Importing AutoCad 2008 file into 3ds max 7

[jpbermany]

I've been trying to import a 3D model from CAD into 3ds max, but the lofts I used to create curved shapes are showing up in 3ds max as boxes. Is there a way to correct this? Can lofts made in autocad even be imported into 3ds max and retain their shape?

[Cad64]

Yes, but maybe no.

 

I am not familiar with Max 7 because I never used it. I started with Max 9. I don't think version 7 will be able to Import lofts from Autocad, since Autocad could not create lofts back when Max 7 was released. So Max has no way of understanding what the loft object is.

 

So the answer is yes, newer versions of Max can Import Autocad lofts, but I don't think older versions will be able to.

 

If you post a screenshot of your Import settings, I can take a look and see if anything looks incorrect, but I don't think Max 7 can perform the Import.

[jpbermany]

Here are the import settings I've used. The scale is set to meters because I've been working in metric in CAD...

[jpbermany]

I'm also not used to working with NURBS or any of the surface features in 3ds max, but perhaps you know of a good tutorial in 3ds max to help me recreate the shapes I've been trying to import? They're basically similar to the curves of a boat...

[Cad64]

You could try setting your "Surface Deviation for 3D Solids" to .01. That's what I typically use.

 

Just out of curiosity. You did save your Autocad file down to Autocad 2000 format before Importing, right? Saving it back to 2000 format might dumb it down enough for Max 7 to understand it?

 

If you can't get the loft to import, you could just import the splines, or arcs or whatever you used to create the loft in Autocad. Then you could maybe follow This Tutorial to create the hull. The tutorial was written in 2006, so I'm not sure what version it's good for, maybe Max 8 or 9? But it may also work for Max 7.

 

Give it a try.

[jpbermany]

Thanks alot! I'll give it a shot. Oh and yes, I did save it as 2000 format, otherwise max wouldn't import any of the drawing.

[jpbermany]

Oh, another question- I actually tried following that tutorial, but when it came to trying to loft the contour of the boat (just after lofting the first geometry) I tried and tried and tried to "get path' and loft the first shape into the boats contour lengthwise, as shown, but instead it just created a crazy arched shaped bending up into the air...couldn't figure it out. Tried changing the axis constraints from Y to X, etc but nothing worked, it still just kept lofting it into a strange form...

[jpbermany]

Here's how the damn thing kept turning out...no idea

I appreciate the tips though!

[jpbermany]

oops, here's the screenshot of my attempt.

[Cad64]

Well, there are many free tutorials online covering Loft in Max. Just Google 3DS Max Loft and check the results.

 

Here's one where you create a banana with Loft: http://www.arif3dtutorial.com/creating-a-banana-model-using-3ds-max-loft-command/