2d vectors to 3d model in rhino

[jim s]

I am trying to cut a rudder blade for a sailboat on my cnc machine. The rudder is about 51" long by 10" wide by 2" thick at the thickest point. It is a foil shape like an airplane wing, and the foil tapers to about .75" thick at the very bottom of the rudder. The boat's designer has sent me the 2d vectors for the overall profile of the rudder and the foil shapes at given intervals along the length of the blade.

I'm trying to develope a 3d model of the rudder in rhino 4.0. Once I get the model, I can import it into my cnc software to develope the toolpath. I can import the 2d vectors into a blank rhino drawing, but how do I then make it into a 3d object?

Thanks

[eraollie]

you'll need to make sure the vector file is an .AI format, then it can be imported in to rhino. it works the otherway round too, you can take stuff from autocad and, through rhino, make graphics out of things.

[EbolaMonkey]

Originally Posted by eraollie

you'll need to make sure the vector file is an .AI format, then it can be imported in to rhino. it works the otherway round too, you can take stuff from autocad and, through rhino, make graphics out of things.

Rhino can import many more vector file types than just AI. These include the most common (DWG and DXF), but also several others. As far as exporting to another program for toolpathing, it depends on what program you are using and what file types it can read. For example, if you're going to Surfcam, it's usually best to export as an IGS file. For Mastercam, I believe DXF files work well.