Next step after creating 3D model in Mechanical Desktop

[MarkC-UK]

Hi guys,

I could really do with some urgent advice please. I have created a solid model of a building layout using Mechanical Desktop. I now want to import into Max and start to do all the good stuff with cameras, lights and materials.

How do I go about this please?? Once in, do I need to convert it to an editable mesh or poly so I can begin to apply materials to the various interior walls??

I can't seem to be able to select any faces:confused:

Please help me before I lose any more hair.

Cheers,

MarkC

PS> I've attached a screenshot of the completed solid model (it's basically a floor, walls, ceiling and cutouts for doors and windows)

[DavidR]

How are you bringing it in? as .dwg? as .3ds? oe what? As .dwg or .3ds, it will come in as triangulated mesh, so you can work with it immediately. Since you're having trouble, something else is going on. What version of MDT are you using? I have v6, so if you have 6 or lower, i could try it for you.

[Elliot]

David

 

I am a user of SolidWORKS. In order to bring my models from SW to MAX, I have to re-assign a new UCS, export them as a SAT file into AutoCAD and then as a 3DS into MAX.

 

I get all kind of problems because I get double faces on almost everything I bring to MAX. Question..... when you bring them from Mechanical or Inventor do you get these double faces I get from SW.

 

There is no question that when I do my mechanical models on SW they are ussually very good and accurate models. I can't achieve that level of precision with MAX. The exporting process is a nightmare... Somebody told me that the new Inventor works very good with MAX. Do you know if this true?

 

Thanks

Elliot

[MarkC-UK]

David,

Sorry for the brief details. It was more of a frustrated rant than a proper post;) .

Here is my workflow:

Good, accurate model created around 0,0,0 with careful use of layers in AMDT2006. Exported as .3ds file.

Import into Max6 as a .3ds file (completely replace scene/do not convert units)[units in mm in both AMDT and Max].

It comes in fine [see screenshot] and the select objects dialog shows 7 objects. These are: AMDTview1, AMDTview1target, AMDTview2, AMDTview2target, AMDTview3, AMDTview3 target and FLOOR. The actual model [called FLOOR] appears as one selectable object.

If I then try to select individual faces (to say, attach a material to a wall) I can only pick the whole darned lump:confused: .

What do I have to do to pick only certain wall/floor elements???

Cheers,

MarkC

[DavidR]

Elliot:

No, I don't get double faces going from MDT to Max, but if I try to bring in multiple parts I'll get a lot of flipped normals, and badly flipped, eg, if I have a model of 20k faces, half will be flipped, so it's unuseable. I used to do everything in Autocad (and later MDT) and import into Max, but now I do 99% in Max. I never tried Sloidworks. Yes, I heard that importing from Inventor works better, without smoothing problems.

MarkC:

Now I get it!! You can't select just a part of an object unless you're in sub-object mode. (If you'd mentioned that you were new to Max we might not have overlooked the obvious). Go to modify panel on right, and select either vertex, edge, face/poly, or element. Selecting face/poly allows you to set a different material id so you can have separate wall, floor materials, etc, without splitting up your model.

[MarkC-UK]

David,

Ha ha. Yeah, sorry, forgot to mention the small fact that I'm a complete noob to Max. I have had another look and, after converting to editable mesh, I can see that I am now able to select faces or edges etc.

There might be some other problems with the translation such as missing edges/normals facing the wrong way but these will be the subject of further posts no doubt!! I'll spend some more time studying my 2 text books and see if I can get myself a bit further.

Thanks for your help so far.

MarkC

[DavidR]

David,

Ha ha. Yeah, sorry, forgot to mention the small fact that I'm a complete noob to Max. I have had another look and, after converting to editable mesh, I can see that I am now able to select faces or edges etc.

There might be some other problems with the translation such as missing edges/normals facing the wrong way but these will be the subject of further posts no doubt!! I'll spend some more time studying my 2 text books and see if I can get myself a bit further.

Thanks for your help so far.

MarkC

Mark, flipping normals is in the same part of the modify menu -forget the 'normal' modifier and do it manually for best results. You probably want to select all faces and remove smoothing (bottom of same menu) so things look flat. I like to convert to poly, select diagonal edges (or any edges that don't contribute to the shape, border, etc), and remove them. After that, your model will lookm just like it did in MDT, making selection of walls, etc, fast.