Model Slicing on more than one axis

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AZRoger
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Model Slicing on more than one axis

Post by AZRoger »

I digitized a small camera that will need to be fitted into a hole machined for it.
The top of the model had to be extended to allow the camera to seat deeply enough.
Also parts of the sides of the model have to be extended for clearance.
I imported the original model with the Z axis being the top to the bottom of the hole.
I used the slicing tool on the model, then duplicated the component that represented the top of the hole and then baked it back into one model.
That worked very well. Now I need to do the same on the X axis. Slice seems to only work on the Z axis.
After the import is done, I can't find a way to rotate the model on the Y axis to turn the old X axis into a new Z axis orientation.
Is the preferred way to do this to export the partially completed model and alter the orientation when re-importing the model?
That would seem to work but also seems a little clunky. Is there a more direct method for turning the model that I'm just not finding?
Thanks in advance for your advice.
Roger

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dealguy11
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Re: Model Slicing on more than one axis

Post by dealguy11 »

I'm trying to imagine exactly what you're doing, and may not be getting it. However, here's a thought.

Rather than trying to flip it, then slicing it, what if you instead used a straight vector to split the model however far you need from one end. You will end up with 2 components - vertical slices. Copy the thin component and move it into place to extend the end. You might make the thin slice a little wider than required and then move it into place using a combine mode of "merge" to make sure there are no errant pixels between the 2 sections.
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Re: Model Slicing on more than one axis

Post by dldecker »

do you mean like this?
Image



then go to http://www.stlslicer.com/
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AZRoger
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Re: Model Slicing on more than one axis

Post by AZRoger »

dealguy11 wrote:I'm trying to imagine exactly what you're doing, and may not be getting it. However, here's a thought.

Rather than trying to flip it, then slicing it, what if you instead used a straight vector to split the model however far you need from one end. You will end up with 2 components - vertical slices. Copy the thin component and move it into place to extend the end. You might make the thin slice a little wider than required and then move it into place using a combine mode of "merge" to make sure there are no errant pixels between the 2 sections.
Thanks. This method worked great. I wound up with 5 components, moved the ends (1 and 5) to where then needed to be, linear copied the parts that needed to grow (2 and 4) 7 times each, and then baked it all back together -- and "merge" was very important!

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Re: Model Slicing on more than one axis

Post by Dale1944 »

The stl slicer looks interesting. Do you have any experience with it?

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Re: Model Slicing on more than one axis

Post by dldecker »

"The stl slicer looks interesting. Do you have any experience with it?"

none I am hoping some one that has used it would chime in.
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Re: Model Slicing on more than one axis

Post by LittleGreyMan »

Hi,

You can download a demo of this software.

Awful UI, and there's a lot of STL it simply doesn't open, without any message. These STL open without any problem with Meshlab or Aspire.

Uninstalled after less than 5mn.

I tried the Mac version, so it may work on Windows.
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Re: Model Slicing on more than one axis

Post by mtylerfl »

The STL Slicer works great...as long as you give it a "nice" STL it likes. You can slice-and-dice an STL at practically any angle/axis you want. View the tutorials at the Slicer website...the GUI isn't as bad as you might think...just have to know what the tool icons are for. The Tutorials will help with that. A brief 5-minute look-see won't do you any good as far as learning how it works.

It doesn't like STL with color/texture information, and it works best if the STL is 99MB or less.

There are a couple things you can do to assure your "problem STL's" will open in SLICER...and it's totally free to do so!

First, download and install the free program MeshLab. http://meshlab.sourceforge.net/

Then...

1) Start up MeshLab and create a "New Empty Project"

2a)... If you have a HUMONGOUS file, it is easy to reduce the file size without noticeable quality loss.

2b)...Import your STL file into your New Project in MeshLab and click "OK" in the Post-Open Processing window (see screenshot entitled "1-Post-Open Processing"

2c)...Select Filters/Remeshing,Simplification and Reconstruction/Quadric Edge Collapse Decimation (see screenshot entitled "2-Remesh_Quadric")

2d)...Take a look at the screenshot entitled "3-Remesh_Settings". Make SURE you check all the boxes exactly as shown in my screenshot. Now, type in a decimal fraction (percentage) of how much you want to diminish the mesh, without going too crazy, or you'll get visible facets on your model. NOTE: the decimal value you type in is NOT the percentage reduction... EXAMPLES: type .70 for a 30% reduction, type .50 for a 50% reduction, type .90 for a 10% reduction, etc. Also, MAKE SURE you have typed in a value of "1" for the Quality Threshold.

