Exporting and viewing CAD image

[John Riggins]

I am wondering if anyone out there has tried to view the .CAD file that PC-DMIS creates with a CAD program of some kind.

The inspection group here generates an analysis report when parts are found out of tolerance and along with this they include a screen shot of the part.
Typically this would have the graphical analysis turned on with arrows showing the direction of deviation.

Not everyone has the same ability to "view" a 3-D screen shot and see what is going on.

If the "screen shot" was dynamic and you could rotate the view around, well heck, there would be no problem. (Yeah, I know, I am dreaming... no matter how simple you make it there will always be someone who gripes).

Adobe has done some great things with PDF's and giving the ability to dynamically view CAD files within their viewer.

Do you think the .CAD files generated by PC-DMIS could be used this way?

[hoist bouncer]

My cad dept. would love it if I could output the cad with the points generated with demis. But there agian, B&S says it is not a cad software so that it won't compete with the cad software out there already.

[Underspec]

Can't you export the CAD model with your points? I know I've had to export a CAD model from a program before that was written with no CAD so the engineers to evaulate it.

[Paul Sarrach]

Export your results in a format that you can read. That is how reverse engineering is done.

[John Riggins]

Export your results in a format that you can read. That is how reverse engineering is done.

Right, that gives me the measured data.
I want the measured data wedded to the Cad along with the analysis graphics.

JR

[craiger_ny]

Adobe has come out with a non-editable 3D model file now that cad packages are getting into outputting. I don't remember the name. Perhaps someday PCDMIS will output that format.

[John Riggins]

Adobe has come out with a non-editable 3D model file now that cad packages are getting into outputting. I don't remember the name. Perhaps someday PCDMIS will output that format.

Yes, we use that here. I was hoping that someone had worked that out with the Wilcox folks... guess not.

[Don Ruggieri]

Keep in mind, the CAD model was imported to PC-DMIS to begin with. This had to have been an IGES file (or DXF, or ProE, etc.) so you already have that.

Now all you need to do is to post the measured data out to IGES and then overlay it within your CAD system.

You do need to be aware that they need to be the same coordinate system, but there are tools to make that happen.

[John Riggins]

Keep in mind, the CAD model was imported to PC-DMIS to begin with. This had to have been an IGES file (or DXF, or ProE, etc.) so you already have that.

Now all you need to do is to post the measured data out to IGES and then overlay it within your CAD system.

You do need to be aware that they need to be the same coordinate system, but there are tools to make that happen.

Yes, I can do that.
The valuable bit (that is missing) is the graphical analysis stuff (colored arrows, etc).

It would be great to take the complete image and export it into something like Adobe and then with a viewer/reader dynamicaly rotate.

[dwade]

One of our sister plants uses InnovMETRIC PolyWorks with the Mycrona they have. Compares CAD to actuals. I've seen it once but have never played with it myself.