3D solid Import from AutoCAD

[António da Cunha]

Hello, 

 

I have stairs created with AutoCAD, which is a 3D volume (solid).

 

Imported to Vectorworks and they appear as NURBS inside a Group. I'm not able to convert the NURBS to a generic Solid.

 

Is there a possibility to have this 3D import as a Solid in Vectorworks and not NURBS?

 

Thank you in advance!

[zoomer]

Is it possible to post the Stair DWG ?

Would like to see what kind of Solid it actually is.

 

Normally VW imports DWG Solids totally fine as Generic Solids.

While in the other direction it seems not always that ideal.

Especially these Solids that consist of more than one volume.

[António da Cunha]

There it is. Thank you.

Stairs.dwg

[zoomer]

n Bricscad I see that there IS one single Solid.

But I am also not able to "Separate" everything into separate parts.

 

That complex Solid may be too complex for VW.

I can't even select single Nurbs Curves that I could "Stich" together

to get a Solid.

 

How did you create that Stair Solid in ACAD ?

By extruding Faces and finally boolean addition ?

 

If you can keep the separate Stair Parts's Solids separated it should also

work in VW.

Edited December 10, 2018 by zoomer

[Kevin McAllister]

6 hours ago, António da Cunha said:

I have stairs created with AutoCAD, which is a 3D volume (solid).

Imported to Vectorworks and they appear as NURBS inside a Group. I'm not able to convert the NURBS to a generic Solid.

Is there a possibility to have this 3D import as a Solid in Vectorworks and not NURBS?

 

I think there must be an error in the solids geometry (or its just something VW doesn't like). It is possible to stitch and trim parts of it but there are faces missing so that doesn't really help. The best suggestion (and probably the fastest) would be to remodel it. Its only a few extrusions and many of them could be made by extracting surfaces from the import and extruding them using the import as a snap reference. Unfortunately the stringer frames would need to be traced out because of the missing faces as would the treads. You could easily trace a single tread and duplicate the others using the Move by Points Tool, then extruding them as a group.

 

You may want to submit the DWG to tech support for testing. It may help improve the DWG import module.

 

Probably not the solution you were looking for, but likely the fastest.

 

Kevin

[zoomer]

I also thought about quickly remodel the stair for him but it would be a bit

tedious .... In VW even not all Nurbs Faces came in.

 

And in Bricscad also, all stringer faces are cut anything that touches from

the sides, like treads and handrail supports.

 

[António da Cunha]

Thank you to both of you for the help given. I really appreciate it. 🙂

 

[axhake]

Had a little play with your file;

I exported it from ProgeCAD (didnt have AutoCAD) as a STEP file which came into Vectorworks displaying all surfaces.

From there it was a quick extrude and copy for the treads, copies the stringer frames to the side and traced over,  extruded and copied back into place, quick sutraction of the posts at the bottom and delete all old surfaces. just under 10 mins while I was waiting for AECOsimto finish rendering a plot.

 

Stair - STEP converted.vwx

Edited December 17, 2018 by axhake

[António da Cunha]

On 12/17/2018 at 12:14 PM, axhake said:

Had a little play with your file;

I exported it from ProgeCAD (didnt have AutoCAD) as a STEP file which came into Vectorworks displaying all surfaces.

From there it was a quick extrude and copy for the treads, copies the stringer frames to the side and traced over,  extruded and copied back into place, quick sutraction of the posts at the bottom and delete all old surfaces. just under 10 mins while I was waiting for AECOsimto finish rendering a plot.

 

Stair - STEP converted.vwx

 

Thats a pretty nice and clean job that you did there! Thank you.

 

But it is a pity that Vectorworks does not import the file properly as it should. With SketchUp the file is imported with 3D solids and not just lines (NURBS).