GearHeads Forum

Hi :

  I doubt you can, Bevels are quite complex objects and a DXF doesnt really have all the information youd need to
make one. Youd be better off using some stl program to try to convert the stl output to a solid..

Art

How do you draw in sketch up a bevel gear dxf output?

Gavin:

    For anything other than bevels it should be trivial. Just import the 2d dxf with spokes and all into whatever solds program you have. Then select that outline and extrude it to the depth you want. It should be a trivial operation in any 3d program. Bevels are different, there is no outline to extrude , its a process. But all other gears should probably be extruded in the solids program of your choice from the 2d dxf.

    STL's are great for what half of the world wants for operations upon, but when you need solids, you really need to create them from the 2d data I think, until such time as I can add a .step output..


Thx
Art

I create a spur gear with no spokes, open it in GT and export it to STL.
This STL is not convertible to a solid in AutoCAD 2013/SketchUpMake etc.
I must run this STL through netfab and then I can import it into SketchUpMake  and use solid editing on it.
If I export this to DXF It is still not convertible to a solid in autocad 2013

Just hoping someone here finds a solution at some point to go from gearotic to editable solid with a bit more ease.
I have found this far that is is possible with the following:
GM>STL>GT>STL>netfabb>SketchUpMake(with stl plugin installed)

Thanks.
Gavin.

Gavin:

    GM always used surface modeling to do its 3d models. But the differences between surface models and solids are a
matter of process. Its what makes it so difficult. That having been said, GM's 3d models of bevels are bad, they are unclosed and
not appropriate to convert to a solid, GT's output of the same bevel IS closed and convertable to a solid. ( I'm not aware of the best way to do that as I dont yet do much with solids, though that will likely change). So try to load your bevel into GT, then export the STL from there.
Since the stl will then be a closed manifold surface it should be the best model to work with and give you the best chance of success at whatever modification your attempting.

  Some have requested other CAD output formats so the object could be put out as a solid directly. The problem Im having is the
standards to do that dont really exist other than to purchase an expensive file conversion utility. So until I release the new software in
September/Oct timeframe, use GT to make STL's of the bevels, then see what your CAD will do with those, its the best shot you have.
When the new software is released, it wont solve this issue, but I am willing at that point to put a great deal of resources towards further
output types for solids as well as many other features that have been requested. I must admit I never figured the 3d models would become important, GM was meant to make simple 3d models like gears,pulleys and such but it seems when I added Bevels, I opened a large doorway to incredible complexity in dealing with true 3d models as opposed to 2.5D based 3d models that are much easier to deal with
in terms of CAD remodification.


Thx
Art

I'm still having trouble editing my bevil gears in autocad.
I notice on the main page of the gearotic website that it will do 3d solids for various CAD.

What CAD program do I need to use to work on a bevel gear created in gearotic.

Is it a feature of the latest dev version?
Currently if I export to 3d dxf I do not get a 3d solid but a mesh that can't be converted to solid for solid editing or exporting to stl.

At the moment I'm having to create my gears in gearotic, print them, then glue them to my model.
I'd prefer to create in gearotic, export to dxf solid, edit in autocad and export to stl from there.

Is this possible?
I'm stuck with DXF as long as I stick with AutoCAD

Thanks,
Gavin.

I am using the latest betas, Gearotic and Moi3d Ver3 Beta. Moi3d Ver 2 does not have DXF export AFAIK.

I usually output from Gearotic as 2d dxf with the backplate, don't bother about spokes or worry too much about shaft size.

I either open or import into Moi3d, then join if needed, (highlight the gear and click on Join Icon as I find that the spur gears with more teeth require a join), draw spokes, and shafts, then extrude, and build the rest of the mechanism and output either as 2d dxf for cnc or as an STL for 3D printer.

More steps are required to output 2D dxf from Moi as I usually disassemble the 3D model lay the parts down flat on the XY plane and align to a common base line before outputting the file.
Having done this for a while now, I don't regard it as a hassle as I can draw a rectangle the size of my spoil board and arrange the parts quite easier than doing it in VCarve pro.

In Vcarve I do have to remember to check for open sectors, and also convert to curves as VCarve may see the curves as straight line segments. Also when I go from GM straight to VCarve, just in case.

STL exported from Moi3d does not have to be repositioned before export as the 3d printer software (Up Mini) can rotate the part easily to put the best side up for printing providing that the exported parts are aligned on the XYZ axes, on the odd occasion I have a funky angle it isn't too much hassle to align the part in either Moi3d or using the printer software.

I just tried InStep, http://www.solveering.com/instep.html, which can convert stl to step.  The plan was to use it to import into alibre design, but alibre choked on it because it was a 30MB file.  I tried a smaller file (I used wings3d to slice out 1 tooth), and that worked fine. 

Alibre can export stl, which I then use in slic3r.

Gavin:

  Actually, I use it mainly for dxf output myself, and I postprocess in programs like Vectric , though I often just use the Gcode output as well. Its the 3d models that arent as good as Id like, though many use them for 3d printing, the resolution suffers above a certain tooth count.

  But like all things in CAD, the problems come in when one program doesnt recognise another's format, and DXF is very well known as being troublesome as are stl and any 3d model. Triangulation standards vary between various software programs.  Hopefully, youll see better and better output as time rolls along.

Art

Output to an open cad standard would be great as I could edit it directly with software like freecad.
I feel I've gotten good value from the software already and will be happy whenever there is any updates. For me I was supprised I couldn't find another bit of software to allow easy creation of 3d cad gears. In fact I somehow read the website, trailed the software, and purchased it believing its primary function was as a 3d modeler.  I must read a bit more of this forum, I'm guessing you use this to output directly to some sort of milling machine.