I've been trying to get files off of the repository for the mendel and for some reason the stl files and the dxf's can't be opened by a couple of my programs. I'm able to open the tray.stl files, but so far none of the individual parts. I've tried several cad programs and also software for 2 differen't 3d printers, they've failed in all of them. Is it just me, or has anybody else had the same issue? an example file is [github.com]

thanks for your help.

... STL's can be in ASCII or binary format - not every program can both or auto-detect which format it is.

DXF is another issue - there are many different versions (mostly dated or related to specific Acad-versions), so you need the right converter/importr for your programs ...

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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]

Korzy,
The Mendel stl files can also be found on thingiverse I think.
I'm not sure if they are for the new colour Mendel though.
Myles
Ps, here they are on GitHub, [github.com]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/2013 07:36AM by Myles.

Every single .stl file I pull from thingiverse doesn't load correctly into any CAD package I own. There is a scaling error (metric / imperial) and also there are many non manifold surfaces.

I take the .stl file and load it into Blender 3D then export it back out as .stl. This overcomes the binary/ascii issue. I then use a piece of software stl to igs and then import it to my CAD system. Its a real pain. If only people would publish an .stp or igs file that would be much better. I think GrabCAD is much better in this respect as people tend to also upload the native file format as well.

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Helium Frog Website

... this 'metric-vs-imperial' is as old as exchanging CAD files between American and European softwares ... the values 25.4 or 0.03937 are your friends

I'm editing most STL's or OBJ's in Lightwave ... it has no native STL I/O, but there is a plugin that can handle ASCII/binary or intel/Mac variants.

... or converting other mesh-formats in the correct syntax with tools like Meshlab ...

Had to reformat a STL with holes and other flaws for a 3D-printing-site yesterday -- no real fun, but not a problem at all ...

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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]

VDX Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ... STL's can be in ASCII or binary format - not
> every program can both or auto-detect which format
> it is.
>
> DXF is another issue - there are many different
> versions (mostly dated or related to specific
> Acad-versions), so you need the right
> converter/importr for your programs ...


Is there any way of telling what program will open these? as it stands, I've tried freecad, axon2(for bfb 3d printer), uprint software and autodesk 123d. These programs have opened all other stl files I've tried, None of them will open the stl files off of github. This makes it difficult for anybody interested in building this printer.

Is somebody able to try this file [github.com] and see if their program opens it, so I have an idea of what I need for software?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/2013 07:09PM by korzy.

... I have no problems to open it in Meshlab and save in another format ...

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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]

Use netfabb Studio Basic, it is FREE, can read both types and also fix non-manifold STL files (plus cut, rotate, size, measure and etcetera).

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Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

korzy
I dont know if this will help but I have loaded it into FreeCAD and
then exported it and have attached the new file.
hope it helps
myles

Myles,

I was able to open your file with no issues in any of my programs. You opened the original in freecad? I'm not sure what's goin on here...

Myles Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> korzy
> I dont know if this will help but I have loaded it
> into FreeCAD and
> then exported it and have attached the new file.
> hope it helps
> myles


rhmorrison

I was unable to open the stl files with netfabb, i get an error "invalid stl"

rhmorrison Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Use netfabb Studio Basic, it is FREE, can read
> both types and also fix non-manifold STL files
> (plus cut, rotate, size, measure and etcetera).

Korzy,
Glad it worked, yes I opened it using Freecad, when I tried to open it in
Openscad, the code said it was created with nettfab!
I can't answer the question of why it worked for me but not for you, sorry.
Myles

I have no problems opening the file (downloaded from your URL in github) in netfabb Studio Basic.

---

Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

Myles,

Any chance you could download the stl file and post it without opening it in freecad and exporting? I just want to try sort out where my problem is coming from. So far I've tried several programs, operating systems, 2 browsers and 3 computers without success. Thanks,

Jeremy

Jeremy,
have redownloaded files, unopened, and posted here,
hope you get it sorted
myles

Myles,

The file you just reposted from the repository, worked perfectly. So there's some issue in how they're being downloaded/saved from github on my end. Any ideas out there?

Jeremy

... have you after the download an *.STL file or only the representing html-file from the repository?

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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]

I have an .stl file after download.

I can't believe I'm the only one with this issue. It has to be a github and perhaps has something to do with my location. For what it's worth, I've found a work around for this. In the repository there is an option to download a zip of all the files. When I do this the .stl files don't corrupt and I'm able to open them. The other option I found that worked, is to click on the .stl file to view the file , then r-click the "raw" button and save the .stl.

This is the only way I was able to get this to work. I figured I'd post, just in case there was somebody that ran into the same problem.


Thanks to all who helped.

I use autocad to open .dxf for the reprappro Mendel files. For some reason, I cant open the more recent Aluminum-heat-spreader.dxf files. So I am not sure if Its my autocad or the file If anyone had been able to get around this and can post a pdf or something different or knows how to solve this . I wish the program used to create them was posted up.

the issue is way too many people have faith in "save as" without understanding whats actually involved.

You wanna design, build and draw in 3D then learn it properly.
There isnt a short cut

Good luck

yea, You are probably right... I have had the problem for like a month so been doing research. Hopefully I can open it soon. if not then I can probably eyeball that piece.

i have the same problem with aluminium-heat-spreader.dxf. other dxf files works fine with autoCad, and other dxf viewer.

post the file or a link to where you got it from and ill see whats going on

Cheers

Phil

i think the aluminium-heat-spreader.dxf was created by QCAD using dxflib(a dxf file parsing library), because the code of the dxf file begins with: 999
dxflib 2.2.0.0 ... unfortunately, i'v downloaded the software, and still can't open it.

the only CAN'T BE OPENED NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY dxf file is here: https://github.com/reprappro/Mendel/tree/master/dxf, aluminium-heat-spreader.dxf, you will find it. reprappro Mendel mono/tricolour project

kokrange Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> the only CAN'T BE OPENED NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU
> TRY dxf file is here:
> [url=https://github.com/reprappro/Mendel/tree/mast
> er/dxf]https://github.com/reprappro/Mendel/tree/ma
> ster/dxf[/url], aluminium-heat-spreader.dxf, you
> will find it. reprappro Mendel mono/tricolour
> project

Yup ...Autocadd2010 and Autocadd Mechanical desktop report is as being an invalid / incomplete dxf file

aluminium-heat-spreader.dxf file

it turns out: the latest version is a false one. the second latest one works fine.

here it is: the little bit older version that works

finally no pain any more.