drunkmunky Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Hi All I'm new to the forum and I need some help on converting Mass Elements into 3d solids. I have an existing file with Mass Element entities which was created back in 2008/2009 with Autodesk Autocad 2008.I now use Autocad 2011. MY PROBLEM is that I cannot switch the mass elements to 3d solids. 'CONVERTTOSOLIDS' option does not work and it is forcing me to. explode > convert to surfaces > union > convert to solids This process is ok on an individual solid but I have hundreds of them to do. Is there anyway for me to streamline this process and find a faster way to do this? Thanks - Billy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Can you attach a drawing with just one of these mass elements in them so we can tinker with it? What is a mass element anyway? Is it a mesh? A surface? Other? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drunkmunky Posted June 29, 2012 Author Share Posted June 29, 2012 I think the only way I know how to reply to 'what is a mass element' is that it is an AEC object which was and or is still used. It allows masses to be dynamic so you can add vertex's much like how you can manipulate polylines but in the 3d modelling stage. ME_2011.dwg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Sorry. I tried a couple of different things but have had no luck creating a solid either. I too am using 2011 at the moment. I wonder if 2013 has a feature that might work? I'd have to check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 I think I figured it out. I took just one of those mass elements off the top of one of the buildings (?) in your drawing. I exploded it to create 3DFACES. I used the Convert to Surface command next which worked. Then, and this is the amazing part, I used the SURFSCULPT command to convert everything to a solid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 The result of my convoluted conversion process. MassElement_to_Solid.dwg Bummer...while it worked on one of the square objects I was unable to get it to work on one of the more complex shaped objects lower on the building. Wonder why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drunkmunky Posted June 29, 2012 Author Share Posted June 29, 2012 I think I figured it out. I took just one of those mass elements off the top of one of the buildings (?) in your drawing. I exploded it to create 3DFACES. I used the Convert to Surface command next which worked. Then, and this is the amazing part, I used the SURFSCULPT command to convert everything to a solid. That's roughly the same process I knew how to use but to do that in each of the building floors and more dynamic masses on the podium, it's not realistic. I want to streamline my time and be more efficient. I hate wasting time on old models lol Thanks - Billy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Sorry I could not come up with a more streamlined method. Have you looked into using any other program like Inventor for instance? Or this Fusion thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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