Slicing an STL File

[Mick]

I was in discussion with a local user the other night, and betweenus, we came up with what would be a handy utility.

 

He wanted a quick and easy method to provide a stock definition curve for lathe, on a part that had been machined for its first op.

 

Basically, he verified the op1 part, and then output the STL file. Then flipped the STL file and moved it into position. The thing is, he wanted his stock chain to be the same as the STL file, but there is no way of doing this, with constructing geometry. His question was, and I tried to find a solution, is there a utility to slice the STL file (in the same way you use Create -> Curve -> Slice)? I couldn't find one, as I tried apps like Solidview, and Rhino etc etc.

 

Would it be possible to write a C-Hook to do that? For users who do a lot of complex multi-op turning, it would be a very handy utility.

 

I'd like to hear some feeback on this

[Brendan P]

Sounds like a good idea.

What I usually end up doing is to save the file as a 2nd operation,flip/translate the geometry that you just cut and then chain it as the stock for the next op.

Then it will show up in verify.

Sux but works.

[Mick]

Yeah, Brendan, thats what I've done... But this method would be quicker, and also, the stock chain would match the STL perfectly, which would mean it matches the toolpath

[mcpgmr]

Mick, I know it's another step but how about running the chook stl2srf ? Then ceate/curve/slice.

[Mick]

Paul,

 

Yes, I considered that, but it creates surfaces, which is additional data. Also, I would assume they would be a bunch of small triangulated surfaces, which I'm sure, would bloat the file size

 

It certainly is an option though

[Scott Bond]

Would it be possible to adjust the stock size of op-1 in verify so that one side of the material is at y=0, then with the stl gets created the front of the stl would be a lathe profile.