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Author	Topic: STL evaluation softwear
mofex unregistered	posted 11-19-2003 05:34 AM Anybody know of any cheap STL evaluation softwear. You know check and fill holes etc.I am tired of being told my rhino models are swiss cheese after sending them over to my RP guy,and then getting charged extra for them to fix it. I need somthing cheaper then Magics but that does about the same job. IP: Logged
PigBoy unregistered	posted 11-19-2003 09:47 AM We ran into the same problem. Magics was the only software at the time that could manipulate .stl files so we purchased it. However, Magics is expensive as hell and the company is a pain in the ass to work with. We learned that better modeling skills are the answer. Before you ship the model to the RP guy, use the "find naked edges" command in Rhino. If you model is RP ready, you will not have any. If it is full of holes, it will light up like a Christmas tree. To fix this, use the "join naked edges" command and select the edges to be joined, one set at a time. Repeat this process until there are no more naked edges. When you are building you next model, use the naked edge command frequently to check the validity of your surfaces. IP: Logged
ID / Proto shop unregistered	posted 11-19-2003 12:37 PM Our prototyping division used solid view. It workes with STL, and IGES. it has mavy features that help out when sending to rp vendors. You can actually fix some faceting problems on stl and iges files. Also gives you the volume of resin and run time needed to complete the models. Also I would only use Pro-e for creating stl's. I have helped the rp division process nearly 3000 jobs over the last 6 months (when I need a few short break from ID) and the files from Rhino both Iges and STL are unusable, Solid works 2001 are poor, 2003 are ok if the modeler knows what they are doing on exporting, 2004 have yet to get one that worked and did not have faces missing, Alias yeah right these are as bad as rhino. we actually have them send the Alias created STL's to our engineering department and the recreate the surfaces and export the stl. And the alias files come from a very well known ID firm known for their Alias modeling and use! IP: Logged
Rhino unregistered	posted 11-19-2003 12:44 PM Rhino is a low end modeling software. Use it to create the curved surfaces then export to solidworks or pro-e. These are the work horse softwares of the industry. Most RP places have both and can manipulte the native files if you can not. Never should Rhino models be used for RP or production work, and who ever marketed it to you for that purpose should be fired for false marketing. My advise for you buy pro-e wildfire with the photorender(Lightwave), ISDX, and advanced surfacing modual licences. About $5000-$6000 a seat, or solidworks 2004 and still expect to have some issues, hoever these are easily worked out once you gain experiance at setting the output settings to properly match your model. ie. cord lenght and cord angle, the larger the file doesnt nessasaraly mean the better either. IP: Logged
Actually unregistered	posted 11-19-2003 01:07 PM We go from Rhino to RP all the time. SolidWorks is good as well. Dont waste your time with Pro/wildfire It also depends on the type of RP you want. With 3D printing, your models dont have to be as tight as SLA. We have been very sucessful building the models in Rhino and using SolidWorks to generate the .stl file (Rhino works, but SW is better) IP: Logged
What unregistered	posted 11-19-2003 01:12 PM Are you wanting to do? Do you want to view the .stl, or do you want the ability to fix them? Magics is a good program if you need to fix the .stl (fill holes, join triangles, cut parts etc.) If you just need to look at them, solidview is good. Solidworks is good, but it is not the end all, be all answer. I have recieved parts from rhino that were tighter than some from SW. Most of it is the persons ability, not the software. IP: Logged
Pro E unregistered	posted 11-19-2003 02:42 PM WHy Not get the most powerful tool for the dollar Pro E They Have a foundation package That I Just Bought for 4K plus Maintence IP: Logged
mofex unregistered	posted 11-20-2003 10:46 AM Hey, great response. Thanks everybody. Solidview sounds like what im looking for. Dowloading a trial version right now. Pigboy: My models are perfect closed polysurfaces, but i still have trouble. It might be the STL export options that are not quite right. Any ideas? Havent had trouble with this until we changed from SLS to SLA models, so it might be a tolerance issue.You better lay off "join naked edges", thats asking for trouble. ID/Protoshop: I have also worked at a RP-shop, so i know what your talking about. But i have to agree with What, its realy all up to the user. I have gotten beutyfull STL files from Alias users, but i know that the person modeling was a real pro. My workaround for the moment is importing igs. into solidworks 2003 and exporting STL from there. Usually works fine. I want to start using rhino and solidworks more in combination like you say Rhino. But i would have a hard time modeling the products we are designing at the moment in solidworks. IP: Logged
Id/Protoshop unregistered	posted 11-20-2003 12:56 PM You would be supprised with the surface creation features in both Solidworks and Now in wildfire. I have recently (today actually) returned from wildfire taining that focussed on the advanced surfacing modual. As a hands on demonstration we modeled a very eurgonomic, and "swoopy", to quote the engineer conducting the session, electric razor. Similar to what you might expect metaphase to produce. The body was created with 3 features a variable section sweep controled by 4 graph features, thicken comand, and a round with 6 sets. Also modeled a human head 6 curves, and a hummingbird 9 features. Solidworks 2004 also has some awsome functionalities now IP: Logged
PigBoy unregistered	posted 11-20-2003 01:44 PM Have you increased the number of polygons when you export from Rhino? Rhino doesent have the best .STL export ability. We use the same method you talk about: Rhino for the ease of modeling, SW to get it water tight. Magics is $$$, and lame to work with, but I dont know of any other software that allows you to manipulate .STL files as well. With the push of a button am able to fill holes and stitch edges. I use it mainly for our Z-Corp machine. Magics has a nice "Hollow Part" command that lets me quickly put internal wall thinkness on a solid part to save build material. If you dont have a RP machine in house, I dont reccomend it. IP: Logged

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