Alibre Design

Nighthawk

Alibre Design
December 19, 2007 02:10AM

Registered: 16 years ago
Posts: 18

I have been using this ever since the company first launched (admittedly its only the free express version). It was easy to learn and doesn what I need. I have used it to create several models that were printed out on a Dimension BST RP machine. But now that I am monkeying around with the reprap host software (build 0.8.1) I can not get it to display anything remotely resembling the designed object. I have used several different .stl viewers and they all properly render the object.

If anyone else has used this software and figured out what to do I would appreciate the help.

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VDX

Re: Alibre Design
December 19, 2007 02:05PM

Admin
Registered: 16 years ago
Posts: 13,886

Hi Nighthawk,

... maybe it's only the difference between Binary- and ASCII-STL -- open your STL-file in a texteditor, maybe you can check which (if a) compression-format is used too?

Or append your STL, then i can look, if there is something unfamiliar.

I use different programs for STL-output or converting from other common 3D-formats into STL ...

Viktor

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Nighthawk

Re: Alibre Design
December 19, 2007 07:36PM

Registered: 16 years ago
Posts: 18

It says it is a "Solid ASCII"
Here is a link to the .stl
[p42.org]

Thanks for your help.

Alex

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VDX

Re: Alibre Design
December 20, 2007 02:26PM

Admin
Registered: 16 years ago
Posts: 13,886

Hi Nighthawk,

... it's a plain ASCII-STL with very much triangles (=9448 total, =280 thin triangles, =136 small triangles, no holes) and a very small scaling: X=1,31 Y=1,31 Z=0,275 - this is interpreted as millimeters in most of my importers ...

Try to save and import as Binary or reduce the triangle-count and/or the accuracy to reduce the data-amount.

I tried to open your file (the cross of a cardanic hinge with gliders instead of ball-bearings?) with different programs, importers and converters - no problems, worked well with all programs ...

Viktor

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Nighthawk

Re: Alibre Design
January 08, 2008 06:36PM

Registered: 16 years ago
Posts: 18

Sorry for my long absence, I have had quite a few projects in the works lately.

First off, thank you Viktor for your help!

However, I couldn't get it to work properly but I only spent an hour on it. Anyways, I just thought I would show you the finished prototype.
[www.p42.org]
The assembly is inverted and is in the background of the picture. The stator is for a brushless motor I hand rewound from a CD-ROM for a model I am working on.

It was printed out on a diemsion BST rapid prototyping machine and used up about 1 cubic inch of material.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/09/2008 05:44PM by Nighthawk.

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VDX

Re: Alibre Design
January 09, 2008 01:12AM

Admin
Registered: 16 years ago
Posts: 13,886

Hi Nighthawk,

... very impressive - the design isn't really selfdocumenting, but you can build a nice chess-family around the part as 'king' winking smiley

Viktor

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Nighthawk

Re: Alibre Design
January 23, 2008 05:36PM

Registered: 16 years ago
Posts: 18

Hmm true, I can see how it doesn't make much sense.

Here is a link to the PDF for the new version I am working on (this one should be a working prototype in a week or two).
[www.p42.org]

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VDX

Re: Alibre Design
January 23, 2008 06:06PM

Admin
Registered: 16 years ago
Posts: 13,886

Hi Nighthawk,

... the PDF causes an error "The file is damaged and cannot be repaired" ...

Viktor

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Nighthawk

Re: Alibre Design
January 24, 2008 11:04PM

Registered: 16 years ago
Posts: 18

Hello Viktor,

Hmmm... that's odd. I updated the PDF again and reuploaded the new version. It seems to work now. It is a 3D PDF so click on the image to manipulate the model and view it from different angles.

-Alex

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bobt

Re: Alibre Design
January 24, 2008 11:19PM

Registered: 16 years ago
Posts: 184

OK I just downloaded the pdf and I moved around just fine for me.

Bob Teeter
"What Box?"

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Nighthawk

Re: Alibre Design
January 25, 2008 04:05AM

Registered: 16 years ago
Posts: 18

Well, its almost done.

Incase some people haven't figured it out yet, I am designing an RC helicopter from scratch. I will be getting it printed out and if all goes well, will be flying it around eventually. Instead of linkages to control the pitch of the flybar paddles, I will use very thin wire as an experiment of sorts winking smiley

I should get the first set of files queued up for printing tomorrow.

-Alex

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brucew

Re: Alibre Design
January 25, 2008 08:24AM

Registered: 16 years ago
Posts: 225

Alex-

Wow that sounds cool I would love to help out and was thinking of doing this myself when I get my machine replicated and working reliably..

Bruce Wattendorf

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Nighthawk

Re: Alibre Design
February 09, 2008 05:42PM

Registered: 16 years ago
Posts: 18

Sorry for the delay in the update, there was quite a build queue for the machine. Anyways just thought I would show you what has been printed so far. Please ignore the first 5 pictures as they were the failed assembly (back before I had the first clue what I was doing).
[www.p42.org]

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Demented Chihuahua

Re: Alibre Design
March 08, 2008 10:52PM

Registered: 16 years ago
Posts: 622

That's really cool Nighthawk!

Demented

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