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Dave,

AOI does not export STEP or IGS. You can see the list of file formats in the Export submenu of the File menu. It starts with only a few, you could get the rest from the Art of Illusion Scripts and Plugins repository at:
[aoisp.sourceforge.net]

A list of export formats is on wikipedia at:
[en.wikipedia.org]

from that wikipedia page the AOI 3D Export list is the following:
.pov, .obj, VRML, all native; .stl via plugin

also, AOI exports in XML format the Constructive Solid Geometry of all the objects in the scene.


Jon,

Stretch is a script to stretch the threads to partially compensate for filament shrinkage when extruded. You could try going to Stretch and selecting "Activate Stretch" to turn stretch on. The default is now off, because stretch adds line segments and so because of the segment pausing problem, extra plastic would be deposited. You could play around with "Perimeter Maximum Stretch Over Extrusion Width" and hope for the best. The values for the stretch parameters are currently all guesses because I don't have a report of anyone extruding anything with stretch.

Hi, Enrique, thanks.

That's kind of a poopy export list-- i'd hoped that my scripts could remove the scourge of meshing parts before slicing, but oh well. I can handle stl, guess that will have to be good enough...

I,ve done some more testing with support another feature that would help with removal would be if the support didn't touch the sides of the object as it's building. At present if you do a tall section the support will build next to it but just touching, while the support is at a lowertemp the actual model is at a higher temp and sticks to the support quite well making it difficult to remove.

I've also had the support on top of dome sections but it is very easy to remove so not really a problem just a small bug.

---

Ian
[www.bitsfrombytes.com]

The obj plugin has been added to the import_plugins folder, so now obj files can be read directly. The ability to set a different feedrate for the extruder when it is off and the "Bridge Feedrate Multiplier" have been added to speed. The ability to set a different feedrate when extruding support material has been added to raft. The ability to make accordion rectangular grids has been added to fill. Accordion grids will have a slightly higher shear strength, but might have other problems.

The Support Minimum Angle bug in raft has been fixed. The "Support Inset over Perimeter Width" ratio in raft has been renamed "Support Gap over Perimeter Width", the sign of the value has been reversed and the default is now 0.3. A crash bug in cool has been fixed. A bug where the Save Preferences" button on Macs was sometimes not draw may have been fixed. Although not a part of skeinforge itself, the Gearweaver script in the "Art of Illusion Scripts" folder now makes correct triangle meshes of the gear.

The skeinforge tutorials page has been added at:
[dev.www.reprap.org]

Today the only tutorial linked to is Marius' post about setting the width and layer thickness. If anyone makes more tutorials, please add a descriptive link to them from that page.

Cheers,
Enrique

I ran a -2.0 now 2.0 "Support Inset over Perimeter Width" last night and it worked very well with a very clear gap this made removing the support easy I will try a 1.0 and see how it goes. The different feed rate will be really cool I'll try that also

---

Ian
[www.bitsfrombytes.com]

I think I may have found a bug in "Fill" if I set the Extra Shells on Base (layers): to anything except 0 it comes up with a division by zero: float error. But (there's always a but!) it only does this on complex shape files and on STL files that I have to run with Unproven mesh selected in "Carve"

All the STL's I've drawn even complex ones don't appear to have this problem, I don't know what CAD software produced the files I have trouble with as they were sent to me for testing.

---

Ian
[www.bitsfrombytes.com]

Greetings, everyone!

I have been working for a while on an improved slicer that works with skeinforge.

Solidworks exports horrible STL, and coupled with the fact that STL is horrible already, meant that I was having issues getting objects ready for reprapping. STEP is much more capable, far more efficient and more accurate format. I wanted to be able to use STEP to store objects, and slice them directly from that format.

The attached script can slice STL or STEP files quickly, and output a 'slice file'-- svg formatted file, which can be passed into the skeinforge suite. It applies some fix-ups to STL meshes, which for me meant that STL can also be sliced much more reliably, and faster than with skeinforge.

The script uses pythonocc, a python binding to the OpenCascade modelling kernel. As such, it has the disadvantage that you first need to install pyhonOCC, but the advantage that it is very fast and very powerful for the length of the script.

To run the script, first install pythonOCC. I used the pre-created windows version here:
[www.pythonocc.org]

You need python 2.5 or better, OCC version 6.3, and pythonCC version wo0.2

then, run the script, like this:

python OccSliceLib.py myobject.stl

a file called myobject_sliced.svg will be created in the same folder, which you can then fill and such with skeinforge. This slice format is also directly viewable with an svg viewer. If you use firefox, you can scale and scroll through the layers as well.

