2D to 3D conversion help

[gunnykiln]

I have been running into a few problems using sketch picture. I have been asked to vectorize some old hand sketched drawings (later these will be converted to 3D parts). The drawings are full scale and have NO dimensions. Again, no dimensions but there are some notations that allow me to roughly verify the scale, and many parts with complex curves (aircraft airfoil) so simply creating a model from scratch is not an option. I was given full scale tif scans of the full scale drawings.

When I open the tif drawings up in paint shop pro and turn on the ruler I can verify that the image is pretty close to one to one. (There is a notation for an 1/4" ID tube and its pretty close to that via the ruler.) When I use the image as a background for "sketch picture" and I measure that feature it is roughly 2" dia rather than the actual size of 1/4". So why is solidworks scaling my picture? I can move/rotate the image but I haven't yet found a way to turn this scaling feature off.


Another question that is not related: Is there any way you can scale an entire assembly? Suppose I made an assembly model with 100s of parts and each part with a drawing, can I scale it up or down (maybe as a configuration) and it update all the parts and corresponding drawings?

 

[gunnykiln]

Arrgg. Never mind. I now see the X and Y scale feature.

 

[bvanhiel]

The default is 1mm per pixel. I often use photoshop to shrink drawings to this scale before pulling them into SW.

-b

 

[mmurphy50]

You can also use Adobe Illustrator or Wintopo to vectorize your tif file and save it as a dxf.

Wintopo is a free download

http://wintopo.com/

Hope this helps.

 

[gunnykiln]

"The default is 1mm per pixel. I often use photoshop to shrink drawings to this scale before pulling them into SW."


What do you do if you have features smaller than 1mm? A 1/2 mm hole for example?



I have been trying various formats and save options and this sketch picture is very quirky. The original Tif scans are 36"X75" and 400 pix/in resolution.

I have tried files 50Meg in Tif format that I can import (original tif cropped to about 1/8) and I have tried other tif files 15M (original tif palate reduced to just black and white and cropped to 1/2 org size)that I cannot import into solidworks. It says it is too large (I have 2G of ram and 4G swap file).

I have also been able to import a 130M PNG file (complete 35"x75" 400 pixel/in drawing) that looks great in paint shop pro and photoimpact, but when its imported into solidworks and the scale set to the correct size the resolution is so bad it is useless.

I have also tried 4M gif files and 20M jpg files it also said they were too large and/or not enough memory. Odd since I have over a gig of ram unused and 50M &130M files that I was able to import.

This is nuts! Is there an actual physical dimension size limit? What am I missing?

 

[bvanhiel]

Your file sizes are much larger than anything I've ever used, so I can't help you there. My guess is that it's a graphics limitation because the image is essentially being applied as a texture to the sketch plane.

I would suggest that you follow mmurphy50's advice and vectorize the file outside of SolidWorks.

-b

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Are you using the /3GB switch

 

[gunnykiln]

What is a /3GB switch and do you use it with only 2G ram?


Also, I have tried wintopo and it would have been OK if the end result wasnt needed for 3D geometry. Once I vectorize the drawings I will need to create actual parts so I need circles to be actual circles, straight lines to be actual straight lines etc. Editing the winopo output would take more time than actual tracing the drawing. Assuming, of course, that I can get the blasted drawings into solidworks in an acceptable resolution.

 

[bvanhiel]

Use the wintopo output in SW as your tracing template.

-b

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

3GB Memory Switch.. thread559-155411

The switch can be used with any amount of RAM.

NOTE: You must have XP-SP2 installed.

 

[SBaugh]

My experience has not been that good - I setup the 3GB switch recently but it ended up making my machine run slower... went back and turned the 3GB switch off and now I am running good again.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Scott ... that's unusual. I've never had a bad experience with any PC I've enabled the /3GB switch on.

Did you notice the slowdown immediately after enabling the switch? I thought I remembered you posting that it was working well for you ... but I'm probably getting confused with someone else.