Shape 3d will open a Boardcad file and vice versa.
I do it in Windows (Mac Intel/Bootcamp) then cut on Miki’s Machine (APS3000) with S3d and the tool path it generates.
Boardcad is quick and easy to get a design up - S3d takes it that next step.
MF
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Im using windows with boardcad having trouble saving importing and export any files. Is any body using boardcad with a cnc?
Hi,
if you have any problem importing a particular file, please PM me with the file and I’ll have a look at it.
To make export in 3D (Nurbs to STEP/DXF/STL) work, you must first open the 3D model. I know this is a bit awkward, we will make an effort to integrate this better in the next release. Also not that dxf is an odd format and our implementation is rather minimal. You may need a dxf version converter to make it work with your version of autocad or compatible software. It does however open straight away in some CAM programs like Mach3/LazyCam and DeskCNC.
regards,
Håvard
Hey Haavard have you guys been implementing new stuff in boardcad?
cheers.
chico
Ok today I can open some sd3 files in Boardcad. When Ichange them to 3d the program locks up. Heres what I want to do I have a cnc hotwire I put together its up and running. We use Foamworks and cadworks with the hotwire. I put together a cnc router just getting ready to try cutting.I have Mach3 / Lazycam the free lazycam not the pro. What or how do I make Boardcad Lazycam /Mach3 cadworks work together? I have been using the hotwire for about 6 month. Iam new to the cnc stuff so please go slow.thanks Mark
Hi, you don’t have to go via 3D for a hotwire cutter. Export profile and outline to dxf. On the top of my head I cannot remember if you need polyline for mach3, but you’ll find out soon enough.
If you have any problem with a particular file not converting to 3D, please PM me the file.
Good luck.
regards,
Håvard
Haavard,
Does this work only with the very latest version of Mac?
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Haavard,
Does this work only with the very latest version of Mac?
The ‘mac version’ requires Java 5. I’m not sure which version of OS X shipped with this version of Java or which version of OS X can be upgraded to Java 5. But as long as you have java 5 it should work. Unfortunately I don’t own a mac so I have only tested it on a friends mac.
The difference between the java 5 and java 6 versions of boardCAD are minimal, minor differences in the user interface, the rest is internal.
Does Boardcad output to IGES?
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Does Boardcad output to IGES?
Unfortunatly no. Added to feature request list.
I’ve finally gotten around to adding shortcuts to the boardcad webstart. So hopefully if you run the boardcad webstart from the boardcad website you should get a desktop and a menu icon so you can easily start boardcad without being online. Let me know if it doesn’t work.
I didn’t get it to work – tried it just as “run” and no icon on menu or desktop
tried as a “save” and clicked the (generic) desktop icon but that didn’t do anything?
Hoping it can happen, because the other one (the other program, not needing to be named) is just NOT the same, it’s like watching TV in black and white now–actually it’s worse.
I should be more specific about this part too-- the webstart is easy enough, but the web-based app is a little nervewracking–I have this nagging fear the integration is going to stop working some day and I’ll be screwed.
Boardcad does have an option to output to STEP, which is just as useful for me.
But I assume that the 3d model has to be developed before STEP output is possible. Is this correct?
How long does the 3D model take to calculate (on a decent windows machine)?
I used the online version of Boardcad. The computer seems to freeze when I accept a Bezier to Nurbs conversion in the 3D tab.
But there seems to be a lot of cpu usage (but no page file use). Is the 3D model being calculated and I’m too impatient, or is the software in some sort of cpu devouring loop?
Your time and advice is much appreciated.
Red
By the way, I’m found a wrinkle that’s readily obvious in Rhino rendering of the board, but not at all obvious in surfboard CAD software (hence the use of STEP to move from BoardCad to Rhino). We’ve cut a few boards from this file (Shape3D/KKL) and never picked up on the dimple - guess it was hidden in the peaks and valleys of rapid pass machining and we simply hand sanded it out. Zoomed in enough on the slice and found the cause - a control point arm fractions of a mm lower than it should be. Since the wrinkle is parallel to the stringer it’s not an issue in high speed end to end cutting. But as we move to more accurate machining the wrinkle could have been an issue.
Since this is FOSS and cross platform I have a question to ask…
I work in XP and play in Linux (openSUSE) - unless I’m doing something Linux specifically can’t do (yet) I try to stay out of XP as it infuriates me… since I do use both though I’ve taken to symbolic links in linux.
The Mozilla project has a good habit of using the same directory structures and file names no matter what the platform which means I’ve been able to set up Mozilla Sunbird with a symbolic link in place of the directories in Linux such that everything I do in there saves to my windows partition so I can get to my calendar from both. Ditto with Firefox.
Is the same true of BoardCAD?
Are there any significant differences in either the data files or directory structure in the XP and Linux versions of the program?
Is there any reason I shouldn’t be able to have a similar setup for BoardCAD? Making a symlink wherever BoardCAD looks for its working directories to point to my windows partition so having full, seamless use of the software and my files from Linux or XP.
