How do you go from a model to the laser?

[dave hensley]

Hi,

All the work I've done so far has been with CorelDraw and "flat" work (engraving or cutting out shapes). I am wanting to go 3 dimensional though and don't know how I could make a 3D model that I could then cut on the laser. Obviously, I'd need software to make the model and I have a few programs for that. The next step is breaking the model into parts that can then be exported(?) and hopefully imported into Corel.

Is anyone here using a CAD program that allows them to export the model in a laser friendly way?

Dave

[Walt Langhans]

Corel has it's own 'auto cad' called Designer and you can easily share files between it and Draw.

[Lee DeRaud]

Obviously, I'd need software to make the model and I have a few programs for that. The next step is breaking the model into parts that can then be exported(?) and hopefully imported into Corel.Check out Autocad 123D Make (http://www.123dapp.com/make). It does the slice-and-dice from 3D back to 2D.

[Doug Griffith]

If you are referring to a "skinned" model, one way to do it is to convert the 3D solid to surfaces (assuming all of them are flat). Then lay them all on the same XY plane and separate/nest each surface. Then convert to curves and export as a DXF. You will need to do some fudging at this point to accommodate for substrate thickness. Possibly even add some tabs.

Otherwise, Rhino and a few other programs have the ability to slice the model into layers. You can then do the same process as above.

[dave hensley]

Corel has it's own 'auto cad' called Designer and you can easily share files between it and Draw.

Thanks Walt! I didn't even know corel had a CAD program! :o

[dave hensley]

Check out Autocad 123D Make (http://www.123dapp.com/make). It does the slice-and-dice from 3D back to 2D.

I did try 123D but found it could not do what I needed. I could not get output that would work with my laser. I have a Universal and was told on the 123D forums that they are partnered with Epilog... I took that to mean I might be out of luck using 123D with my laser.

[dave hensley]

If you are referring to a "skinned" model, one way to do it is to convert the 3D solid to surfaces (assuming all of them are flat). Then lay them all on the same XY plane and separate/nest each surface. Then convert to curves and export as a DXF. You will need to do some fudging at this point to accommodate for substrate thickness. Possibly even add some tabs.

Otherwise, Rhino and a few other programs have the ability to slice the model into layers. You can then do the same process as above.

I am new to CAD Doug, but by skinned, I think you mean as opposed to wireframe?? I've played around with Sketchup and Autodesk 123D and I liked that I could build a birdhouse model in 3D and was hoping to take that directly into Corel for cutting. Previously, I would model something in Sketchup and then take all the measurements to recreate the parts in Corel. I am assuming there has to be a better way. :)

[Lee DeRaud]

I did try 123D but found it could not do what I needed. I could not get output that would work with my laser. I have a Universal and was told on the 123D forums that they are partnered with Epilog... I took that to mean I might be out of luck using 123D with my laser.Are we talking about the same app?

There's 123D (the actual modeling app, which is next to useless IMHO), 123D Catch (a 3D "photo stitcher", for lack of a better description), and 123D Make. That last one takes models (e.g. STL files) and cuts them up in various ways to produce 2D slices suitable for laser or CNC cutting. The slices are nested on multiple DXF files, which can then be imported into Corel for cutting...there's nothing in that process that is laser-brand-specific.

[Rich Harman]

I use SketchUp a lot. there are many plugins available including ones that "unfold" a model. I have not yet used that feature though.

I use a plugin called "Flights of ideas" which exports any face as an SVG which is easily imported into Corel.

Here is a model of a small cabinet that I made in SketchUp. You can see the faces that I have copied and laid flat for exporting. Not strictly necessary to do that but it is my method.
241705

[dave hensley]

Are we talking about the same app?

There's 123D (the actual modeling app, which is next to useless IMHO), 123D Catch (a 3D "photo stitcher", for lack of a better description), and 123D Make. That last one takes models (e.g. STL files) and cuts them up in various ways to produce 2D slices suitable for laser or CNC cutting. The slices are nested on multiple DXF files, which can then be imported into Corel for cutting...there's nothing in that process that is laser-brand-specific.

Maybe not? I download 123D but did not realize they were multiple parts to it. May have to revisit that.


Rich - thanks for the info! I'll look into some plugins and see if I can use them for what I need.

[Kevin Groenke]

RhinoNest (a plug-in to Rhinoceros) has a re-map function that reorients 3D assemblages to a single plane (aside from it's obvious nesting capability, you can also use it to slice and reorient models, add text/vector labels, vectorize bitmaps, etc).

Once nested, you can laser directly out of Rhino rather than going to Corel.

Probably not real cost effective for occasional use, but as a total design solution, from design, to output, to parametrics, to analysis, etc, Rhino is a phenomenal tool at a very reasonable cost.

241718


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISR5i4uB510

-kg

[dave hensley]

RhinoNest (a plug-in to Rhinoceros) has a re-map function that reorients 3D assemblages to a single plane (aside from it's obvious nesting capability, you can also use it to slice and reorient models, add text/vector labels, vectorize bitmaps, etc).

Once nested, you can laser directly out of Rhino rather than going to Corel.

Probably not real cost effective for occasional use, but as a total design solution, from design, to output, to parametrics, to analysis, etc, Rhino is a phenomenal tool at a very reasonable cost.


-kg

Thanks Kevin? What does Rhino cost? Some of the other programs I found when searching were $4000+. Not sure I want to spend that much this early on.

EDIT - Nevermind. I see that they list the cost on their site. I like it when they do that!

[Kevin Groenke]

Being in education, retail pricing is generally not something I have to deal with.

I think Rhino retails for $995, RhinoNest an additional $695. Novedge has as good of pricing as I've seen. http://www.novedge.com/Start_Rhino.asp


TDM Solutions, the developer of RhinoNest will sell you a Rhino + RhinoNest bundle for (I think) $1195, but their website appears to be undergoing a refresh at the moment.

There are free eval versions of Rhino4.0 (http://download.rhino3d.com/rhino/4.0/evaluation/download/)and RhinoNest (http://www.rhinonest.com/page/download), give it a try. If you do download, go straight to the beta of Rhino5 (http://www.rhino3d.com/nr.htm), there are a number of changes that make it much more user friendly than 4.0. Rhino5 is supposed to be out anytime, but they've been saying that for months now.

Don't be intimidated by Rhino, while the interface can be overwhelming to those unfamiliar, the basic functions are very similar to Sketch-Up but the capabilities exponentially broader.

That said, with Sketch-Up Pro, you can save/export parallel projections as .dwg or .dxf files which you should be able to open and laser-cut with CorelDraw.

Good luck,
-kg

[Rich Harman]

I have SketchUp Pro and I have to say there is not much extra you get in return for the cost. If you can get it for free, sure it has a couple nice features. There are so many free plugins available that you do not need the pro version to do anything that you might need for using with a laser.

[dave hensley]

Thanks a ton guys! I think you've pointed me in the right direction. Now I just need to download some of these apps and plugins and play around with them.