Creating a model of the terrain

[Tyke]

Hi Bill,

The contour file would take forever in SW to do as there is a huge number of very complex contours. The contours have a 1 metre spacing amd there's almost 250 m level difference in the full job, this here was just a small part.

The 3d faces would be acceptable (I think) and the 5 m grid has already been accepted. As the final model will be produced to a scale of between 1:500 and 1:1000 I don't think any smoothing will be necessary. If possible I would leave creating a solid to my client, if he really wants it as a solid. I've optimized the AutoCAD side a bit so the whole thing can now be completed in an acceptable time.

I looked at your video and it shows all the pertinent steps to get the job done in SW. Must it be done as a sheet metal part or would it work just as well as a surface?

If it's alright with you I would like to copy your video to CD and show it to my client.

I'll get back and let you know how it goes.

Many thanks to Bill and Matt for the all the help and advice.

[bhamze]

The part in video consist of 137 surfaces and is not a sheet metal part. Do what you like with video, it yours . Would it help if I left link up for awhile? Your welcome...glad to help. Post here if you have any additional questions. Good luck.

[Tyke]

... Would it help if I left link up for awhile?

Bill. it would help if you could leave the link for a week or so.

[bhamze]

I will leave link available, let me know when your done.

Bill. it would help if you could leave the link for a week or so.

[shift1313]

Hi Bill,

The contour file would take forever in SW to do as there is a huge number of very complex contours. The contours have a 1 metre spacing amd there's almost 250 m level difference in the full job, this here was just a small part.

The 3d faces would be acceptable (I think) and the 5 m grid has already been accepted. As the final model will be produced to a scale of between 1:500 and 1:1000 I don't think any smoothing will be necessary. If possible I would leave creating a solid to my client, if he really wants it as a solid. I've optimized the AutoCAD side a bit so the whole thing can now be completed in an acceptable time.

I looked at your video and it shows all the pertinent steps to get the job done in SW. Must it be done as a sheet metal part or would it work just as well as a surface?

If it's alright with you I would like to copy your video to CD and show it to my client.

I'll get back and let you know how it goes.

Many thanks to Bill and Matt for the all the help and advice.

Im sure you probably found one but there are lisp routines that will take your surface to solid in Acad depending on what version acad you are using. I dont know if the newest versions still support lisp or not. I believe the lisp(in the lisp forum here) is called Mesh 2 solid. For a one time job automating this in acad would probably be a lot faster than in SW. I also want to say(cant remember for sure) that inputting curves by xyz in SW is 2010-2011. Older versions I dont think have that feature fyi.

Now if someone was good with VBA they could probably whip up a macro to take care of all this in SW, i am not that person .

Good luck with it.

[bhamze]

Hey Matt,

I'm not that person either but funny you mentioned API/VBA. I just purchased a tutorial on this very subject. I know the tutorial wont be enough but I plan on taking a VB course locally. You know I'm passionate about SW and this was my next field of study. Actually.....I wanted to study simulation but my version of SW only supports the basic simulation package (Simulation Wizard). It wont be easy but what API/VBA has to offer would be worth it. Do you have any recommendations for study?

Im sure you probably found one but there are lisp routines that will take your surface to solid in Acad depending on what version acad you are using. I dont know if the newest versions still support lisp or not. I believe the lisp(in the lisp forum here) is called Mesh 2 solid. For a one time job automating this in acad would probably be a lot faster than in SW. I also want to say(cant remember for sure) that inputting curves by xyz in SW is 2010-2011. Older versions I dont think have that feature fyi.

Now if someone was good with VBA they could probably whip up a macro to take care of all this in SW, i am not that person .

Good luck with it.

[shift1313]

Actually bill for most stuff using excel functionality and a design table will do it. Since there is tons of built in help in excel(including vba stuff) there is a lot more free info on it. Ive done a little VBA in SW and i have a little C++ experience but ive only barely scratched the surface. If you need any help with excel/design tables let me know and ill be glad. I would love to learn more about VBA but you really need a lot of programming to make use of anything. Thats why I like excel because you can do a lot with a little knowledge(sounds dangerous right)

[Tyke]

Thanks guys, we managed to import the 3d faces and also a sample from the contours and the man then achieved what he had intented to do.

It turns out this job was the biggest he has ever attempted and the normal ones are much smaller. He is happy with the results and will be coming back with other work, or so he says.

All the help is appreciated.

[shift1313]

thats great news tyke. good work!

[abgailpp]

Hi, Tyke! I really need your help.
I have contours as polylines or points with X,Y,Z coordinates and I can create a surface in AutoCAD Civil.
But I need to create a 3d solid and export to stl.
How can I do this?