Jtrain,
I have only needed to have parts scanned three times ever & they were all delivered as Stereolightography files (*.STL).....
Naveen Rajan
Thank you for that input. Do you know what would be the file type you would typically create by scanning the incorrect part that you intend to modify?
It sounds like Autocad converts the raw scan data into a .rcs file that can be interpreted by program. So I'm guessing that the raw data is about as useful as the .stl files that Naveen encountered.
Once Autocad converts the raw data, the .rcs (not directly editable) file can be attached to a .dwg (fully editable) file and traced/copied/referenced. Once the .dwg file is completed, it can then be exported as an .stl file which is what the 3d printer software will interpret.
SolidWorks probably has a similar process although the resulting file converted from raw data may have a different file "type" name.
And I pretty much agree with everything Naveen says about a preference for just starting from scratch based on 2d dimensional data and also data sources. Raster images (think jpg. files) and vector images (think pdf's or other cad files) can be attached or imported into drawings and scaled and traced, or raw dimensions taken off drawings or objects can be entered and manipulated.
Jim
