Opening a CLO made AAMA DXF file into Lectra Modaris
Hi I am having issues sending the DXF files to my pattern maker from the Latest CLO version on a MAC.
They are using Lectra Modaris on a Windows PC and when they import the DXF it come is drastically smaller than the original pattern. (1000% Smaller - eg 100cm becomes 10cm). But still in the correct Aspect ratio.)
I opened the same DXF opened in ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR CS and it came in correctly to scale.
Does anyone have and solution regarding this issue?
Even if it is a way to scale up 1000% in Lectra when importing the Pattern.
Thanks x
M
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Ok so after some thinking I have exported the AAMA DXF at 1000% from CLO itself and this has temporarily resolved the problem.
However in future updates it would be great i this is resolved. x
x M x
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Bemaniak, your post doesn't make much technical sense on the import to Lectra, and the asking for it to be resolved by CLO3D? The fault according to your post as I read it is 100% with Lectra's import translator. Which means CLO3D have no part in that process, it is Lectra (or the CAD operator receiving the datafile) whom need to do some legwork.
If you import the same DXF you exported from CLO3D into illustrator and it came in correctly at scale THEN that demonstrates the fault does not lay with the CLO3D file BUT with the Lectra import interpolation. Which often means the person whom is doing that work needs to upskill on how to change their import settings in Lectra. Like units for like units if that is the decimal or inch conventions being used - which is pretty universal.
Get them to open up the DXF file in a text editor and read how it is treating the pattern size. They can create a custom Lectra import setup for you as a customer with any specific requirements, then in future use that when importing your files. So a rule of thumb should be ... if you export from one system in CM then the other whom is importing should make sure they use CM if there is a scale option on import as a start point. (which is pretty common) or change the scale factor accordingly between the systems.
When you open up a DXF file (in a text editor) it becomes immediately apparent what the factor is between systems (prior to import) for there respective treatment of unit space into the next CAD system. It should be common practice for them to check datafiles as part of their process.
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Yeah, I used to have this problem with factory patterns coming to us at the studio. We were using Gerber, and they were using whatever software they were using. Drove me nuts. Gerber and Lectra are so big they probably don't care about playing nice with others. Gerber barely even has customer support. So your workaround makes sense.
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When I send a file they get the file but its scattered around the page and the scale is also off. Can anybody suggest a solution?
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Yes, go to a company that has trained personnel on the many ways to use DXF import.
Too many Gerber and Lectra users simply don't have decent training on how to take in the many possible AAMA DXF format variants, then place the fault on the prior software which is usually not where the problem rests, and then no-one within the client and producer 'bubble' solution space are willing to take personal ownership of the problem - both end up pointing to everything else but their own inability to understand DXF thoroughly. Sound familiar? This is where I say to people > toughen up, the DXF output works from CLO3D and both teams (competitors software) and staff need to decide whom's responsibility it is to get on with the job too hand. Often that falls to the person doing the importing on the manufacturers side who is paid low wages not to care - they don't really have time to explore options (at their cost) they simply push the work away as they have little incentive to change what they do, try new settings or adjust their thinking. So what I often find helps is sweetening the pie - so there is an incentive to get it right and to care about learning how DXF works. (pay them for them to carry out that explority exchange work -once) So those are the choices .... someone needs to pay for someone else to upskill. Or find a manufacturer whom is savvy enough to want to push a few interpolation changes to their CAD import process.
People need to appreciate that interpolation of DXF is a 'doing' task that covers some integration research. Whom does that work is generally the sore point, the manufacturer with low wage employees, generally doesn't need the extra hassle, and the customer with a unique output, doesn't want to pay for them to find out, and the problem gets batted back and forward until the deadline is missed or the samples get made on the manufacturers software cos no one could see past their own need to 'dig a little deeper'.
My suggestion is possibly use a third party whom knows what they are doing on DXF fashion CAD data transfer for now, to confirm it works within all systems, and then document that process for your company, and in future refer to that learnt experience as a cost you need to include with any new manufacturer whom is belligerent to the point of not wanting to adjust their import CAD settings on their software side of the process with a couple of very simple tweaks.
It works > I regularly send garments to both Gerber and Lectra, however I do have that exchange process documented and maybe it's about time 'others' did see that as an investment in getting from A to B, and as a cost center they need to negotiate as part of their 'own' business process. Get my drift here. Own the problem. Don't pass the buck, it's simply good business to solve the problem by a 'doing' action, that ultimately plugs a process gap in knowledge on how to get your samples from digital to manufacture. Important stuff.
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We used to try to avoid dxf conversions at all costs because so much of the data was lost and/or corrupted in the process. Over the last seven to ten years the vendors caught up so that you could open up native file formats directly so no conversion was necessary; it's not so much lacking decent training but it just wasn't necessary to deal with dxf files in the major pattern making systems so even if you had been trained in it a million years ago, you probably hadn't done it in ages. It's only since 3D started becoming more widespread that dxf is being used more often and you are right, generally people don't know their way around the conversion utilities so I also have documented steps for opening things up in other platforms. I know for a fact that the Gerber development team has been working with Clo's teams to improve the dxf data conversion; it used to be pretty messy going both from Gerber to Clo and back again, it's now pretty seamless. Factories using older versions of the software may still have trouble so I usually send screenshots of the menu items they have to go look for when opening my files. I have a friend who is a trainer at Lectra- I'll see if he can help me to document the steps to import Clo files into Lectra cleanly.
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Hmmm ... this maybe rings a little more true I think . > When I quiz the 'middlewear' sample suppliers in Asia as to their version of Gerber - I am frequently met with blank stone walling in fear of them having to produce a legitimate bit of software when tasked, which is maybe why many are behind the DXF curve ball. No interpolation license or old versions outdated and not maintained with a current support service to get them over any technical hump from new clients .... so they go silent or avoid the obvious fall back position that they could easily make > to give their local Gerber/Lectra agent a tinkle and ask how to set up their import settings on their 'licensed' software.
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DXF & RUL file & Tips for Lectra || Lectra Modaris || How to make dxf pattern on lectra? - YouTube
This video helped me! Its quite long and slow, but import to Lectra is approx half way in the video
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