Dxf Importer Trouble?

[James RS]

Hello,
I've had my CW for awhile now purchased the STL and DXF importers. Anyway I tried a dxf file today, it looked great in the designer software. When I cut it out it had overlapping lines not seen in designer any ideas?
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[mtylerfl]

Hello,
I've had my CW for awhile now purchased the STL and DXF importers. Anyway I tried a dxf file today, it looked great in the designer software. When I cut it out it had overlapping lines not seen in designer any ideas?


Hello,

Please post your MPC so we can take a good look at it to find the problem.

[James RS]

Edit to original post I added the mpc,

Thanks
Jim

[mtylerfl]

Edit to original post I added the mpc,

Thanks
Jim

Hi Jim,

Was that the EXACT MPC you used for the photos you posted?? I see nothing wrong at all with the MPC if it was run as specified in your MPC on .75" material at a .25" depth carve with the 1/16th cutting bit (i.e., the 1/16 "straight bit" in the Designer bit selection menu). What puzzles me a little is the photo you showed looks like a cutout was performed. Is there more to the story you may want to share with us?

EDIT: I re-read your original post and you do say you performed a cut out. What are the details of how you ran this? The MPC is expecting a 3/4" board. Did you affix a 1/4" thick board on top of a 1/2" thick board so that it fooled the machine into thinking you had a 3/4" board? If so, you may want to change your setup...go ahead and specify the material thickness as the 1/4" thickness in the MPC layout and run the project again. What you'll see during setup is the LCD will ask if you want "board" or "project" thickness...you will select "project".

ANOTHER EDIT: As I look at your photos more closely, it appears that the "extra" lines are actually an offset of the dolphin outlines themselves. Looks like the board "slipped"...do you recall anything like that happening when you ran the project?

[James RS]

Michael, I ran the project as follows I used a 1/4" board attached to a 1/2" board with a 1/16" cutout bit set to 3 passes .083" as not to put a strain on the bit.
The only offset was on the outside, I watched the whole carve in progress which is what has me puzzled there was no slippage what so ever as the bit retraced each time without a problem. The file I posted is as I ran it, when I imported the Dxf file I did not see any extra lines.
I am running 1.175 version could that be it?

[Cabinetdesigner]

Is there any way you can post the dxf I would like to take a look at it in autocad and see if I can see a problem also when you import it into the dxf importer are you doing auto connect?

[Cabinetdesigner]

OK I took a close look at your mpc I set the bit to no bit. I began to select the geometry 1 by one and I saw problems with the geometry. If I had the dxf I could fix it and send it back to you. thanks Joe

[mtylerfl]

...
I am running 1.175 version could that be it?

Yes, it could be. Update to 1.177 (1.75 had known issues with double-sided carving ...I don't recall hearing about DXF issues, but you need to update to 1.177 regardless.)

[mtylerfl]

OK I took a close look at your mpc I set the bit to no bit. I began to select the geometry 1 by one and I saw problems with the geometry. If I had the dxf I could fix it and send it back to you. thanks Joe

Hi Joe,

Where specifically did you see issues with the geometry? I didn't spot anything wrong with the outlines in Designer. (i.e., Toggle Non-End Points did not show any open vectors, for example.) Thanks for pitching in on this. We can use all the eyes we can get!

[Cabinetdesigner]

I stand corrected I gave it a second look and I could not see what I thought I saw earlier. I still would like to see the original dxf.

[dbfletcher]

on the top dolphin the inside cutout if you select the geometry you will see a black that projects outside of the outline. another way to see the issues is to right click on the geometry and select break figure and the problems become more apparent. I don't feel that the board is slipping if I get the dxf I am certain I can fix the geometry and it will cut properly. I could fix it without the dxf but it would easier with it. If I could get images to upload to the forum I would upload screen shots showing the problem areas.

Are you refering to the spline handles? (The blue dots) If so, it still looks ok to me.

[Cabinetdesigner]

Are you refering to the spline handles? (The blue dots) If so, it still looks ok to me. that is probably what I was seeing sorry

[James RS]

Ok I added the original Dxf file to the first post, I used a program that converts Pdf files to Dxf. The program made it larger, I scaled the it down in the Importer.
But the file I posted is original size.

