What's your toolchain?

what's your toolchain and why?

I'm currently messing with:
metaseqoia with an STL plugin, -> STL thoguh [cloud.netfabb.com] then -> Slic3r -> pronterface -> sprinter.

metaseq: because I know how to use it, it's simple, with a straight foward interface and doesn't hide what you want to do behind a bunch of confusing menus.
I've tried others and just can't seem to get my head around them.

when exporting the STL I have to remember to invert faces. I can then Slic3r them without errors, but it seems to only do a couple of middle layers or something, unless I put it throuh netfab first.
I seem to be able to get a good gcode from that. - I'd love to figure out why slic3r has problems without putting it through netfabb, I think the source for the metaseq plugin was available, but that's a little beyond my skill level.
spent many hours just trying to figure out which way slic3r thinks is UP but I think I've sorted that now.

pronterface and sprinter because I tried them first and they seem to work.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/25/2012 05:48AM by se5a.

I usually model in Alibre and export STL, open in Replicator G to orient the model on the platform, then Slic3r, Pronterface and Marlin firmware. I like Marlin sooo much better than Sprinter. If Slic3r gives me trouble then I will upload the model to cloud.netfabb.com to fix it.

If I think an STL will give me trouble,I will check it in the free MiniMagics (http://www.materialise.com/MiniMagics) to see if there are errors. I'll upload to cloud.netfabb.com, and check the downloaded STL. Sometimes Netfabb doesn't get it completely fixed the first time, but gets it down after a couple more passes.

I also like sending models through Netfabb because they always come back with much smaller file sizes.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/25/2012 05:07PM by IanJohnson.

what is it that's normally 'broken' with STL files?
what can I do when designing my models to improve them?

I loaded the pre netfabb and post netfabb stl files in metasoqua and the only real difference I could see was that netfabb had split some of the larger triangles again.

When you run a local installation (netfabb studio basic) it classes the errors as Degenerated triangles (creates holes) and Mannifold edges (get split).

Anyway my tool chain is currently
OpenSCAD -> netfabb studio -> Slic3r -> Pronterface -> Marlin

I literally only just changed to Marlin last night from sprinter. The prints seem more fluid and the circles are a lot more circley.

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My Reprap blog

jds-reprap.blogspot.com

I've got:
Google sketchup with stl plugin ->netfabb cloud -> Slic3r ->Pronterface ->Marlin

This has been working well for me. I'm curious to see how repetier stacks up. I'll be trying it on my new printer I'm building that has gen7 electronics.

It's curious to me why all the different stl plugins and exporters don't make a manifold model, but they don't.

I have my Netfabb studio set to automatically open when I download an STL, then I repair it before saving. Slice with slic3r and pronterface is my host program. Marlin for firmware.

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www.Robosprout.com RepRap Mendel parts and accessories.
Message if there is anything you need...I have more than what is listed on my site.
Located in the Spokane, WA / Coeur d'Alene, ID area.
Contact: Robosprout@gmail.com Flickr: [www.flickr.com]

- creating 3D-content - mostly in Lightwave 7
- changing 3D-objects - Lightwave, 3DSMax, Pictures_by_PC (or other 3D-programs if the objects need a special software)
- converting to printing paths - mostly Skeinforge, sometimes with Pictures_by_PC and afterwork
- converting to milling paths - mostly with IsyCAM/Pictures_by_PC, sometimes with Mayka Modelling or other 3D-trials
- printing - pronterfae or IsyCAM (the native software of my CNC-mill) with special configuration
- laser-engraving or sintering - IsyCAM with special configuration
- milling - IsyCAM

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

VDX,

I'd be most grateful for any workflow tips you could provide on getting from Lightwave model to GCode.

I've been using LW since v 0.9, and these days use LW 9.6 primarily for video and illustration work, with models that I've either built in LW, or brought in from client's SolidWorks files as STL. So far for printing on my Prusa, I've built Gcode from STL files downloaded from Thingiverse with no problems.

I've tried both exporting to STL from LW Modeler using the SHM STL export plugin, and also exported as .obj and converting to STL with MeshLab. Everything look fine in MeshLab, but when I run the STLs through Slic3r, I get an error that there are no layers....

Thanks,
Bill

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/24/2012 07:38PM by billmi.

Hi Bill,

I've used the SHM-STL-exporter V1.12 for binary STL's and could use them in any of my CAM programs or Skeinforge/Slic3r - maybe it's the option binary or ASCII, what's critical?

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Viktor
--------
Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

Thanks Victor,

I kept tweaking with it - the problem wasn't the lack of layers in the model, but rather that SHM-STL mis-scales the output, and my stl was smaller than my layer height, so Slic3r didn't detect a large enough model to make a layer.

Sorted.

My toolchain is Lightwave > Slic3r > Pronterface > Sprinter, though I expect to be changing to Marlin soon, I've had to run slow to keep arcs from showing corners.