(Linux backup routines are a given of course - can’t trust XP not to crap out and lose the lot - lessons learned the hard way)
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Boardcad does have an option to output to STEP, which is just as useful for me.
But I assume that the 3d model has to be developed before STEP output is possible. Is this correct?
That’s correct. We might make some changes to that in the future to improve the workflow.
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How long does the 3D model take to calculate (on a decent windows machine)?
I used the online version of Boardcad. The computer seems to freeze when I accept a Bezier to Nurbs conversion in the 3D tab.
But there seems to be a lot of cpu usage (but no page file use). Is the 3D model being calculated and I’m too impatient, or is the software in some sort of cpu devouring loop?
On my computer the calculations for the stock funboard take approx. 10 seconds. This varies greatly depending on the board though. I guess we could do with a progress indicator. If you have a file that seem to cause some problems, PM it to me and I’ll have a look at what is going on.
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Your time and advice is much appreciated.
Red
By the way, I’m found a wrinkle that’s readily obvious in Rhino rendering of the board, but not at all obvious in surfboard CAD software (hence the use of STEP to move from BoardCad to Rhino). We’ve cut a few boards from this file (Shape3D/KKL) and never picked up on the dimple - guess it was hidden in the peaks and valleys of rapid pass machining and we simply hand sanded it out. Zoomed in enough on the slice and found the cause - a control point arm fractions of a mm lower than it should be. Since the wrinkle is parallel to the stringer it’s not an issue in high speed end to end cutting. But as we move to more accurate machining the wrinkle could have been an issue.
Depending on a number of factors like the size of the wrinkle, how the interpolation is carried out, the density of sample points used for generating the toolpath, the size and shape of the cutter, a wrinkle may very well be washed out at cutting, or as you say during sanding. However I think we could possibly improve a little on the 3D model and how it’s rendered so it would be more informative and show details like this better. No reason this should show up Rhino but not in boardCAD.
Thanks for the help, Haavard–the icon is on my desktop and the app is working flawlessly now–many thanks. Definitely my favorite program for drafting surfboards and printing templates.
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…
The Mozilla project has a good habit of using the same directory structures and file names no matter what the platform which means I’ve been able to set up Mozilla Sunbird with a symbolic link in place of the directories in Linux such that everything I do in there saves to my windows partition so I can get to my calendar from both. Ditto with Firefox.
Is the same true of BoardCAD?
Are there any significant differences in either the data files or directory structure in the XP and Linux versions of the program?
Is there any reason I shouldn’t be able to have a similar setup for BoardCAD? Making a symlink wherever BoardCAD looks for its working directories to point to my windows partition so having full, seamless use of the software and my files from Linux or XP.
Hi,
Take this with a grain of salt as I have not tested myself on Linux. But you should be able to use any symbolic link or any other feature of the file system for opening and saving file from boardCAD as it only relies on the java implementation of the file system. Setting on the other hand are saved in an OS spesific way again using the underlaying java implementation(registry on windows, some files on Linux). So if you set up some specific bacground color, what kind of unit you are using, etc. this will not be transferred across different operating systems and will have to be configured again.
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Thanks for the help, Haavard–the icon is on my desktop and the app is working flawlessly now–many thanks. Definitely my favorite program for drafting surfboards and printing templates.
Thanks,
it looks like we finally nailed it. I would suggest that everyone who uses BoardCAD start using these new links on the bottom of the website frontpage to get shortcuts and not having to download and be online to use BoardCAD. Unfortunately the link in the menu has not been updated yet. If anyone still have problems, please let me know.
regards,
Håvard
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Hi,
Take this with a grain of salt as I have not tested myself on Linux. But you should be able to use any symbolic link or any other feature of the file system for opening and saving file from boardCAD as it only relies on the java implementation of the file system. Setting on the other hand are saved in an OS spesific way again using the underlaying java implementation(registry on windows, some files on Linux). So if you set up some specific bacground color, what kind of unit you are using, etc. this will not be transferred across different operating systems and will have to be configured again.
Thanks for the help and advice.
I have Java 3D installed and running the 3D test programs.
Running BoardCad online still freezes everytime I try to get 3D view (all the design functions work fine). Chews up all cpu resources and stops.
The installed version of BoardCad does a similar thing.
The symptoms are identical on my Toshiba Protege, my HP laptop and my multimedia desktop (all running WinXP).
Do other people have similar problems getting 3D view to run?
I’m just bumping the thread to see whether other people have the 3D function running in BoardCadand how they did it because I’ve run out of ideas.
Thanks for the help.
Red
I experienced the same, however I get it to work if
I do the following:
-
do not press the ‘3dmodel’ tab.
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from the file/edit menu selections
choose ‘3d Model’ -->‘Approximate from Bezier’.
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the CPU will start working now.
Press the ‘3d model’ tab once and wait.
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you will probably get a message box
with the board in 3d in the background.
For the message box ‘Approximate Nurbs/3d from Beziers?’
choose ‘YES’.
Should work, has for me several times in a row.
with ‘Shortboard.brd’ I believe thats supplied with Boardcad
or one of my CAD programs.