Use the 3D-Cam dialog to enter parameters for the 3D-Cam. Save/export the Cam as a STEP file. Open the STEP file in SolidWorks®, or your other 3D-CAD.
Open the 3D-Cam dialog
 3D-Cam dialog-box |
Edit the 3D-Cam:
The 3D-Cam dialog is now open. |
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The 3D-Cam dialog has three tabs: CAM tab the main design parametersDISPLAY tab - colors, display as 'solid' or as a 'mesh', and more.EXPORT tab - if you want to export directly into SolidWorks.It also has two buttons: Rebuild and SaveTo export the 3D-Cam, we recommend you use the Save button to save the 3D-Cam as a STEP file - see below. |
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From MD14+ we recommend you follow these instructions. In MechDesigner 3D-Cam dialog: 1.Click Rebuild button at the top of the 3D-Cam dialog 2.Click Save button In the Windows Save as dialog, make sure the file-type is *.STP, and save the cam as, e.g. Cam.STP In SOLIDWORKS 3.Open the Cam.STEP file in SolidWorks® 4.Agree to do: Import Diagnostics. 5.Close Import Diagnostics command Depending on your SolidWorks® user settings, you may also need to: a.Right-Click the feature in the Feature Manager. In the shortcut-menu: b.Right-Click the feature in the Feature Manager. In the shortcut-menu: c.Click Dissolve Feature and Yes, break the link d.Right-Click the feature in the Feature-Manager, again e.In the contextual menu, click Import Diagnostics In the Import Diagnostics dialog in the Feature Manager: f.Click the Attempt to Heal All button, and then close the Import Diagnostics command. 6.Save Cam.STEP as a SolidWorks® file type e.g. Cam.SLDPRT. Now, we will cut Cam.SLDPRT from a prepared SolidWorks® part file, e.g. Cam-Blank.SLDPRT, to leave the Cam-Track (or a Cam-Flank) cut into Cam-Blank 7.Open the prepared SolidWorks® part Cam-Blank.SLDPRT. Do, with Cam-Blank.SLDPRT the active document 8. Insert menu > Part... ; select the SolidWorks® CAM.SLDPRT file 9.Click the 'Tick' in the SolidWorks® feature manager. Cam.SLDPRT becomes a feature and a Solid Body Cam<imported> Do: 10.Insert menu > Feature > Combine. 11.Select Subtract as the Operation Type and, in the Bodies to Combine box, select Cam-Blank as the Main-Body and Cam<imported> as the body to subtract. You should now see the Cam-Track in the Cam-Blank. It is possible that the Solid Body Cam<imported> is not in the correct place relative to Cam-Blank. Most typically, Cam<imported> and Cam-Blank.SLDPRT are defined on different Planes. In this case, you can redefine the sketch-planes of Cam.Blank (easiest method). or move Cam<imported>. To move Cam<imported>, do: 12.Insert menu > Feature > Move/Copy... and select Cam.SLDPRT as the body to move. |
This method is here for completeness. We suggest you use the STEP model method- described above. When you use this method, we export all of the XYZ coordinates to SOLIDWORKS® as Curve features. We instruct SOLIDWORKS® to create the surface features , and to cut the surfaces from Cam-Blank to leave the 3D-Cam. However, this method creates a heavy model in SOLIDWORKS®. Do you have the correct Type-Libraries installed? To transfer the Cam-Data to SOLIDWORKS® you must have the correct Type-Libraries in your installation directory that match your installation of SOLIDWORKS®. Look in Help menu > About > Type-Libraries tab. The SOLIDWORKS® version and the Type-Libraries should be the same. If they are not the same, then save your model and restart MD. Look in the Help > About > Type-Libraries again. Email PSMotion if the years do not agree. |