Best (free) tool for splitting STL files on a plane

[Peter Leppik]

I finally have to print a file too big for my platform.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a free tool for splitting an STL file on a plane?

I prefer something Mac and GUI based, but I can deal with Windows and/or OpenSCAD if I must.

Thanks!

-Peter

[Greg Thorstad]

Openscad will do it you just subtract a cube half way down from your
imported STL but openscad is finicky about the stl files it imports.

Greg Thorstad, B. Comm.
Thorstad Computer/Thor3d.ca/Canadian Makerbot Distributor
Box 268
Outlook, SK
S0L 2N0
306 867-9596

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[Whosawhatsis]

The free version of netfabb has a function specifically for this. I love OpenSCAD, but it can be unreasonably slow when working with imported STL data and will fail if there are even minor issues with the STL file.

[PrettySmallThings]

Netfabb Basic makes slicing up STLs very easy.  Cut along the x, y and/or z axis, and then export each separated part as its own file.  Free, GUI, and runs on a mac.

[Sean Tu]

+1 for Netfab. There's a built in function to do exactly what you want and it even puts in the surface for the split.

There's a post on this list somewhere that has a good tutorial of various tools to use to clean up scans that includes Netfab.

[MacGyver]

I just installed netfabb basic 4.9.2 and it seems every "cut" option in the program is limited to the "Pro" version.  Unless I'm missing something it appears the free basic version no longer has the cutting feature.  It was the only thing I downloaded it for too.

[Bill Culverhouse]

Works fine for me.

Have you used it before? Slide one of the axis sliders to move a cut plane, then click "execute
cut" You can then set a few more options before cutting. "Triangulate" attempts to seal the two
cut objects.

-b

On Sun, Jul 22, 2012 at 1:08 PM, MacGyver <bdwel...@gmail.com> wrote:

I just installed netfabb basic 4.9.2 and it seems every "cut" option in the program is limited to the "Pro" version.  Unless I'm missing something it appears the free basic version no longer has the cutting feature.  It was the only thing I downloaded it for too.

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[MacGyver]

My bad, I assumed that because it popped up with a message that the feature was only available in the pro version it wasn't available in the free version.  After clicking "Close" on the message I was able to cut my stl in half and export it.

Kind of a misleading message but it does indeed work.