Expert: George Reid - 3/8/2009

Question
Dear George,

Hi....my question or rather the problem is, I have a multi storey building which has been modelled in 3dmax 2008. Now I want to export it to ACAD 2007 for technical dwgs like elevations sections etc. However, I do not know how to convert the 3dmax model to meshes for acad. I have tried the FLATSHOT in ACAD however  since my imported model for MAX are not solids I cannot do so.I hope you get my problem.
SO how can I convert the MAX model to lines in ACAD to create elevations and sections.

Thank you very much.

Answer
Hi Ren,

I don't know what you have tried already but here is what I do. I have DesignCad 3D Max v15.3 and AutoCad LT 2009.  I was able to export a fairly complex 3D wireframe model into both DWG & DXF files and then open them with AutoCad.

Usually, we would save a file by doing a SAVE AS and selecting DXF as the file type but we soon learn that on the File Type there are no AutoCad types listed.  In DesignCad 3D Max I selected the FILE menu and clicked on Export. This brings up the same window but it has the AutoCad filetypes in it.

I exported it as a DWG and again as a DXF and both worked fine. I opened each of them in AutoCad LT 2009 and switched to a 3D view and was able to see it perfectly in 3D wireframe.

I hope this helps.

George