Thanks,
Jim

[mtylerfl]

Hi Jim,

I imported the DXF (HUGE Size!) into CorelDraw and it looks reasonable. I noticed there is an embedded text block about in the area where I think you're getting those extra lines carved.

I then imported the DXF into the Aspire software and the DXF is quite different...lots and lots of extra vertical lines running through the entire design. I also see that embedded text block in Aspire as well. Here's what the text block says: "Unregistered Version http://www.aidecad.com"

I'm not positive on this, but I'm thinking somehow the conversion may be faulty...and MAYBE that text block is causing the wackiness when carved??? I do not know. In your MPC, everything looks just fine.

Here's a suggestion. Start with a "clean" DXF that you created yourself and carve that to see if you have any issues. I'll bet you won't. Do you have CorelDraw or some program that is equivalent? Draw a vector design, export it as a AutoCadR14 DXF, then import that one into Designer and run a test carve.

Please let us know how it turns out.

EDIT: I quickly converted the DXF from Aspire to a NEW one (I removed all the extra lines and that mysterious text block). I'm getting ready to leave for church so I have not tested this. Try it out and see if it works.

[Cabinetdesigner]

Hi Jim,

I imported the DXF (HUGE Size!) into CorelDraw and it looks reasonable. I noticed there is an embedded text block about in the area where I think you're getting those extra lines carved.

I then imported the DXF into the Aspire software and the DXF is quite different...lots and lots of extra vertical lines running through the entire design. I also see that embedded text block in Aspire as well. Here's what the text block says: "Unregistered Version http://www.aidecad.com"

I'm not positive on this, but I'm thinking somehow the conversion may be faulty...and MAYBE that text block is causing the wackiness when carved??? I do not know. In your MPC, everything looks just fine.

Here's a suggestion. Start with a "clean" DXF that you created yourself and carve that to see if you have any issues. I'll bet you won't. Do you have CorelDraw or some program that is equivalent? Draw a vector design, export it as a AutoCadR14 DXF, then import that one into Designer and run a test carve.

Please let us know how it turns out.

EDIT: I quickly converted the DXF from Aspire to a NEW one (I removed all the extra lines and that mysterious text block). I'm getting ready to leave for church so I have not tested this. Try it out and see if it works.
I opened it with autocad and the first thing I noticed was there was hatching in the cut out areas that were causing lines across the design when I deleted the hatching the lines disappeared. If I can figure out why It wont let me load attachments I will upload screen shots.

[mtylerfl]

I opened it with autocad and the first thing I noticed was there was hatching in the cut out areas that were causing lines across the design when I deleted the hatching the lines disappeared. If I can figure out why It wont let me load attachments I will upload screen shots.

Yep, that's what I saw in Aspire...the "zillion" lines and text block. (CorelDraw did not show the "zillion" lines, but did show the text block). I still think it's a bad DXF file somehow. However, the vectors in Designer looked like they should carve alright, so it's a mystery. I wonder if Jim has had a chance to do a test with another (known clean) DXF?

[James RS]

Hey there, I haven't had a chance to re-carve the new file. It's a bit chilly in the shop so it'll have to wait to later this week.
Thanks for the help, but I find it kinda weird it didn't show up in designer.I'll definitely post a update

Thanks
Jim

[mtylerfl]

Hey there, I haven't had a chance to re-carve the new file. It's a bit chilly in the shop so it'll have to wait to later this week.
Thanks for the help, but I find it kinda weird it didn't show up in designer.I'll definitely post a update

Thanks
Jim

I understand. Say, I created a NEW MPC for you to try. It is laid out with the board set at 0.25" thickness, as it should be...just remember to select "Project" when prompted at the LCD for the board thickness. You can go ahead and use your 1/2"-thick board (or even thicker) and whatever hold-down method you used before (so the pieces don't separate in the machine, since these are not true cut paths with tabs).

[James RS]

Thanks Michael,
Hoping maybe this coming weekend

Jim