I’ve got a job I’m finding it impossible to do in any kind of timely manner in Solidworks (see Sketchup rant – I’ve decided that’s sh!t and I’m reverting to what I know) and I’m wondering if someone could do a quick terrain surface from a few contour sets? It’s something that doesn’t seem to suit Solidworks very well frustratingly.

It would pay but it needs to be done pretty quick. Email in profile.

Anyone?

Gaz

I’ve just started downloading Rhyno which looks like the solution to some of this but the web-pipe is very small here and I’m looking at a 2 hour download. Aaaaaaargggggh!

You may struggle to import a Rhyno NURBS surface into Solidworks (if that’s your aim).

Can you re-build the splines in solidworks? They would all need the same number of vectors for the extrusion to work, which should be an option when tidying up the splines. (I’ve not used SW, but that’s how it would work in Maya/3DS Max to produce a nice poly mesh or NURBS Surface).

Are you after a visual, or something accurate to measure from? And does it need to work in any other programs?

It’s got to actually be accurate (part of the reason for binning Sketchup) but not to the nth degree as it’s landscapping so nothing is critical.

I’ve done it long hand by manually inputting a load of points into a 3d sketch on top of the imported data but it’s going to take far too long with the more detailed next step and if I’m honest it didn’t work that well fist time around as the info wasn’t that great.

Really I want an architectural programme that will do topography but I have’t the money or time to learn it.

4 hours left on dl now!! FFS

Just checked, AutoCAD Can do it (Loft command from splines), so I’m surprised SW can’t do it…

Panic may be over as the architect may be able to convert to a format I can do something with. Fingers crossed.

If you are still having a problem, I will give it a try.
Email me the contour if you wish to andy at williams-netdotcodotuk

Will do. Thanks Andy

Just checked, AutoCAD Can do it (Loft command from splines), so I’m surprised SW can’t do it…

ACAD would have been my first suggestion, it’s hoovered up all sorts of 3D solid and surfacing tools over the years…

Didn’t receive anything, have you managed to sort it?

I did something similar using Pro/E last year. Imported a dxf of a site survey. Copied each contour line onto a relevant offset datum plan and dropped a surface over the lot. Looked ace. 🙂

You can do it in Excel, I did it a while ago with OS data.You need a 3d graph, X and y will be lat and long, z is the height. (Assuming the data is in this format)

What’s it for? Do you need a nurbs surface (ie for cad use) or just a mesh (stl type). Point cloud to mesh to nurbs is something I have to do a bit at work and the later stage at least tends to take pretty chunky software if it’s complex geometry.

A colleague did have some luck working with (I think) terrain data using a free demo of 3d reshaper, but I haven’t used it.

I suppose another question is what file type do you have at the moment? I’ve only just started looking into it, but I think blendr, while primarily animation type software, may have some tools in there you can use

Ir_banditos method is probably how I would approach it if the data is ‘nice’ contours. I just get a bit carried away sometimes- more used to slightly more complex geometry!

swanny – that’s how I expected to be able to do it in SW if I’m honest but frustratingly it’s not an option. My last resort approach was to create a point cloud on the contours long hand then use scan to 3D to turn it into a surface. Took bleedin ages.

I might have got something I can manipulate from the architect. It’s in an awful 3D printing format but I can open it and it will save a load of time if I can translate it into something useful.

andywill – as I’ve got something from th’architect I’m not sure I’ll need you but thanks very much for the offer. For now, panic over.

Cheers

Gaz

I did something which sounds similar quite a few years ago in SolidWorks which was very time consuming, but did eventually get the job done.

Created a plane for each contour level, mapped each contour from an AutoCAD drawing onto each plane and lofted between them. The issue (and by issue I mean massive pain in the ass) was matching the number of points to make sure the loft didn’t go crazy in the process. Certainly wasn’t a 5-minute job, but I probably wasn’t doing it the most efficient way.

Did have the desired effect though

The area for building

After necessary earthworks – as you can see from the random lines visible after the extruded cut, some areas were happier being lofted than others….

Was able to quantify exactly how much earth was needed to be moved.

Was worth it though, as based on my amazing presentation of the plant we got the contract 🙂

Cheers, Rich

Send me the DXF of the contours (or DWG ) and I’ll have a go in LSS, a terrain modelling package I use daily for surveying.

I’m assuming the contours or points that make them up dont contain 3d data? If they do then happy days.

If not, manual input time.

Not promising owt but I’ll take a look and have a pop.

Email in profile, it may be cryptic though, can’t recall.