I am having problems saving a “made” surfboard file in 3D. I try to save the file as DXF but cannot, which means I cannot convert into AutoCAD and use. Any helpful hints?
The guys who program Boardcad are on here so will no doubt sort you out.
From a user point of view I found the new daily BoardCAD 1.1a or alpha version a lot more user friendly than the older boardcad 1.1. Provided you have the latest java it runs as a file of your desktop.
Boardcad or Aku use Bezier curves. You need to change the Bezier curve format into NURBS format that uses points (Non-uniform rational basis spline). You can then export to STEP, DXF, SDL. NURBS is a standard format that most graphics packages like Rhino use. I'm no expert, but I have a graphic design cousin than works in animation on big films like Avatar and he walked me through the process.
So on Boardcad 1.1 you need to click 3D Model and then Approximate from Bezier. That changes it into NURBS. I sometimes got lock ups on this.
In Boardcad 1.1a alpha, click Render and then Render NURBS. Export to the file format you want and save adding the relevant .dxf or .sdl at the end of the file name. Then open files in your favourite graphics program that uses NURBS.
The new development version of boardcad has proper scaling without distortion and can print plan shapes over curve and a whole bunch of other stuff.
In the end though, surfboard design seems best suited to Bezier curves. Oh, and as far as we could see there was no way to go back to bezier curves from NURBS.
Claude, you fixed the problem that I knew about as well as one that I was unaware of…many thanks!
Thanks claude, you nailed it. Hopefully the workflow will be improved upon in a future release
I had a scanned file/board in Shape3d that looked funny in the numbers and it took me a long time to get beyond it.
Master Scale panel had one value of nose and tail rocker(2.10") , the plan shape details listing the true nose and tail rocker(2.25").
The shape3d file is 77kb scanned. I put it into BoardCad and save it. The file size is now 44kb, I reload into Shape3d and now my readings of both nose and tail rocker agree. The tail rockers are agreeing at 2.25".
This is good!
When I did cuts off of the old file, I believe the cut result was around 2.10" of tail rocker and then I’d add in the rocker manually figuring that blank flex was part of the problem during cut.
Perhaps my cut will now be 2.25" in the tail rocker. I hope so!
So my file is now fixed and smaller(77kb scanned–> 44kb)
Ambigously, I ask am I missing something?
Perhaps alot of data pts associated with the scan have been absorbed?
Thanks again for such a great program. I’ve always thoroughly enjoyed shaping boards by hand but I am looking forward to machine shaping a few…pics to follow-
The shape3d file contains some data which is not used in the brd file. It might be this data that you loose. I’d need to have a look at the file to make sure.
Well at present I dont have a problem. I figure Boardcad fixed a problem with my file .The file is at the cutting house, waiting for 2 blanks, so I should find out in about 10+ days.
THanks Haavard.