Blueprint 2D to 3D Software?

I have some chassis blueprints and would like to turn them into something 3D.  Several years ago I did it using BendTech, which is software used for tubing bending machines.  It is proprietary and not really for bends in more than one plane.  While it can export an .stl file, it's not easy to use, nor can you "trace" a blueprint.  I had to manually enter dimensions and connect the dots.  Surely there have been improvements. 

Here's something similar to what I'm starting with:

I want to end up here:

Possible?  What software?

To have any sort of accuracy, I think you're going to have to build it from scratch in a virtual environment. Fusion 360 would let you open the drawing and scale it for reference, then lay tubes on top. 

Honestly, inputting coordinates and connecting the dots manually is probably going to be the only way to do it.

What others have said. I could do it in 3DSTUDIO or AutoCAD but it would be starting from scratch. If you have prints with dimensions it could be roughed out in a couple (3-4) hours and then you can spend a lifetime on the details like tabs and mount locations.  

Well that stinks. I was hoping we were finally at a Weird Science level where you feed in pictures to a computer and out pops Kelly LeBrock or at least a basic 917 chassis.  Maybe next year. 

Maybe some day but it would still need manual cleanup. I know there is software that uses neural networks to make a 3d environment from a 2d input image but that's more for artistic purposes.

You are not calling RCR for a chassis and body to save on costs. They have already done all the leg work for something like this and sell it. 

Along with Fusion 360, SolidWorks also has trace functionality. They also have some powerful tools for weldments made of predefined profile stocks. 

This is definitely a trace-it scenario.  Lots of manual effort though as the number tubes in some of those intersections is significant.

Can we all take a moment to appreciate just how much body work is on top of that tiny chassis?  

ProDarwin said:

This is definitely a trace-it scenario.  Lots of manual effort though as the number tubes in some of those intersections is significant.

Agreed. I'm most familiar with the how to in SolidWorks, but most 3D packages have the ability to take a line from one view and a line from another view and project a combination of them. I think that's how I would start attacking this problem. I'd find the center line of each tube, project them together in 3D space and then start extruding tubes. 

In reply to wearymicrobe :

That's not really what this is about.

In reply to BAMF :

Many thanks.  That's how I assumed it would be done.  I will look into SolidWorks.  It's been a very long time since I used it - probably over a decade - and even then it was casual use.

I would do the same in AutoCAD. Draw it all out with lines then extrude tubes on/around the lines. Not hard at all just takes some time.  

BAMF said:

ProDarwin said:

This is definitely a trace-it scenario.  Lots of manual effort though as the number tubes in some of those intersections is significant.

Agreed. I'm most familiar with the how to in SolidWorks, but most 3D packages have the ability to take a line from one view and a line from another view and project a combination of them. I think that's how I would start attacking this problem. I'd find the center line of each tube, project them together in 3D space and then start extruding tubes. 

Combined Projection is what most software calls that.  For this I would only do the intersections though.  Combined Projection has the most value when your line has a complex curve - straight lines are easy.

You can also manually do a combined projection by doing Extrude, Extrude, then take the Intersection of the two.