Need Help!- Importing mesh into mastercam

[cansucuoglu]

Hi;

So, I modeled a quite complex shape in rhino, as nurbs. But something is wrong with the geometry. So, I want to convert it to mesh and bring it in to mastercam. But which ever format I used only lines come in.

I tried to do import art whatever but thats not what i need.
Does anyone have any idea how to bring mesh from any program (rhino,maya max,autocad,alias) to mastercam.

Strange thing is , I tried with visaul mill (free demo) and it worked. Simple stl files imported perfectly.
I have wasted 2 days with this so far.

Please help
Can

[cadcam]

Right off the top you wasted two days and have not contacted the dealer. get this done.
so you want to try and cut from the STL?
I would suggest a Iges but Mastercam matting on the version supports .3DM rhino files.

[JROM]

Why a mesh?
Master Cam supports Nurb surfaces. Or do an Igs file.
Garbage in Garbage out! if your file is junk you are waisting your time to begin with.
Try to get rid of any sharp points as they tend to have the surface rapped under its self and that will kill the transfer.
Good Luck

[cansucuoglu]

When you make a toolpath, you can show an external cad file (stl)... And It is kind of a batch operation almost. Very fast compared to bringing in nurbs. Toolpathing was faster than mastercam would just shade the viewport.

Just if someone will have the same problem

[Mike Stevenson]

cansucuoglu,

Here is what you seek my friend.

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1628

[cadcam]

Wow mike that led back to a old thread on my other board 5 years ago. there was the last posting pointing to a STL to Surf C-hook on my FTP. just checked and it's still there.
I try and clean a little on the FTP after so many years.

PS to see that link on that board they will have to sign up as a member to review the info.

[Mike Stevenson]

Yes it explains how to cut a STL by using a CAD file instead of Drive surfaces. Thanks for the info.

[cansucuoglu]

Thanks everyone. hopefully this will work now. Polygon modeling is growing beyond nurbs lately, so I will be learning about this a lot probably.

[cansucuoglu]

By the way, In the previuos posts they are talking about a stl2srf.dll
Does anyone know where can I get that from.

[Steve Arteman]

Stl Machining is not one of Mastercams specialties, you can do it but I would not buy the software for that. The sales people selling this idea in the mastercam world have no idea what the competition is doing or cutting out there.The problem is almost always the stl is coming from some sort of surface/solid model why not cut them? They are more accurate
Mastercam has a very powerful surface modeling package included with almost any package you buy. I think, 3-d surface modeling comes with as part of the purchase price with all except entry. People use other programs to design with, when Mastercam will do it all. Between surfaces and solids I have designed parts in Mastercam that even solidworks couldn't design at the time. The biggest problem is nobody uses surfaces or knows how to teach surfaces in Mastercam anymore and it is the most powerful design tool I have on my computer. I have Made a new intro to surface design for X with an advanced surface modeling For X and v9 to follow if you are interested here is the site.
http://www.cad2cam.net/mastercamx_basic_surface%20.html
Steve
www.cad2cam.blogspot.com

[cadcam]

Originally Posted by cansucuoglu By the way, In the previuos posts they are talking about a stl2srf.dll Does anyone know where can I get that from.

If you follow what me and Mike were talking about you would find it.As I was talking about the tool being on the FTP on the mastercam forum.