The script will also launch an interactive 3d viewer that shows the original object and the slices. You can make the tool slice faster if you disable the display of the slices however.


Enjoy, and let me know if you find this helpful.
Dave

Hi Dave

I thought I would try your slicer as I use Inventor which also seems to create some odd stl files. I usually import them into Rhino and then create STL from Rhino.

I think I installed everything OK (Don't know much about Python).

I am running Windows XP.

This was the result.

C:\PyTools>python OccSlicelib.py ExtruderBearingV5MotorMount.stp
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "OccSlicelib.py", line 5, in
import wxDisplay
ImportError: No module named wxDisplay

C:\PyTools>

Any ideas as to what I have wrong?

---

Regards

Ian

REMOVED-- see next post.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/2009 01:17PM by Dave Cowden.

Ok, Sorry-- I got back to my machine to check this out.

wxDisplay is part of pythonOCC, but i forgot I was using a modified version of it locally.

I have attached this file also-- just put it into the same directory as OCCSlicer.py

Sorry to make you pay for my slopiness-- hope this file is the only other one you need!

Dave

i get an error that says from wxdisplay import wxviewer3d
importerror: cannot import name wxviewer3d

im trying to try the script out on a stp file called test.stp

Hi, Jeff, thanks for trying it i'll try to help.

im not sure where that line is coming from : "from wxdisplay import wxviewer3d' does not appear to be in either of my script files.

Can you post the complete error trace and i'll debug.

your step file should work fine-- though i think iirc you will need to name it '.step'-- current version posted doesnt recognize .stp. that's an easy fix though.

Ok, in an attempt to make installation easier, I have attached a new version.

in this version, there are these improvements;

(1) all files needed packaged into a zip file. Sorry for those who helped me discover missing files ;(

(2) included the two STEP and STl files i was using to test with

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

G:\Documents and Settings\Jeff>cd G:\Python25

G:\Python25>python occslicelib.py repraptest.step
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "occslicelib.py", line 5, in
from OCC.Display import wxDisplay
File "G:\Python25\lib\site-packages\OCC\Display\__init__.py", line 1, in
from wxDisplay import wxViewer3d
ImportError: cannot import name wxViewer3d

G:\Python25>



this is what im getting, granted this is probably one of a few times that ive ever used the cmd and or python.

thanks for your help, I am very interested to get this working, because I use Inventor for all my work.

Hi, Jeff:

Sorry for the trouble. I see that now-- very strange-- that works on my setup.

Try expanding the attached version and see if that works. That line was redundant-- OCC.Display.wxDisplay is the same as the one included so i just removed that line.

its hard for me to know for sure-- since it works either way on my machine.

hello, all;

I have a few people trying out OccSlicer, so I have hosted a copy on my website so that it is quicker for me to post new versions. here's the link:

[home.bluedirt.org]

Current version is 0.2. unfortunately, not yet proven to work for anyone but me

Im still getting the same error, should i attempt to reinstall everything, or is that not the problem?

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

G:\Documents and Settings\Jeff>cd G:\Python25

G:\Python25>python occslicelib.py repraptest.step
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "occslicelib.py", line 5, in
from OCC.Display import wxDisplay
File "G:\Python25\lib\site-packages\OCC\Display\__init__.py", line 1, in
from wxDisplay import wxViewer3d
ImportError: cannot import name wxViewer3d

G:\Python25>python occslicelib.py repraptest.step
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "occslicelib.py", line 9, in
import wxDisplay
File "G:\Python25\wxDisplay.py", line 40, in
from OCC.Display.OCCViewer import Viewer3d
File "G:\Python25\lib\site-packages\OCC\Display\__init__.py", line 1, in
from wxDisplay import wxViewer3d
ImportError: cannot import name wxViewer3d

G:\Python25>

I am trying to get this start.txt file to work I think I have found that the 2nd G1 commands are what is not working.

G21
G90
G1 X-600 Y-600 F1000
G92 X0 Y0 Z0
G28
M103
M104 S230.0
M104 S230.0
M108 S1500.0
G1 X60 Y0 F300
M101
G1 X120 Y0 F300
G1 X120 Y5 F300
G1 X60 Y5 F300
M103
G1 X0 Y0 F300

I was using this to "prime" the extruder and to set everything to true home using the end stops

I made this using crimson editor in windows so that might be my problem I dont know but I can get it to work by deleting line my line and it starts to work when the 2nd G1 line is removed.

