact with couldn't tell you the differnce between an up bend and a down bend, let alone have any clue what nesting was.

<rant off, sorry>

Unfortunately, I have never seen anything in the layers or layer mapping within SolidWorks that would be able to do what you're looking for. I wish I could help you more.

These are probably off the table, but is there any chance you could do either of the following?

-Save your entire flat pattern out as one layer (maybe INNER), then open it in AutoCAD or other 2D program and manually change the other layer. I know it's an extra step and cumbersome, but it is a potential work around, especially if you make a low quantity of parts a day (couple dozen or less)

-Get a new nesting program. I know that's a lot easier said than done, but most nesting programs out there do not require the two layers as yours does.

Windows 2000
P4 2.40 GHz
Video Card -
Manufacturer: NVIDIA Corporation
Card: Quadro4 900 XGL/PCI/SSE2
Driver: 6.14.10.7184

 

[neilc78]

ng89 - I think you've summed the options up pretty well. I might also look into a VB solution too.

 

[smcadman]

The real question is "Should Solidworks be required to make their software 100% compatibile with every other software package available?"

At a previous previous employer we saved DXF's and DWG's for both waterjet and laser and the requirement was that all objects had to be on layer 0 and no colors. Here we only use laser and DXF's, but there are no color requirements. As Solidworks moves closer to AutoCAD compatabiliy, I'm sure there will be another disgruntled operator that needs compatablity with his/her software.

Flores
SW06 SP2.0

 

[neilc78]

smcadman - I don't believe it is a matter of making SW compatible with all software. Most 2D CNC/Laser programming require some unique properties to be present in the DWG or DXF file they require. What Solidworks needs to do is to allow more customisation in their export to DWG/DXF. I would have thought that this issue is quite a common problem which is why I find it strange that a good solution hasn't been included in previous releases. I searched posts here and found one from 2002 on the same issue. And lets face it, adding this type of functionality would not be the biggest task facing SW programmers. It is simply a matter of focus on the Sheet Metal aspects of the program - My guess is that most of the focus is elsewhere.

 

[SBaugh]

That maybe true neilc78, but it's obvisously not a common issue with many people and has not been turned into SW with an ER. So you need to turn in and ER and there check to see if other people will do the same, otherwise you will never get this functionality.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376