Drawing Conversion

2D to 3D Drawing Conversion with SolidWorks



Computer-aided design (CAD) makes it possible to convert old drawings6 (which are composed of simple vector entities such as lines, polylines, arcs, and circles5) to high-quality and detailed 3D models. This is a task that is carried out by companies that provide 2D to 3D drawing conversion services.6



An effective conversion from 2D objects to 3D models involves the following steps:1



1. Establishing the base geometry.



Before data are imported to the 2D to 3D conversion module, they are first filtered. These data include dimensions, line type parameters, and layers.

2. Identification of projected geometry

3. Alignment of various geometric views (done using a basic translation technique)

4. Extrude (Boolean operation)



Extruding prevents the occurrence of errors and prepares a model for being used.



SolidWorks is an example of an application that is helpful in having successful projects. An article in PRLog provides the following advantages of SolidWorks:2



* Easy sharing of project data across different stakeholders

* Effective collaboration with AutoCAD platform

* Safe transition from 2D CAD to SolidWorks 3D

* Excellent promotion tool for your designs

* Easy clash detection and fewer errors

* Significant savings in design life cycle time



SolidWorks supports various file formats such as DGN, DWG, DXF, TIFF and JPG.2



Before, in the earlier days of mechanical engineering, drawings were referred to as "blueprints." These blueprints were made using a chemical-printing process that produces drawings on blue-colored papers or blue lines on white papers. Mechanical engineering has now progressed and has been using better ways of developing and viewing designs. With the advent of new technologies, it has become easier to produce complex 2D drawings and convert them to 3D models.3 What certainly attracts the attention and curiosity of people are beautifully made 3D models. The more attention they give, the more your sales boost.4,6



2D to 3D Drawing Conversion



2D to 3D drawing conversion is quite complicated, quite difficult, and quite challenging, but by using 3D modeling tools, such as AutoCAD, Solid Edge, and MicroStation, conversion is simplified and productivity of design and manufacturing engineers is improved. Engineers align views on orthogonal planes and use extrude feature to convert. 3D modeling tools was first introduced two decades ago, but even until now, many still resort to 2D drafting.1,4



Some software packages for 3D modeling are CATIA, Pro/ENGINEER, I-DEAS, AMD, and SolidWorks.2 They are capable of doing the following:3



* Recognizing an exterior skin of a modeled part

* Knowing the density of material that a modeled part represents

* Calculating volume, surface area, and part weight of a modeled part

* Calculating the center of gravity and moments of inertia



Advantages of 2D to 3D Drawing Conversion



Richard Botham enumerated in ArticlesBase website some benefits of 3D models. They are as follows:1



* Generation of virtual prototypes

* Faster product design

* Automation of design process

* Increased speed and accuracy of output

* Increased response to customers

* Reduced need and cost of physical prototypes

* Visualization of more "what-if" scenarios during design process

* Testing and validating designs to reduce costs from quality problems and errors

* More effective internal design reviews

* Ability to create renderings and animations for design proposals or reviews

* Ease in incorporating late design changes

* Automatic bill of materials

* Increased customer confidence and loyalty

* Data management to organize and manage your design data

* More effective communication with suppliers/customers

* Standard detailing and drafting practices



Sunith in the website of CAD Professor provides the following additional benefits:4



* Automatic flattening of sheet metal flats

* Better employee morale

* Ease in manufacturing designs with industry-leading partner products

* For non-technical personnel such as sales department to quote, specify and configure product whilst maintaining your design and engineering integrity



Cadmodels.Biz provided some ways on how to give volume to 2D sections once a 2D drawing was imported:3



* Extruding a section to a fixed dimension

* Revolving a section around an axis

* Sweeping a section along a trajectory

* Sweeping and blending multiple sections along multiple trajectories



Visualization features allow developers to view solid objects and its subparts as if they were cut on a saw.3 By migrating from 2D CAD to 3D modeling, an improved flow of product design information and communication results to reduced design cycles, streamlined manufacturing processes, and accelerated product introductions all throughout an organization and among its suppliers and customers. These in turn result to faster time-to-market and higher product quality, which further result to increased revenue, reduced design costs, and larger profit margins.1 The existence of mass property data and knowing the respective position of all mass within an assembly allows clearance and interference checking. Developers often use software conferencing tools, such as gotomeeting.com and Skype, for effective remote meetings.3



However, tight budgets cause developers to resort to hand drawings or free or inexpensive 2D CAD programs. Failure to get qualified professional services can be a cause to a ruin in a project plan and a loss of market opportunities for developers. Bargain hunting for CAD services can result to business disasters. Business opportunities are like airplanes because they do not wait for you when you are late.3

Product Development



2D to 3D CAD conversion is used by designers to produce 3D models. These 3D models can in turn be used by steel fabricators, machine operators, or architects.1 Design ideas, concepts, patents, or core technologies may start from start-up ventures, investors, and small companies, like when people are conversing over coffee and sketching on table napkins. Later, they present whatever idea or plan that they came up with to professional CAD designers who will create prototypes. Once product design databases are completed, and prototypes are validated and approved,3 the prototypes are given to engineers who will manufacture those prototypes using computed numerically controlled (CNC) machines.4

2D CAD versus 3D CAD



Failure to employ properly trained and experienced professionals may result to a lot of error corrections and rework, cost overruns, and schedule delays, while a job well done results to quality parts that are delivered on time at the right place. 2D programs are used for building breadboard level testable units, while 3D CAD services are used for developing world class complex geometries.3 Even for ordinary non-engineering folks, they easily identify a building not based on its plan, elevation, and sectional drawings but based on a picture or a 3D model of it,4 and we tend to remember more 3D advertisements than 2D ones.5 These are just illustrations that, in order to understand 2D drawings, we must study them. On the other hand, we do not need engineering backgrounds to imagine objects that 3D models represent. 2D drawings may attract attention of engineers, but 3D models impress generally all people from diverse backgrounds. 2D technical drawings may not be good enough in starting a new product concept because they might not function as planned, while 3D models readily show the viability of a design idea. Compared to hand drawings, 2D CAD shortens time scales, but 3D CAD directly supports the entire product development cycle, speeds up every activity, and increases the quality of design.4



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