2e) Click the word "Apply", wait for it to finish, then click the word "Close" to get rid of the window.

3) Observe your model on-screen to confirm it is still good quality (it will be if you didn't "go crazy" with the remesh reduction)

4) Now, go to File/Export Mesh As. You will select your file type (STL in this case) and create a new name for your model (so you don't overwrite your original!). Click "Save" and you will see a new window pop-up. There is a setting here you MUST UNCHECK before saving to enable the SLICER to open your new STL (see screenshot entitled "4-Saving_Options"). UNCHECK the box that says "Materialize Color Encoding". Click "OK" to save your new STL. It should now open in SLICER.

So, we have basically corrected the "troublesome" STL files by doing this. Even though many STL files will open in other programs (like MeshLab here) with the color or texture preserved, some programs won't open them or might even crash on you...the SLICER wants "clean" STL's without color info and a file size smaller than 99MB. Reducing the mesh to a reasonable size and discarding the color/texture info should put you on track.

I hope this has been helpful.

Additional Info: If you have a file that is already a reasonable size you are comfortable with, then you don't need to do the "remesh/reduction". However you WILL need to go ahead and re-save/export the model to remove the "Materialize Color Encoding" in the save options as described above.

An acquaintance mentioned importing, then re-saving from Blender (another free program) works well for "fixing" an STL. I suspect it is stripping out the material/color info by default. I'm not sure how good a job Blender does for reducing the mesh without a noticeable quality hit - maybe it's fine - but I know for sure that MeshLab does a great job with that.
Attachments
1-Post-Open_Processing.png
2-Remesh_Quadric.png
3-Remesh_Settings.png
4-Saving_Options.png
Last edited by mtylerfl on Tue Jun 21, 2016 7:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Frunple

Re: Model Slicing on more than one axis

Post by Frunple »

That's a lot of work Michael... a lot easier to run the STL through this first. In fact, run every STL you have through it before doing anything with the file and it'll be perfect.
I use it for everything I 3d print and never had a problem.

Who knew Microsoft was relevant again??

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Re: Model Slicing on more than one axis

Post by mtylerfl »

Frunple wrote:That's a lot of work Michael... a lot easier to run the STL through this first. In fact, run every STL you have through it before doing anything with the file and it'll be perfect.
I use it for everything I 3d print and never had a problem.

Who knew Microsoft was relevant again??
Takes only about 2 minutes (or less) to do...took 20 minutes to write out the instructions and make screenshots, though! I'll have to check out your link to see how it works, too. I am going to guess about the same amount of time (maybe longer if you have to upload and download large files.)
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garylmast
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Re: Model Slicing on more than one axis

Post by garylmast »

A recent project I posted several days ago, http://forum.vectric.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=25102 , when I imported each component, I needed to carve both sides, so after adjusting where I wanted the initial split, I checked the “create both sides”. I then used the slice tool in Aspire to create each slice based on the thickness of my material, then unchecked the imported component. With Aspire, I had no need to look for outside slicing software. Gary
Attachments
eagle slice 1.JPG
eagle slice 2.JPG

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mtylerfl
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Re: Model Slicing on more than one axis

Post by mtylerfl »

Hi Gary,

Yes, for straightforward slicing, Aspire does the job, no problem! (Great project, by the way.)
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Re: Model Slicing on more than one axis

Post by LittleGreyMan »

Michael,

No doubt one can use this software.

I simply think I can expect a clean and decent UI for a $200 software. Not giving a message when an import fails is simply unacceptable. And having to prepare STLs that all my other software import without any problem doesn't make sense.

Once again, I tried with small files, much simpler than the greek head they display on their website, including files already processed by MeshLab. These STLs were water-tight.

Just my 2 cents.
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Didier

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RichardF
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Re: Model Slicing on more than one axis

Post by RichardF »

Take a google search for Netfabb Basic. It's free and it can cut in 3 axis

Richard

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