Also is there a way to get the lines from being added to the beginning of the Gcode?
G21
G90
M103
M105
M106

Thanks Bruce Wattendorf

To include a python library (wxViewer3d) you need to put it in the python library directory - or if you have problems with that, you can put it in the same directory as your script and it should find it.

---

---
Reprapping blog and other rants: [renoirsrants.blogspot.com]
My Reprap: [sites.google.com]

@Jeff B:

When you installed pythonOcc, did you use the windows installer? And, did everything go smoothly when it installed? that missing class should have been installed with OCC...

Everything seamed fine to me, I used the windows installer, it was 100+ megs it is called "pythonOCC-wo0.2.win32-py2.5"

At DaveRIf I dont know where the script is, I have searched my main HD for it to no luck.

Hi Dave

My second effort with OccSlicer_0.2.zip produced this error:-

C:\Documents and Settings\Ian>cd\pytools

C:\PyTools>python OccSliceLib.py RepRapTest.STEP
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "OccSliceLib.py", line 13, in
from Cheetah.Template import Template
ImportError: No module named Cheetah.Template

---

Regards

Ian

i was wrong occ is 30ish mb not 130+ the 130+ file is "OpenCASCADE_win32" and it is really 174mb

G:\Python25>python occslicelib.py test.stp
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "occslicelib.py", line 13, in
from Cheetah.Template import Template
ImportError: No module named Cheetah.Template

G:\Python25>


I reinstalled everything and this error above is what I got now, it seams that I may have forgot the installation of something before.

Once again I appreciate all of your help.

Hi, Jeff:

No thanks for apologies required. Actually, it should be me that apologizes for posting stuff and not thinking through all the requirements and dependencies.

You've run into yet another thing i installed and forgot i had-- Cheetah is a template processing library. you can get it here:

[sourceforge.net]

Latest version should work Also, check to make sure there is a file called svg_template.tmpl in your folder-- it was in the last couple of zip files i posted, but was not originally mentioned.

Sorry again for the troubles.

ITs all hard and stuff to document which dependencies and get them installed.

What are you guys' thoughts about whether you'd be interested in:

(a) keep it the way it is-- dependencies are no big deal if they are well documented, i'd rather have the software locally.

(b) it would be worth the download time of the files to have the app web-based so that you can just use it

(c) it would be worth creating a virtual box image or similar so that it just works.

I finally got it working, thanks alot for all the help.

Personally to help the growth of the this project I would Make it so that it just works, This program could be very beneficial to people like myself who like to use non free software IE Autodesk Inventor.

Either way a well written install guide would work just fine, include a list of all software, programs, etc in your zip that you have with all of there version numbers that you are currently using. just my .02

Also I was looking at the slice thickness, is there a way to change that parameter, or is 2mm the best thickness?

Hi Bruce,

There is no way to remove the initialization code. However, instead of using start.txt, you can use an "EndOfTheBeginning.txt" file, which will be incorporated after the initialization and so can override whatever you want. To see how the initialization is set up, you can look at the addInitializationToOutput function in inset.py, which is reprinted below.

When looking for start files, skeinforge ignores capitalization, so "EndOfTheBeginning.txt" and "endofthebeginning.txt" will both work. Similarly, "Start.txt" and "start.txt" will also both work.

Cheers,
Enrique



def addInitializationToOutput( self ):
"Add initialization gcode to the output."
self.addFromUpperLowerFile( 'Start.txt' ) # Add a start file if it exists.
self.addLine( '( skeinforge June 8, 2009 )' ) # GCode formatted comment
self.addLine( 'M110' ) # GCode for compatibility with Nophead's code.
self.addLine( '()' ) # GCode formatted comment
self.addLine( 'G21' ) # Set units to mm.
self.addLine( 'G90' ) # Set positioning to absolute.
if self.insetPreferences.startAtHome.value:
self.addLine( 'G28' ) # Start at home.
self.addLine( 'M103' ) # Turn extruder off.
self.addLine( 'M105' ) # Custom code for temperature reading.
self.addFromUpperLowerFile( 'EndOfTheBeginning.txt' ) # Add a second start file if it exists.
self.addLine( '( ' + str( self.decimalPlacesCarried ) + ' )' ) # Set decimal places carried.
..

@JeffB, glad you got it working.

Next version, i will fix the wxDisplay issue, put together an install guide, and add command line parameters to change the parameters like slice thickness and such more easily.

Hi, 2mm is definitely -not- the best thickness. if you look in OccSlicelib.py, near the bottom, look for this line:

sliceSet.sliceHeight = 2.0;

and change it to what you'd like. 0.3 mm would be a reasonable number.

Thanks for the help Enrique...