Programming Robotic Plasma Cutter

[tekla019]

We do steel parts detailing in AUTOCAD. I'm being asked to output drawing files to use with this machine that reads dstv files and "self programs" the beam cutting machine:

<link

http://www.tekla-detailed-structural-fabrication.com>Tekla-Detailed-Structural-Fabrication</link>

Is there a way (or available software) that will convert AUTOCAD to dstv format so I can run some tests?

 

[mcgyvr]

Can't you just supply them a dxf file?

 

[tekla019]

Apparently not - or if that's what they get someone has to jump through hoops to make it interface correctly, whereas it sucks the dstv right in. Here's a relevant site, but it doesn't give enough details and says nothing about AUTOCAD . . .

http://www.tekla-detailed-structural-fabrication.com

 

[MikeHalloran]

This page specifically says that it accepts data from AutoCAD:

http://www.pythonx.com/capabilities/TEKLA-StruCAD-SDS-2.html#

... somehow.
Links that should logically lead you to more information are dead.

I was hoping to find some kind of guideline for how to format whatever must be sent. E.g. some ancient sheet metal nesting software I've used expected all geometry on layer 0, and would ignore anything on any other layer, but given that, it would happily read a DXF file even if it contained a lot of other stuff that was not meaningful to it.





Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[mcgyvr]

Well either your vendor/machine operator is just lazy or they haven't purchased the optional software to be able to accept DXF files (which is really stupid as DXF is a VERY typical import format for machines like that)

Now having said that you can try to download the demo of SoftBurn and give it a try.. or any other demo for steel detailing cad packages (I have no idea what they cost or how long the demo is,etc..)
I'd rather spend my time finding another vendor though. Any vendor worth a grain of salt would purchase the necessary software themselves to keep a customer.

 

[tekla019]

Thanks to Mike and mcgyver. I put in a call to the machine vendor directly:

http://www.pythonx.com

instead of going through our customer interface. Am waiting for a reply.