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Point Cloud in SW

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scottyganger

Nuclear
Jun 5, 2009
5
Does anyone know how to import a set of points into solid works, like what format do the points need to be in?
 
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thread559-183201

The data is a .txt file that is tab delimited.

-Dustin
Professional Engineer
Certified SolidWorks Professional
Certified COSMOSWorks Designer Specialist
Certified SolidWorks Advanced Sheet Metal Specialist
 
If you're trying to create a line based on a set of points, then Insert -> Curve -> Curve through XYZ Points. The file needs to be a .txt comma separated file with x y and z coordinates in separate columns. If you're trying to import a set of points that define a surface, you'll have to use a third party software.
 
Where trying to draw a plasma cloud. We have like 10000 points in cylindrical coordinates, but we could convert them to cartesian.
 
Thank you guys. I'm going to play around with that, see what I can do. Ya'll the best
 
Wow, that import worked like a dream. Thanks. Wait, is there anyway to loft it. It comes in as either a set of points, a set of points, each connected by a line, or a set of points with a spline?

Thanks in advance!
 
You have to loft the sketches in SWx. I didn't see a way to do it in 3D point cloud.
 
Okay thanks. Is there any way to extrude around a spline? like, to make a spline look like a tube?
 
Yes ... select the spline, select the Extrude tool, select Thin Feature, set sizes, click the tick.
 
I was trying to do something with only Points sometime ago, and eventualy, through someone's help (can't remember who to thank), found a site that had the 3D point macro program.


Gen3DPointCloud.swp will import 3D points which can then be used to make Surface-Planer, or a myriad of other uses, I would guess.
Although creating Planes and Inserting Surfaces for my application was a bit tedious, it worked better than I thought.

(If someone knows how to Insert these Surfaces automatically, let me know)

Excel generates the points which are then selected as X,Y,Z values only and pasted into a *.txt file
The Macro is Run, the *.txt file selected and then the points appear in your model.

At first I couldn't figure out how to get the Macro installed on my computer.... look at the upper-right hand corner of the web-page and use the tiny little 'download zip' button.

Place this in the MACRO folder of SW. Dont forget to Un-zip if your system doesnt automatically do this.

In order to use it, you have to click on Tools>Macros>Run, then select Gen3DPointCloud.swp
A window will pop up and you fill in the blanks as stated above.

(Even tho' the file may be listed under previous Runs, I found that it won't execute if selected in that manner.)
 
scottyganger ... did you mean use the spline as the centreline for a tube? If so you need to create a profile (inner and outer diameters of the tube) at one end of the spline, and then use the Sweep tool with the spline as the path.
 
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