Converting pictures into Inventor solid models

[Hopinc]

Hi Guys,

 

It's been a long time since I posted on this forum, so firstly I would like to say a big hello to all my old contacts.

 

I have a question that someone here might be able to help me with?

 

I have a Honda F20C engine and gearbox which I would like to photograph and turn into an accurate 3D Inventor solid model. Is there a surefire way of doing this?

 

I am aware that Labs had a project called "Photofly," which I believe is now called "123D Catch" for doing something similar, but I am not sure that this will give me what I want. I get the impression, rightly or wrongly, that it is aimed more at 3DS Max users.

 

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

Best wishes to all.

 

Dave

[SLW210]

123D Catch can save to .dwg, sounds like what you need.

[Hopinc]

Sorry Mr. Moderator, but that does not really help. I believe you are suggesting converting a 3 view .dwg into a solid model using the 2D to 3D Labs software. Although the engine could be simplified for my purposes it is still a very complex shape and I don't believe it would lend itself to that process.

 

I would rather go straight from a series of stitched photographs to an .ipt - if that is possible?

[Bishop]

I would rather go straight from a series of stitched photographs to an .ipt - if that is possible?

 

 

If that was possible, then your payroll for CAD guys would be a lot smaller.

[JD Mather]

Insert picture onto sketch.

Scale to correct size.

Start sketching.

Here is an example

http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/content/DSG322/Inventor%20Tutorials/Inventor%202011%20Tutorial%2014.pdf

[Hopinc]

Mr. Bishop

 

No, not really. If your comment was serious then I will explain further why this would not be the case?

 

Dave

[Hopinc]

Hi JD,

 

It's been a while since we talked. I am well aware of the method you propose. I have used it myself in the past, but not often. It's a possible solution, but it is not what I am really asking about. I guess I should not have added the "any suggestions" to my original post. Let me re-phrase - is there any software available that will allow me to stitch together multiple photographs (with known size references) to produce a file suitable for import into Inventor, i.e. .igs,.stp, parasolid binary, etc?

 

Dave

[Denimoth]

Sorry Mr. Moderator, but that does not really help. I believe you are suggesting converting a 3 view .dwg into a solid model using the 2D to 3D Labs software. Although the engine could be simplified for my purposes it is still a very complex shape and I don't believe it would lend itself to that process.

 

I would rather go straight from a series of stitched photographs to an .ipt - if that is possible?

 

SLW210's suggestion is valid. You only assumed you weren't getting a 3D model in .dwg, but the software does create a solid model within the .dwg file format, which you can import into Inventor. You should try a little research and check it out before dismissing it out of hand based only on assumptions.

 

http://www.123dapp.com/catch

 

 

I seriously doubt there's something in the market to create instant .ipt files from a series of pictures.

[Hopinc]

Mr Denimoth,

 

Thank you for your input. Please refer to my original post when I said about Catch 123D, quote: " ....I am not sure that this will give me what I want. I get the impression, rightly or wrongly, that it is aimed more at 3DS Max users."

 

FYI - I have looked at every video I could find regarding Catch 123D and saw nothing that indicated it could do what I am looking for. It was not at all clear what file types could be output, or indeed if the pictures could be stitched together to form a proper solid. The examples always seemed to be open ended.

 

My apologies to the moderator, If he had indicated that the .dwg output was in 3D it might have made things more clear. In lack of evidence to the contrary, I did make the assumption that it was 2D. That's a legacy of my using SDRC's I-Deas for 3D and AutoCAD for 2D for 30 years. I guess I never think of AutoCAD in 3D terms - I have always had something better to use.

 

I do thank you for your clarification of the file output and I will indeed give the software a go.

 

Regards all.

 

Dave