It's amazing what you don't think of. It wasn't a month ago that I was in a meeting here at UIUC with a professor doing surface laser scanning in the CS department.

http://graphics.cs.uiuc.edu/~garland/papers.html

I'll touch base with him and see what it might take to get my die cast model scanned...

That would still leave the raster to vector conversion to do, but it would be a 3D model.

Mark, doesn't the laser scanner already read 3d points into the database in its native function? If so, then I would think its output is vector based and the person scanning the model could scan all the surfaces, then bring them into a vector based cad system such as Autocad and manipulate the meshes into position to form one model. From that point the assembled vector model can be exported to a DXF or IGES database for use in your program.

BTW, I have the '57 Chevy 3d model on my hard drive as we speak, if you want it.

Rob

Some scanners (white light) do the whole surface and yield a point cloud, others are manually handled and when the trigger is depressed register a point in space one after the next thus giving you a segmented line which is a representation of the section of what you're scanning. Most scanners I've seen save in their own proprietary format but will of course export into whatever you want be it IGES or whatever else.

-e

I believe that the laser scanner that the CS department uses puts out the 'point cloud' sort of output that EricB mentions. Don't know a lot about it yet.

I know my grid software will read in iges format vector files, or surface mesh files, although I'm not sure what format of surface mesh it needs. I suspect that any fully-triangulated surface file could be manipulated into a format that I could read. I don't have access to anything like AutoCAD here right now, as far as I know...

BTW, I have the '57 Chevy 3d model on my hard drive as we speak, if you want it.

What format is the file in? Can you save it in iges? I'd be happy to try to read it in and see what I get if so...

What format is the file in? Can you save it in iges? I'd be happy to try to read it in and see what I get if so...

Right now it's in .dwg cad file format. I can save it directly to .dxf, .3ds (3d Studio), and .sat (ACIS). If those won't work for you, I could try and find an IGES translator for Autocad 14.

Right now it's in .dwg cad file format. I can save it directly to .dxf, .3ds (3d Studio), and .sat (ACIS). If those won't work for you, I could try and find an IGES translator for Autocad 14.

Gridgen won't read any of those formats, but I'm looking for an iges translator anyway. Would be nice to have the ability to do these types of translations...

http://www.classiczcars.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=5479&cat=500&page=8

http://www.classiczcars.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=5479&cat=500&page=8

Well what do ya know? Where'd you get that Chris? Did you draw it? Happen to have an elevation view?

BTW, I have the '57 Chevy 3d model on my hard drive as we speak, if you want it.

I didn't find that drawing, but R2002 has a semi-truck 3d model in the sample directory. It appears most of the work (the blocks, ie headlights, tires) could be resized for the S30. Who's volunteering? I'm going to play around with it, but offer no hopeful solutions.

Off-topic, but still related, what version did you like the best (and your specialty, i.e., civil, electrical, mechanical, etc..) My all time favorite has been R14 w/ Softdesk 8 working w/ Civil (surveying)

Wayne

I think it'll be great if you get the CFD analysis of an S30 done! I have been tempted to solid model a 240Z for ages for just this purpose, but since I had no contacts in the industry prepared to do the CFD on a contra-deal never put the effort in.

Perhaps Mr Camouflage in Perth can help you with the 3D model.

Check out his comment in this thread from a while back, where he mentioned he was working on a 3D model, and had used it to create an animated GIF for his avatar.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7405

Mark

Off-topic, but still related, what version did you like the best (and your specialty, i.e., civil, electrical, mechanical, etc..) My all time favorite has been R14 w/ Softdesk 8 working w/ Civil (surveying)

Wayne

Hi Wayne,

I assume I'm the person you were directing this question at. To start with, I've used "DCA/Softdesk AutoArchitect" with Autocad starting with ver. 10/386 and used the two together up to ver. 14 in a facilities engineering environment (architecture, electrical, power distribution, HVAC, piping and utilities, client presentations, rendering) in 3d. I've also used the standalone version of Autocad up to 2000i for mechanical (piping design, HVAC) & structural design. I've also had the frustrating misfortune of having to use Microstation J and V8. What a turd in the punchbowl that turned out to be. I'd have to say 2000i was my favorite version of Autocad. I especially liked the Design Center feature in it. The only "civil" work I've done with cad (Microstation) has been for domestic water and fire main underground distribution systems.

Hi Wayne,

I assume I'm the person you were directing this question at.

Nope, is was directed to all us CAD guys/gals. Thanks for sharing!

::edit:: maybe time to start a new thread in the off-topic so Mark may get a possible answer from the orig. post:: GunnerRob, ya wanna cut 'n paste?

Wayne