Creating/Exporting DXF files with layers?

brian_15

Current work flow is to design a 3D part using Alibre, create a "drawing" from that 3D part. Then assign specific portions of the drawing to specific layers, like all my holes will be on "center" layer, outside profiles on another, pockets on another. Once I have my layers established on the drawing, I export a DXF and open that in my CAD system and assign milling operations based on individual layers.

So, my question is how to do this with Onshape? I have tried selecting a planar surface and export and DXF doesn't show up as an option. If I go to my drawing of the same part, I can export a DXF, but no mention of assigning layers, and when I do export a DXF, when opened in my CAM software (Sheetcam) it shows nothing but the drawing template, none of the actual part shows up.

Thanks for any help or suggestions.

Brian

john_mccullough

Exporting a planar surface will bring up the DXF/DWG export options dialog. Select DXF from the Format pull-down. Onshape will export the surface's edges as wireframe entities to a single layer in model space. Almost all CAM software will read DXF model space. This will usually be the best way to get profiles to CAM from Onshape.

If you re-import the DXF into Onshape it will create a drawings tab. This will let you confirm the curves you need are in the DXF (if you don't see anything at first use 'f' for Zoom to fit). There are no tools yet to assign layers.

Creating a drawing in Onshape uses layouts (paper space) instead of model space. Views inserted into drawings are not just simple geometry, they are special associative view objects. I can't speak for Sheetcam but other CAM software does not have that level of support for DXF. It seems typical for CAM programs to read DXF only as wireframe entities in model space.

W_SR

Draftsight can do it. It's free.