Blender to CAD

  1. Open Blender

    Blender Step 1
  2. Use the scale manipulator to flatten and expand the cube so it looks like a tabletop.

    Blender Step 2
  3. Go to the Add menu or use the shortcut Shift+A. Add a cube.

    Blender Step 3
  4. Use the scale manipulator to expand and flatten this cube so it looks like a table leg. Then duplicate this table leg 3 times.

    Blender Step 4
  5. Move the legs of the table so it represents a table.

    Blender Step 5
  6. Select all the legs and the tabletop, and then click joins on the left side of the window under Object.

    Blender Step 6
  7. Go to File on the top left corner and select export. Under the export select obj.

    Blender Step 7
  8. You will get an export window. Name your file test (optional).

  9. Once you have named your file click on the Export OBJ button, which can be found in the top right corner, to export your blender file.

    Blender Step 9
  10. Go to the BRL-CAD bin directory and give the command to turn you obj file into a .g file. This command exports the obj-formatted file to a .g file. The syntax of the obj-g command is

    >obj-g input.obj output.g

    Don’t forget to enter a path for your files. To see all the uses of the obj-g command just enter “obj-g.”

  11. Open mged. You will see two windows, a command window that is white and a graphics window that is black.

    MGED 7.22 Step 11

    MGED 7.22 Graphics Step 11

  12. Select File and click open. Open you .g file that you just made.

    MGED 7.22.0 Command Window Step 12
  13. Then click on Tools. Open Geometry Browser under tools. Double click on the top object to display it.

    MGED 7.22.0 Command Window Step 13
    Geometry Browser Step 13
  14. Click on View. Select “az35,el25” image::MGED_7.22.0_Command_Window_Step_14.jpg[]

  15. Click on Tools once again. Select the Raytrace Control Panel. Hit the raytrace button.

    MGED 7.22.0 Command Window Step 15  1
    Raytrace Control Panel Step 15 and 16  4
    MGED 7.22 Step 15  2

    Once you have Raytraced, you should have an image the looks like this:

    MGED 7.22 Step 15
  16. Do you remember what the table looked like when we were done with it in Blender? It was upside down and now it’s on its side. Rotating the table reorients it correct way. To reorient your table the right way, enter these commands in the command window:

    sed default.1.1.b.c.s

    MGED 7.22 Step 16  1

    Fullscreen capture Step 16  1

    rot –90 0 0

    Fullscreen capture Step 16  2

    Fullscreen capture Step 16  2  2

    accept

    Fullscreen capture Step 16  3

    MGED 7.22 Step 16  3

    Then Raytrace the table once again by going to the Tools menu.

    Raytrace Control Panel Step 15 and 16  4

    With that final rendering your import is complete!

    MGED 7.22.0 Graphics Window Step 16  5
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