Problems Converting 3D Back to Line Drawings

[danderson1440]

Forgive me if some of my terminology is lacking.

I create a lot of 3D drawings for use in submittals for clients. After approval I will take the 3D elevations and sections and convert them back to line drawings via the Cad Detail From View tool. 
I can not take an elevation from 3D and convert it back to line drawings via the Cad Detail From View tool without loosing all the arcs used in the initial drawing. Arcs show up as a series of small lines( vertices?). This forces me to redraw all the arcs. I can not send this file to DXF or DWG for use with our CNC equipment unless I redraw all these arcs. I have not historically had this problem from plan view.
Any help is appreciated.

FYI    Chief TS has been sent a copy of the file with a report from me. Hopefully time will be on my side.

 

[Gawdzira]

"I will take the 3D elevations and sections and convert them back to line drawings via the Cad Detail From View tool. "

 

Are you using perspective camera views for your elevations or the Section view/ Elevation camera? By using the term 3d, it is unclear.

 

You can take an elevation view and send that to layout or if you are interested in a world of pain, convert the elevation to a CAD detail and send that. Essentially, the workflow that you are proposing is not recommended.

 

Perhaps one of your issues is that you have curved elements drawn/modeled with not enough arc segments. If you post your plan file with the question, this may be solvable with some troubleshooting.

[danderson1440]

I appreciate you responding.

I have created 3D solids from the cross section/elevation views as part of my drawings. This particular drawing has a lot of arcs. My efforts( at a later date) to turn the 3D solids back to line drawings( closed polylines) via the Cad Detail From View Tool is where I encountered the problems with my arcs. I am not attempting to send these drawings to layout for what I am doing. I am trying to create closed polylines with arcs, not a series of vertices, that I can convert to DXF for use in other software we use to set toolpaths for our CNC equipment. I have not used perspective camera views in my attempts to recreate the original closed polylines. 

Thanks again for the response.

Luedeker - Seff Casa Grande.plan

[DBCooper]

Yes, that is what Chief does when you convert a 3D view to cad (using export DXF/DWG or cad detail from view).  It takes all of your curved edges and converts them into straight line segments.  I haven't been able to figure out a way to keep them as curved lines.

 

[Gawdzira]

Select the object on the arc and then try this:

[danderson1440]

No sir. It still converts to a series of vertices. Thanks though

[KevinWaldron]

Possibly take your Chief files into a program such as Rhinoceros and convert fairly easily to curves (nurbs) and then use and Rhino add-on product such as Rhinocam or Madcam to run your CNC machine. Another alternative might also be a program like Aspire which has drawing and CAM features both along with various conversion tools.  (We have CNC and Lasers and use all 3 of these programs for doing some of what your wanting to do.)

 

kw

[danderson1440]

TS responded. Resolution is less than desirable but it works.

Take all your 3D solids and convert them back to polylines then you can convert them via the CAD Detail From View tool. If you want to maintain the original 3D solids you created, that means having to either create a copy of the file for that purpose or copying all 3D solids needed and then converted them back to polylines within the original file.

Tech guy is going to submit as a "feature request" and see what comes of it. 

Thanks for all the responses folks.

[yusuf-333]

in your autocad work space marque select  all and delete it, then click undo(crl+z) and all your curves will turn back to smooth curve. hope that helps.