Hello all, I am just wondering if by chance someone on here would have a very accurate dimensional CAD file ( iges or a sprt maybe ) of the rear clip of the fastback GT. If so I would love to hear from you about a project I am hoping to work on and need your assistance. Thanks Kent ( mpmwinmb at g mail d o t c o m )

I highly doubt it. Keep in mind that when this car was designed, CAD programs were not yet available, as computer technology was in it's infancy then. The Fiero was designed "on the board", all hand drawn on mylar or linen.

The only way you could get a CAD file is to have a rear clip laser or white light scanned, but then you would need a skilled designer with years of experience in class "A" surfacing to convert the point cloud (output file from scan) to surfaces with thickness.

By the way, what exactly is an "sprt" file? I've been a mechanical CAD designer for many many years, but I've never heard of that file type related to any CAD format.

Supposedly a sprt file is the raw Solidworks version. Looking for something more then just a 3D CG rendering file that is used in the video games as I need to be able to have wall thickness and able to scale it to a specific size.

I have seen one of those 3D scanners in action ,while doing small objects , but have seen some computer model results of a full vehicle scan. Quite impressive to say the least.

quote Originally posted by Farmboy_k: Supposedly a sprt file is the raw Solidworks version. Looking for something more then just a 3D CG rendering file that is used in the video games as I need to be able to have wall thickness and able to scale it to a specific size. I have seen one of those 3D scanners in action ,while doing small objects , but have seen some computer model results of a full vehicle scan. Quite impressive to say the least.

A native SolidWorks file is either a .SLDPRT, .SLDASM, or .SLDDRW depending on if it is a model, assembly, or drawing file. I use SolidWorks very regularly.

I have yet to see a 3D scanner that can generate a real 3D CAD file. Most 3D scanners are simply scanning a surface and plotting points on the surface. Each point is mapped into 3D space, and the resultant file is a "point cloud". In order to make a usable CAD file from the point cloud, you need a designer with experience in this type of conversion, and someone who is skilled at class "A" surfacing. As you want CAD data of a cars exterior skin, that requires class "A" surfacing skills to finesse the surfaces to get a smooth outcome. Point clouds do not provide the accuracy to simply scan a surface and get an accurate reproduction of any automotive exterior surface. Some companies claim their scanners can output 3D CAD data, but they really output an .stl file, which is a tessellated surface. An stl file is pretty much useless if you are trying to reverse engineer any class "A" surface.

It can be done, but it would not be fast, easy, or cheap.

I happen to use a scanner at work. We bought the software for reverse engineering to an IGES file but, we have not used that output to recreate. The tool shop for my work has used solidworks to take an IGES output of the point cloud to make die pieces. From what little I have used the reverse engineering software, it would mot be too difficult to get a 3D model if you had a clip off the car, just take a lot of time.

I have considered using a plastic model fastback to scan and work with which would get me close to what I need at alot cheaper price then scanning a real one so that may be my only option by the looks of it.

I have this ......



but it is useless .......

[This message has been edited by Danyel (edited 11-01-2013).]

quote Originally posted by Farmboy_k: I have considered using a plastic model fastback to scan and work with which would get me close to what I need at alot cheaper price then scanning a real one so that may be my only option by the looks of it.

If you want to actually make something to put on a real car, do not use this method. Even though your model may look like a Fiero, you have no way of knowing for sure that the dimensions of that model match a "real" Fiero in the X, Y, and Z directions, even if scaled down. If you want to make (a) real part(s) for a real car, there are no shortcuts to getting a usable CAD file. You would have to get a fastback clip scanned, then finessed by a CAD designer with the experience and skillset to work with both point clouds and class "A" surfaces.

I'm not blowing smoke up your a$$, I am a designer by trade and this is one thing I know a LOT about.

quote Originally posted by Danyel: I have this ...... but it is useless .......

Yes it is, that is a tessellated file. As technically difficult as it is to create a good solid model from a scanned point cloud, it approaches impossibility to do it from a tessellated file like that.