Graphics on a part

[Jim Plunkett]

How can I put graphics on a part model ? e.g. screen printed text, logotype, an adhesive label. I've got SD 5.1 on NT

[Nigel Ritson]

Easiest way is to import the part into a visualization package such as SolidTools or GigViz. A work around which I use for sample graphics, as I do not have any visualisation packages available to me (it is not the ideal solution but might help), is to place a workplane on the face where you require graphics, create the outlines of text, logos etc. on the workplane & extrude the outlines by a minimal amount away from the part - say 0.001mm. This allows a raised face to have a colour assigned to it. I have also imported outlines from AutoCad & graphics packages such as Macromedia Freehand via DXF file format into ME10, & then have pulled these through to SolidDesigner. I am currently running SD5.1 & ME10 on UNIX, AutoCad R12/13 on DOS/Windows, & Freehand on a Power Macintosh. File transfer between the packages & different hardware platforms is via a Token Ring Network. Hope this helps.

[Robert Bruce]

Another way to accomplish this is to use the IMPRINT EDGES commands found in the MACHINE menu. Using LINEAR with TO PART checked, will allow you to imprint a set of closed profiles on a workplane onto a part. Be sure to have EDGED on in the SHOW menu and have the part that is being imprinted active to see the results. The resulting imprinted areas will act as separate faces and you can change their colors using PART SETTINGS/FACE COLOR. Also, your workplane needs to be above the surface being imprinted. Creating a workplane parallel to a face with 0 offset does not seem to work. Using ME10's TEXT>GEO will allow you to convert ME10 fonts (such as BLOCK) to geometry which can then be imported into SD and imprinted. Hope this helps!

[Markus Kuehl]

SolidDesigner has a command already which allows you to convert any text string to a 2D profile using an available labeling font like hp_block_v. This command is only available in the customize menu. You have to add the command "Group: Create 2D, Command: Text to Profile" to any of your toolbars or menubar or popup menu. That way you can easily create 2D geometry out of a simple text string.