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Export DXF for use in Z88Aurora

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 3:34 pm
by caigner
Hi!

I love to work with QCAD. It's really a good program and it's getting better all the time. Recently I came across another exciting piece of software: Z88Aurora

Z88Aurora is a free finite element software package for static calculation in mechanical engineering. Beside linear static analysis you can use it for large displacement analysis, stady state thermal analysis and natural frequency analysis.

AND it can do 2D, too! Sounds great, doesn't it? So I fired up my QCAD installation and quickly designed a simple 2D-drawing and saved it as DXF R2010.
Then I tried to import it in Z88Aurora and ... failed. Oh dear, I was disappointed. It seems, that the DXF from QCAD is not compatible with the Autocad-DXF that Z88Aurora expects.

Please make it work! That would be such a great thing to be able to use QCAD as a source for 2D-models.

PS: I use the Linux-version of QCAD and Z88Aurora.

Re: Export DXF for use in Z88Aurora

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 4:24 pm
by andrew
Thanks for the input.

Chances are that the error is with the other product though. QCAD 3 uses Teigha for DXF / DWG output and the DXF files produced are conforming to the Autodesk DXF specs.

There are a couple of things you might want to try:
- Export in QCAD as DXF R12 instead of DXF R2010 (or try other format versions, depending on what is supported by the other software).
- If only certain entities cannot be imported, try to explode them first in QCAD, then save the drawing under a new name.

Re: Export DXF for use in Z88Aurora

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 4:39 pm
by andrew
A quick google search revealed this document which you might already be aware of:
http://www.z88.uni-bayreuth.de/z88auror ... amples.pdf

Some quotes that stand out:
May I load DXF files into Z88Aurora without any additional work?
No, and here's why: [...]

Which CAD systems can cooperate with Z88X?
[...] Choose AutoCAD R12 DXF format, if in doubt, but AutoCAD 2011 DXF works, too.

Re: Export DXF for use in Z88Aurora

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 5:13 pm
by caigner
Hmmm... It seems, I have to either use a 3D-CAD program or go the extra mile and do a proper preparation of my 2D-drawing.

Thanks to make that clear.