STL files and CNC

[Ryan B]

Hi folks,

I'm hoping to find some help here. I'd like to know which programs any of you may be using to create tool paths from STL files. Also, is this a complicated procedure? I have to admit I'm completely new to the CNC world, so bear with me...

A little background:

Our company designs decorative household items that are produced for us overseas. We use Pro E and have now added Freeform Modeling Plus to our design arsenal. We now have the ability to sculpturally embellish our CAD files and output them as STL files.

I'd like to send these STL's off to our factory for CNC milling, but am not having any luck with them being able to use the files on their current setup.
Instead, they've requested that we send IGES or STEP files - this unfortunately has proven too difficult to produce with our current designs (too much surface texture).

Soo, I've been given the dubious honor of finding a solution. I'm hoping I can either find a good program to recommend to our factory, or something in house that can do the job before we send our files off.

Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks,

*Edit - FYI - we're producing parts anywhere from 6" - to 48" if that makes any difference. Also, the current texture we're trying to reproduce is like hammered sheet metal.

Ryan

[mcphill]

BobCAD will tool off of STL files. Note that BobCAM (the new plugin to SolidWorks) will NOT do this. SolidWorks (and ProE) are parametric modellers, so they can't handle complex point cloud data they way you need it for CAM processing. Even the full versions are quite limited with STL handling.

I am sure there are other solutions to handling STL files as well, but I have been doing it in BobCAD for most of this year, and it handles they "natively". The only thing I can't do is "extract edges", since the edges are not solid, they are made of tons of triangles.

Also, you can use some freeware tools to edit STL files as needed (delete huge sections, segment in to different regions, etc.). This was a HUGE improvement for me with complex 3D shapes that could not be tooled from one side (not likely an issue for you).

If you can use help getting some CAM programs made, I can assist you with that (can provide you samples off of your STL data/files if you want). PM me or (preferred) e-mail me at mike@mcpii.com for more info.

[ger21]

MeshCAM is under $200 and works great. MeshCAM - CNC Machining Software

[awerby]

It's the best software for this that I've found. It works well with the output from Freeform, which I also use. It has a lot of different strategies for toolpaths, including parallel (rastering) spiral, block (square spirals) waterline, 4th axis, 2d engraving, etc. And you can try it for a month for free, before buying it. Download a test copy from DeskProto offers rapid prototyping using an affordable cnc milling machine: DeskProto is 3D cam software for model making., and if you like it I can sell it to you at a discount.

Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com — Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software

[Ryan B]

Thanks for the replies/suggestions everyone!

I found this article over the weekend regarding "tribrid" modeling:

Software - Tribrid Modeling for Mold Manufacture - 03/10

Anyone out there using this approach to create dies or molds? If so, what software are you using?

[mcphill]

CopyCAD Pro is the only software to offer “Tribrid Modeling”

Software - Tribrid Modeling for Mold Manufacture - 03/10

[Ryan B]

Mike, thanks again for your response. OK, dumb question time...

Do you mean that CopyCad Pro the only program that can create "tribrid" models? This type of file can, I believe, also be created in Freeform Modeling Plus - at least it seems there is the option of exporting custom trimmed mesh data along with CAD surfaces.

Dumb question #2:

Are there many programs that can use "tribrid" models to create toolpaths, or is that an operation only available in CCP?

I'd like to be able to send files consisting of both STL's and surface data to create molds and would like to know how common this type of manufacturing might be and what CAM packages can handle this type of project.

Sorry if I'm way off base, I'm still very new to this aspect of manufacturing...