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Software

If you need help on creating or dealing with a plan in dxf or other formats, then this is the place to ask.
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Peter Balcombe
Posts: 1399
Joined: 18 Mar 2015, 10:13
Location: Clevedon, North Somerset, U.K.

Re: Software

Post by Peter Balcombe »

After getting the cheap copy of TurboCad from Maplins, but not getting too far with it, I decided to bite the bullet and get a copy of DevCad Pro.
With a little help from Cliff Evans, I have got stuck into this fairly quickly and have found it easy to import a 3 view as a background image which can then be traced into a CAD drawing and scaled to the required size.
Using some 3 views of the SZD45A Ogar I found on the forum as a starter, I have traced & scaled these up to full size and am now having a go at producing a 1/4 scale wing build plan after using Profilli to draft out a basic wing plan to the same size and plot all the rib profiles along the wing complete with main spars, sheeting etc.
A point to note with Profilli is that you need to make sure you have a version which is capable of exporting a DXF/DWG file rather than just printing hard copy. My old XT version can't export, so I had to find a helpful soul to do the conversion for me from the Profilli panel design file. Once you have converted the Profilli output to DXF format then it is easy to copy the ribs into the wing drawing/add detailed tweaks etc.
I suspect that DevWing may be easier to interface with DevCAd etc. than my old version of Profilli, but I will stick with what I have for the present.
Cliff reckons that TurboCad, DevCad & Autocad are all similar but have subtle differences in usage, but once you learn on one, it shouldn't be too difficult to use one of the others.
C.olson

Re: Software

Post by C.olson »

Hi peter
Well it seems your doing much better than Me!!
Although I have to admit at not currently throwing much time into playing with my turbocad right now (rebuilding,insulating,electrifying shed/ hobby space finally) I do intend to sit and mess with TC as soon as summer is over and iv caught up with some projects and managed to get flying again.
So I'm sure I will have plenty of daft questions later in the year for you all,,,so bare with me as my CAD status is on hold!

Chris.
User avatar
Peter Balcombe
Posts: 1399
Joined: 18 Mar 2015, 10:13
Location: Clevedon, North Somerset, U.K.

Re: Software

Post by Peter Balcombe »

I have just tried out DevWing and it seems to be relatively easy to produce a sample ribbed wing design complete with false L/E & T/E spars plus commercial airbrake mounting sub-Spurs and phantom airbrake space. The 3D views confirm that what you have is what you expected. Not able to print or export in the trial environment but will probably wait for the next full version to come out soon before buyiny the full version.
DevCad3 works well and I have managed to tidy up a Compufoil wing plan import into a basis for a Milan wing build plan, plus have tidied up the rib templates into cutting templates.
The Milan 1/4 scale build is next on my list (after the current Olympia build).
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