I’ve created a pattern and sent to (4) vendors for waterjet quotes on creating a 14’ x 8’ panel. All of them said they cannot import the file to their CAD program because it is a mesh and not a solid. Any ideas on what I can do?
Hard to say without seeing the pattern. In what format are you sending the file? Have you tried sending a .dxf file exported from SketchUp or from LayOut?
Only SketchUp but I’ve sent dxf and dwg files.
Wall Panel 4 Detail.skp (220.8 KB)
Did you select the standard Top view before exporting the thing to .dxf or .dwg?
I cleaned up your model–fixed incorrect tag usage and purged unused content. I also created a scene using the standard top view so the thickness of the panel doesn’t come into it. Then I sent it to LayOut and set the viewport to 1:1 on the paper, rendered as Vector and exported the .dxf. Will that do what they need?
Wall Panel 4 Detail.skp (122.6 KB)
Wall pattern.layout (174.6 KB)
Wall Pattern.dxf (313.5 KB)
I did use the standard top camera view for exporting. I also used Solid Inspector and there were 464 stray edges, when fixed it disappeared all of the internal geometry.
I’ve never used layout and did not send them a vector file a a dxf but will now… thanks for the assist!
I guess I don’t understand what or how I got incorrect tags? The cnc water jet just requires outlines of the pattern for their machine-specific cutting process but otherwise the panels will be 1/4" aluminum
Your 3D panel was not a component or group. You’ll notice it is now in the .skp file I shared.
I expect the vector file is what they really need. Setting it up in LayOut is a good way to get that. If it was useful you could add dimensions and annotations in LayOut to include in the export. You could also export a PDF from the LO file that could be printed full size if you wanted a paper pattern or needed the pattern on film. Maybe not in this instance but if you needed to do a photo-resist sort of thing for etching printing the PDF on film would work great.
Earlier you wrote:
Those are vector formats.
All edges and faces should be created and remain untagged in SketchUp. Only groups and components should be given tags. In your model you had a bunch of edges that were tagged although not all of them.
Hopefully the .dxf file I gave you will do the job.
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