3D model from AutoCAD into Inventor

Hi all

I'm trying to take advantage of Inventor's facility to unfold a 3D curve to create a CNC drawing. I have the piece modelled in AutoCAD but can't seem to copy it into Inventor.

Any help?

Thanks

P

File>Open and set Options to Import.

Zip and attach your dwg file here.

Thanks JD, I haven't got a chance to post my file at the moment but will let you know how I get on in a couple of days...

P

Good luck, welcome to the wierd and wonderful world of importing into Inventor! Also, make note of anything JD says because he knows his onions.

I am wary of using AutoCAD geometry (especially undimensioned geometry) in Inventor, but as a quick way to get a feel for the 3D geometry I copied the AutoCAD 2D into appropriate sketches in Inventor and made the sketch blocks so that I could easily constrain them to the origin.

I have too much work on my plate to take this to the finish right now, but if I did have time I would

-continue creating the geometry from the given information (I assume you have an advantage in that you are familiar with the product and probably have an actual part/assembly)

this step is only for me to become familiar with the unfamiliar.

-step 2, I would probably start over from scratch once I understood the geometry and make a robust - fully parametric model. If I was really confident in the AutoCAD and the design not likely to change I might skip this step, but not likely. A lot of people are reluctant to start over thinking they have too much time invested in the original attempt. I have always found that it is faster for me to do a quick and dirty attempt and then start over from scratch using what I learned from the first attempt (even if I have days or weeks invested in the first attempt). The second attempt solves very quickly and is much cleaner and robust. Then a year later I open the second attempt and realize that I was an idiot a year ago and it was really garbage.

ACAD 2 Inventor.ipt