.STL's

[Greg_J]

Can you machine from a .stl?

 

If I remember correctly you can't, so what do you do if you have a .stl model that you want to machine from?

[Mark H]

Yes you can. One way is to import it as a mesh (option button on the file open dialog box.)

[Greg_J]

oh?

 

Does it get bogged down a crash if it was a complicated .stl?

 

I'll give it a try and see.

[Mark H]

Yeah try it out. It might take some time to open or merge the STL depending on how complicated it is. From what I remember STL file importing has been improved over the last version of Mastercam. As far as toolpaths, I found its similar to toolpathing a solid. Also another nice feature is that you can shade the STL mesh.

[cobra95kev]

Bring the mesh only. It is alot faster.

[3R!< W3NG3R]

when selecting surfaces for machining, hit the STL button and select the file.

[Greg_J]

I know it didn't work this way before.

 

That's great it saves me a bunch of time on some future projects.

[Code_Breaker]

Interestly, Vericut uses STL to prove out NC code ...

[ostie01]

quote:

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when selecting surfaces for machining, hit the STL button and select the file.

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Could you elaborate about hitting the STL button, can't find it.

 

Thanks, Jeff

[Superman]

quote:

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when selecting surfaces for machining, hit the STL button and select the file.

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When the surfacing dialog box comes up, instead of selecting "Drive surfaces", you select "CAD" and you then browse for the STL file, and you may also have to use a containment boundary to localise your toolpaths

[Colin Gilchrist]

Code_Breaker,

 

While it is true that you load an STL file into Vericut to define the initial stock shape, Vericut does not acutally use the STL file to prove out the NC code.

 

Vericut takes your STL file and builds a "Cut Stock" model in memory, based on your tolerance settings. Basically Vericut attempts to fill your STL shell with little blocks. Kind of like filling a balloon up with grains of sand. During your simulation, the cutter path is swept through these blocks and a Boolean operation is performed. If the cutter touched the block, it gets removed from the cut stock database.

 

This is interesting conceptually because the simulation kernal is not trying to intersect and divide triangles to perform the simulation.

 

Many other types of software including Mastercam's Verify module do use STL files for Verification, but Vericut is one exception.

[Mark H]

Just to be clear there are a couple of ways to machine STL files...

 

One way is to import it as a mesh and then select it just as you would a surface.

 

Another way is not to import it at all. You simply select the CAD file button in the toolpath/surface selection dialog box.

 

[ 01-29-2010, 09:27 AM: Message edited by: Mark H ]