MathCad: how to export vector 3D file for CAD use?

[SteveBell]

I am using MathCad 11, which will not export to any known CAD format.

There seems to be no DXF option for export, either.

Are there any newer MathCad versions which will support file export in STEP or STL formats?

Is there a work-around, or a third-party translator available?

MathCad is still my favorite math/graphing application, but it is only useful for presentations, not for building physical models via CAD.

Thanks,

Steve

[VladimirN]

Hello!

Mathcad does not support export to CAD systems such as vector formats DWG and DXF (and in the future release (planned for Q1 2012) of Mathcad Prime 2.0 is also not provided). Using Mathcad in exports there can only save the graphical part of the document as a PNG/JPEG (using the conservation of the working document as a Web page in HTML format ("File" -> "Save as Web Page")) and print your document to PDF (via "File "->" Print "). The list of plugins to integrate Mathcad with other engineering systems, including CAD-systems can be found here: http://www.ptc.com/community/free-downloads.htm. Also, I would like to know for what purpose you need the export in STEP format from Mathcad (I think you mean a 3D-plots?), please provide examples.

[SteveBell]

Thank you, Vladimir--

My application requires that a 3d solid or surface model be created and analyzed in MathCad from 3D formulae (matricies, etc) . Such MathCad analysis can include engineering calculations such as stress, strain, center of gravity, total surface area, mass, etc.

Then the 3d information must be convertible to a CAD format (DXF, Step, STL, etc) in order to process or modify the object for preparation for CAD-CAM machining.

[VladimirN]

Steve,

What CAD system do you use (or want to use to transfer the point's of 3D-surface from Mathcad)?

[SteveBell]

Vladimir,

I am using ViaCAD pro, version 7. It will accept STL, STEP, Adobe Illustrator, 3DS, IGES, or DXF 3d Vector files.

Apparently none of these file formats can be exchanged between ViaCad and MathCad.

Steve

[SteveBell]

Thanks for the link.

AutoCad is supported, but there not a generic translator into DXF format for use by other CAD programs.

I will move this discussion over to the "programming MathCad" section, since it appears that only custom script programming could be used to convert the MathCad file exports to either DXF or STEP formats.

[wayne]

Does Excell have a way to do what you want? If so, pass the data to Excell

[SteveBell]

Wayne,

Yes, a MathCad 3D surface can be saved into CSV columns and rows with EXCEL, but there appear to be no translators to take the Excel file to convert it to any CAD program.

[MikeArmstrong]

What about a *.txt file?

Mike

[VladimirN]

Yes, it is possible to use export of the data from Mathcad in such formats as XLS, TXT, PRN then to read them in CAD-system using or the built in tools for creation of a cloud of points by using this data, or create a separate plug-in such as a script (or DLL library ).

[MikeArmstrong]

I use text files to pass data from Mathcad to AutoCAD all the time and have created some nice routines.

Mike

[SteveBell]

Mike, sounds great!

However, I tried this approach and got only ascii text of the numeric values of the "points" to show up in my CAD program. No vector "points" were presented.

If we could translate the text numeric values to DXF vectors, that would take care of the problem.

Any ideas available?

Steve

[MikeArmstrong]

Are you after co-ordinates in the format - x,y,z??

Mike

[SteveBell]

Yes, numeric coordinates in x,y,z are what is needed to create the surface vertices of the solid object when converted to DXF format. MathCad can of course, put the output data into an Excel spreadsheet and save it as a 3D CSV delimited text file. The problem is that CAD programs cannot properly interpret the CSV file.

There is a translator which claims to take text to DXF called POINTOR available on the WEB, which I will be trying. Maybe that would help this situation.

I noticed that the expensive program "Mathematica" has direct DXF file import and export.

***NOTICE to MathCad marketing folks: ****

Two-way DXF import/export capability would be highly desirable to have within MathCad (and would likely increase the size of the MathCad user base IMO).

[MikeArmstrong]

I have a Mathcad worksheet which can convert a Matrix to x,y and z values and then writes them to a *.txt file. You can manually change the extension of that *.txt file to a script file and run it in Autocad.

It's a little long winded but works when we have loads of survey data and want it plotting.

Mike

[VladimirN]

Steve Bell wrote:

...I noticed that the expensive program "Mathematica" has direct DXF file import and export...

This is interesting.

http://reference.wolfram.com/mathematica/guide/3DGeometryAndModelingFormats.html

http://reference.wolfram.com/mathematica/tutorial/ExportingGraphicsAndSounds.html

Steve Bell wrote:

... ***NOTICE to MathCad marketing folks: ****

Two-way DXF import/export capability would be highly desirable to have within MathCad (and would likely increase the size of the MathCad user base IMO).

Agree with that.

[munene3.1415926]

Hi Mike, a three year down the line..

Hope you're still active,

Can you help me come up with that worksheet that converts mathcad matrix output into vector data?

I saw being put to work somewhere and it was just intriguing.

Any help would be appreciated

[VladimirN]

Steve,

If you want to transfer data from Mathcad into matrix form directly, then the possibility of transfer of "Curves" and "Matrices" implemented in the latest version of the plug-in integration between Mathcad and Solidorwks (It was built and tested on windows XP-32, using Solidworks 2010 and Mathcad 15.It also supports Solidworks 2011). Link to the plugin can be found in the "Downloads" section from the links I gave earlier.

[SteveBell]

Vladimir,

Looks great, but I do not have the expensive SolidWorks CAD program.

[MikeArmstrong]

It's actually not that great and takes a long time to get it right.

Mike

[VladimirN]

Steve Bell wrote:

Thanks for the link.

AutoCad is supported, but there not a generic translator into DXF format for use by other CAD programs...

DXF (Drawing eXchange Format) - open file format for the exchange of graphical information between CAD ​​applications. Was created by Autodesk's of AutoCAD. () Supported by virtually all CAD-systems platform PC.

More comments about Autocad/Mathcad integration please see here: http://communities.ptc.com/message/166578