CAD Question

adam_peasley

I'm getting started on my first CAD design but, I was wondering how can I make use of my imported files when starting?

owen_sparks

Hi. Well that rather depends on what you're importing. A jpg image, a DXF drawing, a 3D scan, 3d parts from a vendor? We will need a little more to go on to be able to offer any meaningful suggestions.
Cheers Owen.

Jake_Rosenfeld

@adam_peasley

Here is a help page about importing into Onshape: https://cad.onshape.com/help/Content/uploadfiles.htm

You can import into a new document on the documents page by pressing the "Create" button and then "Import files" or "Import from" (the latter imports from google docs or dropbox)

You can import from inside an existing document by pressing the "+" button in the bottom corner and then "Import"

adam_peasley

owen_sparks said:

Hi. Well that rather depends on what you're importing. A jpg image, a DXF drawing, a 3D scan, 3d parts from a vendor? We will need a little more to go on to be able to offer any meaningful suggestions.
Cheers Owen.

owen_sparks said:

Hi. Well that rather depends on what you're importing. A jpg image, a DXF drawing, a 3D scan, 3d parts from a vendor? We will need a little more to go on to be able to offer any meaningful suggestions.
Cheers Owen.

They are 3D scans that I have already imported over into onshape, I just want to use them for my CAD work.

john_mcclary

You should be able to build off of any imported part just like any other part in Onshape (sketch, extrude, etc).

If you need to modify the original import (if it is a solid part, not a mesh) then you could use the direct edit tools available like Move face, Delete Face, Transform, Modify Fillet, etc.

What exactly are you trying to do with your imported part?

How did it import? Mesh, Solid, or Surface?
What did you expect it to import as?

Jake_Rosenfeld

@billy2 has shown off a number of motorcycle parts made by scanning the part of the motorcycle and then modeling based off of the scans:

https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/11483/turn-signal-design
https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/10783/fender-eliminator

billy2

I have the same question @john_mcclaryMesh, Solid, or Surface?

If you're imports are organic, then aligning the mesh is your 1st step.
If you're imports are prismatic (non-organic), then I'd work on converting them into solids.

Meshes are more difficult to work with than solids and worth the time to convert. I'd even try to find a solid representation of your import vs. building them.

Showing us a screen capture of your imports will tell us what your best steps are to moving forward.