problem with working with solidworks files

[tnik]

Ok, so the problem is, I create a solid in solidworks, a tube with holes in it.. I import it to surfcam and of course, a hole on a tube isn't a perfect circle, so the drilling operation won't let me choose the holes.

Now I only need the xy coordinates so I can do a drilling operation in our 4th, so I'm not doing any 3d crap..

my workaround is I create a line on the endpoint of the "not-so" circle, trim it, create a point at the midpoint of the line, and go at it. Which works just fine, until I have an 'oops' and realized I need to shift the pattern over .03.. so I go to solidworks, fix my part, the great associativity picks it up in surfcam, updates the part, but dammit now I have to recreate all my points.

I used to like it when surfcam would import all sketch entities too.. Is there any way to get it to do it again, or is there another workaround that you guys have found?

sw2k8 - scv3

[Cammotion]

Ok, so the problem is, I create a solid in solidworks, a tube with holes in it.. I import it to surfcam and of course, a hole on a tube isn't a perfect circle, so the drilling operation won't let me choose the holes.

Now I only need the xy coordinates so I can do a drilling operation in our 4th, so I'm not doing any 3d crap..

my workaround is I create a line on the endpoint of the "not-so" circle, trim it, create a point at the midpoint of the line, and go at it. Which works just fine, until I have an 'oops' and realized I need to shift the pattern over .03.. so I go to solidworks, fix my part, the great associativity picks it up in surfcam, updates the part, but dammit now I have to recreate all my points.

I used to like it when surfcam would import all sketch entities too.. Is there any way to get it to do it again, or is there another workaround that you guys have found?

sw2k8 - scv3

tnik, I think there's something under the tools > options menu that allows you to make some settings for that. I don't have Surfcam available right now, so I can't give you any specifics, but I think there's a way in there some where.

[tnik]

Yea, I've checked there.. and tried every combination that I could.. Haven't found anything..

[neilw20]

When I do this I either export things with a center line, or leave the part sliced into two so that there is surface square to the hole.
Another way is to export a pin with it. Turn it off when you don't need it.

[Cammotion]

Yea, I've checked there.. and tried every combination that I could.. Haven't found anything..

It's in there, tnik! Go to Tools > Options > Files > Read > Solidworks/Parasolids. There you can control a lot of stuff, but notice about half way down the page, there's a check box for "Add Centerlines and Points to Cylinder. Check that.

I made a tube with holes in the side in SW, opened it in SC, and boom, centerlines and points through the holes and the center of the tube! So, I close the file in SC, go back to SW, modify the sizes and placement, re-open in SC, and the tube is updated with new hole sizes and locations. It did still have the point where the hole was before I moved it, but it had a point and centerline in the new location also. I did some edits to the tube, and every hole has points and lines.

Caveat: As I remember, if you have this option checked in SC, it will put points and center lines in everything that's round; rounded corners, fillets, etc. Hope this works for you.

Edit: You need to use "Shaded with Wireframe" to see them while shaded. But, you probably knew that!

[tnik]

ok.. thats strange.. let me see.. I opened the tube I was working on when I started this thread.. no centerlines.. opened something I made a long time ago.. boom.. centerlines.. I'll investigate and see why..



ahhh.. I think I see why.. because I was doing a NPT tapped hole, its not actually a cylinder.. prolly why It didn't work correctly..

[neilw20]

Is it consistency or persistence? The computer is trying to be kind (of confusing) again !

[Cammotion]

Is it consistency or persistence? The computer is trying to be kind (of confusing) again !

Neil, I refer to my machines as 'confusers'! To really hose things up, you need a computer!!