Help with CAD/CAM Issues

I didn't know where to post this questions, so I put it in general.

Here goes....

A little history first...years ago when I was doing independent contract work for Boeing and Aeroquip I ran their Catia Cad/CAM software. In my own business which is mostly architecture I run ADT 2006 and for my mechanical I run AutoCAD 2007. Now today I got a call from a business wanting me to design a steam generator. He wants my drawings to be used CAD/CAM application for the parts to be turned on their CNC. I have no problem with the design aspect but I don't know anything about how to get my drawings to his mill. On Catia, I would design the parts and just save them and of course the CNC programmers/operators would pull up the file when needed.

So...My problem...how does AutoCAD link up with the CNC? Do I just send him my DWG? Or do I need to import my drawing into CAD/CAM software that runs independent mine (in other words does he have a pc with independent CAD/CAM design software link to all his machines)?

I hope this question isn't confusing.

Thanks

I'd ask him what type of files his CAD/CAM machines handle

I'm guessing (having never used it) that Catia runs on DXF files, and am also guessing that'd be a good format for the CAD/CAM to run too

If that's the case, you can easily save your AutoCAD drawings to DXF

I'd ask him what type of files his CAD/CAM machines handle

 

I'm guessing (having never used it) that Catia runs on DXF files, and am also guessing that'd be a good format for the CAD/CAM to run too

 

If that's the case, you can easily save your AutoCAD drawings to DXF

So I guess I would have to assign each part to a file?

I'm sorry - my CAD/CAM 'experience' was limited to a semester *counts on fingers* 20 years ago, and it certainly wasn't communicating with AutoCAD then!

The most practical approach would be to find out what machines the client is running and what file format is required, along with the file size it can handle

Don't be afraid to confirm technical details before spending time and money on a project!

I'm sorry - my CAD/CAM 'experience' was limited to a semester *counts on fingers* 20 years ago, and it certainly wasn't communicating with AutoCAD then!

 

The most practical approach would be to find out what machines the client is running and what file format is required, along with the file size it can handle

 

Don't be afraid to confirm technical details before spending time and money on a project!

Yep..thats what I got to do....

BTW...Have you ever been up to Edinburgh. I called my travel agent today to work me up a cost for a weeks vacation this summer. Would it be best as a tourist to go there or Glasgow?

let's continue this conversation over in the chat forum

Technical threads are supposed to stay to one topic to ensure they're searchable for future users

I'll copy your post across :wink:

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?t=35444

most CNC machines will have a conversion CAD program that will take a DXF, usually in rev 12, and then convert it to gcode or whatever that machine runs on.

probably best to find out directly.

He may be using Solidworks to run CNC mills/lathes if its engineering specific.

G

most CNC machines will have a conversion CAD program that will take a DXF, usually in rev 12, and then convert it to gcode or whatever that machine runs on.

 

probably best to find out directly.

 

He may be using Solidworks to run CNC mills/lathes if its engineering specific.

 

G

Thanks I will check. Unfortunately the machinist is closed for vacation for the next week and I was trying to get a jump on these designs.

So I would save the file as a dxf as a model only; no annotations, no dimensions, no borders...nothing but the part right? Or if no what do I need to add?

it does depend on what CNC is being used as they are all not the same.

I can only speak for the ones i know about that are used in the kitchen business.

When getting items cut, i generally supply a detailed pdf with all the dimensions,tolerence's,etc as well as a dwg & a DXF in r12 format. that way the machinist is well informed on what needs to be done.

When it comes to Engineering, i would still do the same as what i outlined above, as the CAM software should be able to open a .dwg, worst case, the r12 DXF.

It does not help not knowing what format the cam software can import.

it does depend on what CNC is being used as they are all not the same.

 

I can only speak for the ones i know about that are used in the kitchen business.

 

When getting items cut, i generally supply a detailed pdf with all the dimensions,tolerence's,etc as well as a dwg & a DXF in r12 format. that way the machinist is well informed on what needs to be done.

 

When it comes to Engineering, i would still do the same as what i outlined above, as the CAM software should be able to open a .dwg, worst case, the r12 DXF.

 

It does not help not knowing what format the cam software can import.

So..how would this work? How about doing all my dimenisions and annotations in Paper Space. Would that work?

yeah, i do all my dimensions in paperspace anyway, most lazy architects prefer to dimension and do all their layouts in modelspace

what i guess i was trying to get across, was the more info you can supply, the better the chances of getting the CAM software to import your model.

yeah, i do all my dimensions in paperspace anyway, most lazy architects prefer to dimension and do all their layouts in modelspace

 

what i guess i was trying to get across, was the more info you can supply, the better the chances of getting the CAM software to import your model.

So CAD/CAM software is going to be able interpret the annotations and dimensions?

How about putting different models in 1 model space?

B, I have taken DWG files into Mastercam for NC stuff. Ive also pulled dwg files into solidcam. It really boilis down to the software they are using. I have had good luck sending dxf files, iges files and parasolids through different channels.

annotations and dimensions mean nothing to the cam software. Their only use would be to the NC programmer to be sure the file came in with correct units. For instance if you save your file as MM but they bring it in thinking its inches it will be horrible.

I was a machinist for 15 years, and the last 5 of those years, I used Mastercam to program my toolpaths. I would create drawings in Autocad for the machine operators, which had all of the notes, dimensions, etc., but when it came time to create the machine code, I would strip off all text and dimensions and save as a .dxf file to open up in Mastercam. As Shift said, the annotations and dimensions mean nothing to the CAM software. You just want your clean, uncluttered geometry in the .dxf file. This will make programming the parts much easier.