Editing and merging STL files. How-to and an offer. Any interest?

[Scott Hodges]

Hi All,  

I'm working with PLA, have a home built Prusa printer with a 200 mm x 200 mm bed and like to run bigger print jobs overnight or while I'm at work or running errands.  As a result I've read with great interest the various How-to's on importing STL files and merging them.  I also like to mirror the single STL parts that are used multiple times so that the outside finishes are the same. (I'm not painting anything.)  I know there are a lot of people asking how to do this and I see few people answering, but I'd like to share my particular flavor of tool sets as well as tentatively offer up the parts that I've already merged to anyone who is interested.   

First the software and how-to:

I know many of you already have your favorite CAD and editing tools. Heck, a lot of retail 3D printers come with some great tools.  But if you are new to all this and need the tools, consider the following tools.    

To import, merge, edit and manipulate STL files, I use Google Sketchup.  It is free and there is a plug-in for importing/exporting STL files that is also free.  And the great thing about this program is there are a LOT of tutorials to tell you how to do just about anything you want to do with it. Although it is a very robust program, importing and merging multiple pieces is pretty simple.  You just need to remember to highlight entire objects and then learn how to drag them around independently so you can join them and make sure they are flush and not overlapping.  For multiple parts, import an STL, move it out of the way, import another, manipulate the two so they are connected, etc, repeat.   If you've ever worked with an object oriented drawing program before, you can use this.  If you've used CAD before, this is cake. When installing it, choose the 3D printing template and it will automatically bring in a Makerbot replicator X2 bed for size reference every time it starts.  

Here's the link to Sketchup:

http://www.sketchup.com/download

To reverse/mirror or flip STL parts to print on a different axis, as well as to just view or scale them up or down, I use Meshlab.  Meshlab is another free program that is very robust.  It actually took me a little time to figure out how to use it, but now that i do, it is indispensable.  Do you have a part that won't load because of a bad mesh triangle someplace?  Meshlab will fix it.  Are you one of the folks who wants to get rid of some of the extra holes in an STL?  Meshlab will do that. This program has a daunting array of tools and functions but I am happy using the few the I've figured out so far.   

Here are the links.  

http://meshlab.sourceforge.net/

http://sourceforge.net/projects/meshlab/

I set my stl file association in Windows to Meshlab so when I click on an STL file, it opens up and I can see it in 3D without having to load it into a plater or slicer. (click on an STL file.  Right-click, choose "properties" click "change" and browse to Meshlab.)

To open an STL, open a new empty project and then import the STL. 

To flip something in Meshlab, choose Filters-->Normals, curvatures and orientation--> transform: flip and/or swap axes, and choose flip X axis.  

To scale something in Meshlab, choose Filters-->Normals, curvatures and orientation-->transform:scale.  You can scale the whole thing or just one or two axis.  Choose barrycenter under "center of scaling". 

So those are the tools.  Here's the offer:  

I'm working on the upper and lower torso at the moment and some of these pieces are pretty small by themselves.  So I merged the + and - homeplate pieces and also merged the throatholder with the combined homeplate-back.  If you would like for me to post these pieces, let me know and I'll stick them out on Thingiverse.   (In the image, only the home-plates and throatholder are merged.  I just didn't want to take the torso pieces apart again.)

I hope this is useful for you.  

Thanks,

Scott

     

[RobotGuy6]

I just use TinkerCad or OnShape... Both web based, easy to use and and free... Add Meshmixer and you pretty much have everything you need to fiddle with STLs..

[juerg maier]

It looks like there are many options to merge or even modify stl files.

I personally use OpenScad as I like scripting.

[gael langevin]

Of course Blender can do all the fun stuff with STL parts and it's open source. But it won't export the STL to Solidworks files.

Gael Langevin

Creator of InMoov

InMoov Robot

@inmoov

2016-01-31 14:10 GMT+01:00 juerg maier <maier...@gmail.com>:

It looks like there are many options to merge or even modify stl files.

I personally use OpenScad as I like scripting.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "InMoov" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to inmoov+un...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to inm...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/inmoov.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

[L Felipe Vargas L]

Meshmixer is another option bro

[L Felipe Vargas L]

[Kevin Watters]

Personally,  I like OpenSCAD ...    I did a little post about using it to edit an inmoov part here  http://myrobotlab.org/content/using-openscad-edit-stl-files