Salome

[Dan Falck]

I thought I might start a thread on Salome- an open source CAE application, which was described in another thread. I have to admit, I was confused about what Salome was- thinking that it was 'only' and FEA package using Opencascade. It turns out that Salome has an interesting CAD/surfacing module too.

Here is an overview:

http://www.salome-platform.org/home/...tion/overview/

I found the download section for a package that works under Ubuntu 8.04 Linux here :
http://caelinux.com/CMS/index.php?op...d=44&Itemid=40

SALOME-MECA-2008.1-GPL

I was surprised at how easy it was to install. I am accustomed to having to track down loads of missing libraries, but everything was included with this package. It is very large (350MB if I remember right), but I didn't have to track everything needed down to get it running.

After installation, Salome starts up in a 'neutral' mode. It has a blank window. If one is to select the 'Geometry' mode from the upper pulldown box, the fun begins.

I was able to import IGES files into Salome. I was also able to create geometry and export IGES and STL files from it. I am just learning how to use it, so I hope that others, more experienced than me, can explain what they are doing with it.
Thanks,
Dan

[samco]

Is that the part stuart was machining here?

YouTube - EMC2 cinci test cut

YouTube - EMC2 cinci test cut

sam

[Dan Falck]

Hi Sam,

Yes, that's the part.

Thanks,
Dan

[lezdep]

I've built bunch of 3D models of parts for my scale F1 car models. See attached
pictures. I've generated toolpaths for caliper using trial version of MeshCAM and
was able to machine first test shoot. Toolpath wasn't idea and there was even one
error. So I will have to redo it. MeshCAM is going to expire soon and I'm looking
into free CAMs we have (or absence of them at the moment).

[Dan Falck]

Is there any way of exporting primitive elements out of an mesh (ie arcs and lines) from Salome? This might help a lot in moving toward CAM. I use APT360 for CAM here and have written a DXF to APT converter to help me get from my drawings in Autocad2000 (under wine) or Qcad to g-code.

Dan

[cyclestart]

Conclusions after playing around with Salome the past couple of evenings;

--This is very capable software. I'm accidentally discovering useful features every time I 'play' with it.

--The documentation could use improvement. In fairness the same could be said of many pay $ cad apps. Maybe the help just needs to be dumbed down to my level

--My cad skills suck. The software is clearly more capable than I am.

How do you export files containing more than 1 component? Must the components be combined into a single entity somehow? The posted screenshot is made up of 3 multi-rotations and 1 extrusion. Each of these components can be exported as individual .stl's into FreeMill. Not very useful LOL

Do you still have the .hdf file for that caliper? Maybe studying it would clear up some of my confusion.

[lezdep]

Try to select all components and hit export. I did combine all items into one
"assembly". That would be work around if multi-selection does not work.
I cannot upload *.hdf. But here it is on my own server -

http://lezdep.dyndns.org:8080/f1/3D/front_caliper.hdf

I put all *.hdf files I have into

http://lezdep.dyndns.org:8080/f1/3D/

Feel free to check them out.

PS: If you need help email me to lezdep at gmail dot com.

[cyclestart]

Originally Posted by lezdep That would be work around if multi-selection does not work. I cannot upload *.hdf. But here it is on my own server -

Maybe it could be uploaded here in a zip. I've uploaded an audio file here that way. Having trouble reaching your server. Pretty sure I know why, but must go to work now, so no time to investigate.

PS: If you need help email me to lezdep at gmail dot com.

Thanks for the offer. You'll probably regret it For now I'd like to keep it here as much as possible so others can participate.

OT: Why does your user name give me the impulse to crank up the tunes? Maybe it's just my dyslexia.

[lezdep]

Try now. My dynamic IP has changed. I've updated DNS record. So, it should work now.

[cyclestart]

Thanks lezdep.
Being a greedy sort I grabbed them all

No time to play today, but will likely be back with questions in a day or 3.

[cyclestart]

Well, your files did help How to combine some features is completely unclear in the documentation.

A couple of new screenshots. From nothing to simulated cutting done completely in linux. (With a bit of help from Wine )

Maybe if I bump this tread often enough some others will become interested? To bad Salome doesn't have a Windows port.

[lezdep]

Why would Salome need a Windows port ? There are bunch of 3D CADs for Windows,
including some pseudo-free, like Alibre. Free CAM for Linux is more of concern for me.
pycam looks promising, but fails on complex parts. I could not make FreeMill to work
under my Ubuntu 8.04 installation. After I reach "Post..." step and click on button, FreeMill
complains, that it could not save files Which location did you specify to install it ?
And which post-processor is compatible with EMC2 ?