import dwg and align

Hi All

New to 3dmax of sort. I have tried it with some success.

Ok I have parts of a machine that I have drawn 3d in Autocad.

I want to animate it, but I need to get it into 3dmax first and try to understand how to manipulate the bits.

So first I import a .DWG drawing into 3dmax, ok.

I then want to assemble this first part with a second part.

what is the way to do it?

Import second part, attach as xref, open second part (first then dissappears)?

Then when I have two parts on screen I want to align them.

Tried to do what it says in help but i just keep geting the parts going not where i want them.

i have a plate and want to put a bar with a small od into plate so both parts align by the small od through the plate.

i can manipulate it by hand so it "looks" right but I know it is not, if you catch my drift.

Any body help?

Thanks

David

What I would do is get all the parts together into one dwg in Autocad and then import the one drawing into Max with all parts together and aligned correctly.

Have tried that, but some parts appear out of place in 3dmax, ok in Autocad.

So wanted to import just 2 parts so could move and align then i can do all.

I cannot align the pieces without stretching or modifying the parts.

when I try to align round shaft A into round hole B i get an oval shaft A into and outside round hole B.

I don't see how that can happen? When you import the Cad file into Max, the parts of the file don't get rearranged. The parts must be misaligned in Cad to begin with?

If you want to post your Cad file(s) here, I can take a look at it/them later, when I get home.

A description.

There are the following

A SPINDLE BRACKET

Attached to this are two GUIDE SHAFTS.

Onto the GUIDE SHAFTS sits a SUPPORT which is can move back and forward on the GUIDE SHAFTS.

Into a hole through SPINDLE BRACKET at bottom is a BEARING SLEEVE

Running through BEARING SLEEVE is a CAMSHAFT. The camshaft sticks through the sleeve by about 25mm.

Onto the CAMSHAFT is a CAM HOLDER. (i put a centre line cross onto cam to locate position of CAM HOLDER but this can also slide along CAMSHAFT but is secured in normal conditions.)

Ok i have drawn out a simple dwg SUB ASSEMBLE.DWG with just these parts in it. there are a couple of misalignments (BEARING SLEEVE and CAM HOLDER) these are intentional.

There is a max drawing of the parts together. And guess what they all line up (apart from the two parts).

There goes that question out of the window of WHY?

I have included a screen shot of the WHOLE project just imported into max as a whole thing and you can see SUPPORT and SPINDLE BRACKET sitting up in air.

(drawing too big to send on here with all parts).

OK now in 3DMAX how do i align the BEARING SLEEVE into the SPINDLE BRACKET so it fits into hole and CAMSHAFT then goes through sleeve?

Also how do I align CAM HOLDER to cross hairs on CAMSHAFT. I can sometimes get the holder to sit on the cam shaft but to the left or right of the cross hairs. I think this is more luck than I know how to do it as i cannot then do it again.

I know I can do this in Autocad but as this machine hopefully will animate some parts need to be adjusted to suit running model. Do not want to exit 3dmax go into ACAD redraw back into 3DMAX no not right back into ACAD etc.

I am using old software here i know ACAD 2002, and 3DMAX 7 so if you send something back can you send it format that i can open please.

I have people send stuff back in ACAD 2008 and 3DMAX 11 great but i cannot open them.

Sorry about files to be attached I put them in one zip and it told me tooo big so split them up.

Any help much appreciated

David

A25.zip

SUB ASSEMBLE.zip

A25-2.zip

GCS0012.zip

You can use object snaps in Max to position objects in much the same way you do in Autocad.

Here's what I would suggest, in order for you to align the cam holder onto the camshaft:

1. Center the cam holder pivot point.

• Click on the cam holder, to select it.
  
• Go to the "Hierarchy" panel
  
• Under the "Adjust Pivot" section, select "Affect Pivot Only". Then click "Center to Object" and then click "Affect Pivot Only" again to close out.

2. You can now easily move the cam holder onto the camshaft by using the Move tool and your object snaps.

• Select the Move tool and then enable your object snaps by clicking the "Snaps Toggle" button.
  
• Right click on the button to open the "Grid and Snap Settings" dialog.
  
• On the "Snaps" tab, clear all options except for the "Pivot" option and then close the dialog.
  
• Click the cam holder to select it. Your Transform Gizmo will appear in the center of the object.
  
• Grab the gizmo in the YZ plane. You will see the little square at the intersection of the YZ plane light up yellow when your cursor hovers over it.
  
• Once the little square lights up yellow, click and hold with your left mouse button and then drag over to the cam shaft.
  
• When your cursor hits the cam shaft, you will see a bounding box appear around the shaft and you will also see a little upside down Y appear at the midpoint of the shaft. Drag your cursor over to that symbol. Once your cursor hits that upside down Y, your cam holder will snap into position, centered perfectly on the shaft.

You can use the same procedure to position the bearing sleeve onto the cam shaft.

Hope this helps. Post back if you have any more trouble.

It is fine