3D printer, 5 axis, 2D slicing, sorting

[Paul_RagotCADCAM]

Hello,

 

1- Is there a C-hook/Net-hook that works with 3D printers like this:

 

slices a solid model

puts a 2D pocket toolpath on each slice, starting with the bottom slice (printers go from bottom to top)

 

If nothing already exists, I guess I'll have to write it.

 

2- Would Visual Studio Express free be able to do that?

 

3- Would it be preferable to write a special toolpath that does that, like a suface-finish contour that is reversed (upwards) and pockets instead of contouring?

 

The printer in question is a 5 axis (table/table) and is 'home-made', and accepts mpfan code using 2D pocket. So there is a lot of existing foundation in MC to do this.

 

Thanks,

Paul

[crazy^millman]

Paul, nope but you have Verisurf and it will eat this task up in a matter of minutes. Go to the reverse tab and turn the surfaces into STL. Then use the Slice function in reverse to give you your slices can use the sort levels function if you want. Decide if you want then to be splines or lines. If you go the lines route then use the fit curve to chain and there you can make splines that all have the same number of nodes and would align the start of each one together. You have the ability to set the number of nodes in slices, but it may not be exactly what you are looking for. I have taken and use surface shapes inside of an stl to control my tilt control for the machine, but then used the STL as my machining surface. Pretty easy once someone from CNC showed me the way to handle it all.

[Paul_RagotCADCAM]

Ron,

 

Thanks for the answer. I thought about that but that would be an awful lot of slices to pocket. And with 3D printers, there must not be an overlap otherwise there is twice the material in that spot and that makes a bubble.

I found www.camufacturing.com and they have a 3D printer add-on for MC that seems to do what I need.