Help! DXF Tube Profiles

[BMS Chris]

Hi all,

Im new to the forum and i can say a novice with Catia, Ive just built a roll cage in a Peugeot 205, i have measured it with a FARO arm CMM, the plan is to get a DXF file for each tube for laser cutting, but my question is how do i do it?

I think i got close by going into the wireframe section and unfolding the tube?

Thanks in Advanced
Chris

 

[MrCATIA]

Sounds like a cool project with lots of neat tools! Is this a school project?

I'm not sure, but I think your question is how to convert your developed (unfolded) tube into a dxf file? Use File + SAVE AS and change the type to DXF.

 

[BMS Chris]

Thank you MR Catia for your reply, this is a new venture for where i work-we specialise in CNC bending of rollcage components, but are going into the supply and fit of full rollcages.

I happear to have 'ran before i can walk', so i have a couple more questions..

What i have done is constructed each tube, bent or straight, as individual parts in the Wireframe section, ive really struggled with the intersection of the tubes. When i intersect I get the desired profile around the tube, but when i 'open the part/rib in a different window' all that appears is the tube with the profile line but with the original slightly-longer flat-unprofiled end.
So, in short: A) Am i doing the right thing regarding achieving the profile
B) how do i remove the excess to get the tube profiled
C) how do i unfold the tube so it can be saved as a DXF.

Thanks in advanced for any help!
Chris

 

[MrCATIA]

Chris, it's difficult to answer without seeing exactly what you are doing.

A) Correct Method? You could easily design the tubes with the Part Design workbench, and then Extract the surface for flattening. Or, you could use the GSD workbench and work directly with surface geometry. Either method should work, but working with Solids (in Part Design) is probably easier.

B) Remove the exess? In the Part Design workbench, there are many different ways you could trim one tube to another. A boolean Remove Operation is probably the way I would do it. In the GSD workbench, you could Trim the surface by using the Intersection curve

C) Unfold the tube? Assuming you have the DL1 license, you could use the Unfold tool to flatten the extracted surface (or the trimmed surface), and then save it as a DXF file.

Why you don't see the trimmed part when you open the part in a new window could be from several things:

1. Maybe the part is hidden?
2. Maybe the Work Object is not the final part?
3. Maybe you're not paying attention to which part is active in the assembly, and you have construction geometry in one part and the solid geometry in another?

Chris, I strongly suggest you get someone to come in to help you and your company with the best method and over-the-shoulder training. Most VARs that sell CATIA software provide this type of consulting. Some even provide some free consulting as part of the software purchase.