printing the 2D projection of a 3D model chair

[xelaris]

I've designed a flat pack chair in model space...now I'd like to print all the various bits of this chair so that I can transfer the measurements easily onto a plywood board (to build the chair from scratch).

I don't have a plotter, but my Canon MP610 can print in poster mode where large drawings can be printed onto a grid of several A4's - e.g. 16 sheets of A4's arranged on a grid 4x4 - enough to print the biggest part of the chair scaled 1:1.

 

Has anyone ever attempted this method? Are there other ways?

[ReMark]

You might want to use FLATSHOT to generate the 2D views.

[nestly]

Simple FLATSHOT demo

[xelaris]

Simple FLATSHOT demo

 

Thanks a lot for video link...it really helped.

I didn't know about this FLATSHOT command...I'm refreshing my AUTOCAD skills - sure something similar can be achieved using SolDraw, SolProf and others but Flatshot seems more efficient. I designed the chair many years ago using an older version (2000?) - glad to see this new command is present in the 2010 version I'm using at present.

 

Still no feedback regarding how to print a large drawing onto several A4's sheets (poster mode)....in fact I can't even set a sheet larger than an A4 (that makes sense as my Canon can't take paper sizes bigger than A4) - so how does this poster mode works? Maybe I should just set Paper Space for a normal A4 sheet and then export the drawing and enlarge it up to a 1:1 scale from the printer driver?

Any feedback greatly appreciated.

[BIGAL]

Another way old fashioned vpoint 1,1,1 = 3d view, vpoint 0,0,1 = plan from above. 1,0,0 etc side -1,0,0 other side. You can change all 3 x,y,z just create a layout sheet with multiple viewports at different view angles.

 

(if (= look "R")(command "_.vpoint" "1,0,0"))
(if (= look "L")(command "_.vpoint" "-1,0,0"))
(if (= look "F")(command "_.vpoint" "0,-1,0"))
(if (= look "B")(command "_.vpoint" "0,1,0"))
(if (= look "P")(command "_.vpoint" "0,0,1"))
(if (= look "3")(command "_.vpoint" "1,1,1"))

 

Not sure where you are in world but it would be easier to pay for a A1 sheet to be printed only a few dollars or ask nicely local company please print.

[xelaris]

Another way old fashioned vpoint 1,1,1 = 3d view, vpoint 0,0,1 = plan from above. 1,0,0 etc side -1,0,0 other side. You can change all 3 x,y,z just create a layout sheet with multiple viewports at different view angles.

 

(if (= look "R")(command "_.vpoint" "1,0,0"))
(if (= look "L")(command "_.vpoint" "-1,0,0"))
(if (= look "F")(command "_.vpoint" "0,-1,0"))
(if (= look "B")(command "_.vpoint" "0,1,0"))
(if (= look "P")(command "_.vpoint" "0,0,1"))
(if (= look "3")(command "_.vpoint" "1,1,1"))

 

Not sure where you are in world but it would be easier to pay for a A1 sheet to be printed only a few dollars or ask nicely local company please print.

 

I should have known about this method (my ACAD skills are still rusty but I'm catching up) - simple but effective...basically I'll have to frozen some layers and take a snapshot of each single element of the chair from above as it would appear on the flat pack assembly sheet.

 

I figure out about that Poster Mode: basically one has to use Autocad as normal; setting the Layout to print on an A4 or whatever paper size can accommodate the plotter or printer - then the enlargement is set from the printer driver...mine can print in Poster Mode on a grid of 4x4 A4s, enough for the whole chair parts or even a 3D view of the whole chair in real size (1:1) - great stuff (not perfect, but it will do just fine for such simple task).

[BIGAL]

This was done for a friend each piece was drawn individually then assembled into a 3d object rather build a 3d object and then try to plot parts.

 

[xelaris]

This was done for a friend each piece was drawn individually then assembled into a 3d object rather build a 3d object and then try to plot parts.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]35543[/ATTACH]

 

yep...that's the basic idea. Still there was no point in drawing and printing each piece individually because most (if not all of them) would not fit onto an A4 - I haven't yet used the Poster Mode but I think it's really worth learning how to use it.

[xelaris]

Done!

I've just printed the layout of the chair parts onto 16 A4 sheets...now is just a question of cutting the dotted margins and pasting the pieces together to get an A1.

The Poster Mode in my Canon is very basic...there is no accurate way to scale the object - 4x4 sheets = enlarged 4 times (as simple as that).

The first print wasn't accurately scaled (less than 4 times) because the drawing wasn't properly centered and the printer assigned its own scaling factor to fit the drawing in the sheets...this was resolved by double checking the margins and centering the drawing - now the scale is exactly x4 - so to obtain a 1:1 scale it is just a question of entering the scaling factor of 0.25 in Autocad (by clicking on the vport margin).

[BIGAL]

Why not set up 1 sheet correctly in layout paperspace as a A4 297x210 - margins Mview, plot at 1:1 exactly correct within printer tolerance just copy this layout or copy view you can jump into view and put a join line just pan till join line almost disappears. then plot all sheets in one go.

[xelaris]

Why not set up 1 sheet correctly in layout paperspace as a A4 297x210 - margins Mview, plot at 1:1 exactly correct within printer tolerance just copy this layout or copy view you can jump into view and put a join line just pan till join line almost disappears. then plot all sheets in one go.

 

I thought about doing something similar: creating an Mview at 1:1 and then dividing the views to be printed...too fussy and too many factors to consider (e.g. printer margins/tolerance). In Poster Mode the division of the drawing on the sheets is done automatically - printing margins are taken into account and cutting lines are traced in one go...very simple indeed.

The method you are suggesting would be the only option for printing very large drawings (larger than A1) and it also allows to customize scaling factors (in Poster Mode the only choices are x2 (4 sheets), x3 (9sheets) and x4 (16 sheets).

[ReMark]

Can we see a copy of the drawing (in 3D) or at least an image? I'm curious as to what this chair looks like.

[xelaris]

Right...here a picture of the chair in 3D and the actual A1 sheet (made by sticking together 16 A4s printed via my humble Canon MP610).

 

 

cutting and gluing the pieces together was relatively easy...but minute errors were accumulating and the final sheet got a bit misplaced - still, very useful and I'll get better with practice (never used Poster Mode in my printer before).