Wishlist - Solid Slicing software


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  1. #1
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    Default Wishlist - Solid Slicing software

    Hi guys, I'm getting my first 3D printer in a few weeks hopefully. It's an Eventorbot, which was a kickstarter project. It's an open source design, but I think he's also planning on selling them after he gets all his orders filled.

    Anyway, I know everybody "likes" STL files because they are easily shared and you don't need expensive software to generate them or read them, but I would eventually like to see someone come up with some "pro-sumer" slicing programs for solid file types, like DXF, IGES, STEP, etc. Plugins for Solidworks or Inventor would be even neater. Also, The current controllers would have to improve to support more g-code commands, but I figure that's what Mach3 is for .

    When I do get my printer up and running I'm going to attempt to write an AutoLisp command that will slice a solid in autocad and output a .dxf file for each layer. That's probably easier said than done tho. There is also a command in Inventor that lets you output a face to a dxf file and there is probably a way to automate that, but that will require lots of research on my part.

    Just some thoughts...

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    Default Re: Wishlist - Solid Slicing software

    I've had a Bukobot for about a year now but haven't done that much with it yet. We got it up and running to the point of starting some sample prints and it seemed to be working but since then have been concentration on the milling machine. But I'd be interested in putting an extruder head on the mill and experimenting with that, so I'm very interested in finding the simplest and best way to run it. I've been thinking about Mach but am a little confused about this new version they are advertising, the Mach4. I'd rather not buy Mach3 and then turn right around and buy Mach4.

    Plus I'm not sure I understand how the pieces fit together. See if this is right: Mach runs the Galil which runs the AMC brushless amps which run the servo motors which turn the encoders which tell Galil where the table is, right? And Slic3r or Skeinforge converts the CAD file so Mach can run it? Does that sound about right?

    So what does it take to get those to play nice? Some sort of plug-in for Galil so it can run the AMC amps and/or some sort of plug-in for Skeinforge or Slic3r so it knows the Galil commands? I'm just guessing here, and I'm sure there are a lot of details that I don't have a clue about.

    Jim



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    Default Re: Wishlist - Solid Slicing software

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Blackwood View Post
    See if this is right: Mach runs the Galil which runs the AMC brushless amps which run the servo motors which turn the encoders which tell Galil where the table is, right? And Slic3r or Skeinforge converts the CAD file so Mach can run it? Does that sound about right?
    Sounds about right. I haven't heard of galil before. You might need a plugin or something that can handle the extra Mcodes that slicer outputs for setting the extruder temperature and waiting for it to heat up. The Gcodes that slicer puts out are pretty standard and it has an option to output mach-like syntax so it changes the extruder E axis to an A axis. You end up with a bunch of G0 and G1 moves. Some of the firmwares can handle arcs now, but since the slicer is reading a polygonal object there's not really any way to generate an arc command. To slice an object you'll have to export your CAD file as an STL, but most CAD programs can handle that without any issue.



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    I'm thinking of getting MakerBot MP05950 Replicator Z18 to replace my MakerBot MP05925. I agree that CAD files should be able to handle it,



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Wishlist - Solid Slicing software

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