stl settings 2

[jamierd]

What are the best settings to use for creating stl files - cord height and angle control

 

[Guest0527211403]

STL files are used for such a wide variety of applications, there's no real "best" settings.

If it's being used for rapid prototyping, the machines you use to RP the part will determine your maximum chord heights.

See

http://www.arrkeurope.com/services/data/proengineer/

as an example.

An explanation of the two parameters can be found at

http://rpdrc.ic.polyu.edu.hk/old_files/stl_from_proe.htm

near the bottom of the page.

I sometimes use STL files to export to rendering packages. In this case, low chord heights generate the best renders. The basic tradeoff you are making is:

Low Chord height (more detail) = Large File size (slower processing time as well)

 

[RayTrowsdale]

I've been a Pro/E user since '94 and used to work for a rapid prototyping company. In the early days, the chord height was important as it decides the resolution of the file and therefore the part produced - for instance, a big chord height may produce a circle which is more like a hexagon. On the other hand a small chord height would produce a very large file which due to the speed of computers and e-mail connections back then could cause problems. Now, I always put 0 in the chord height box, hit enter and Pro/E automatically changes it to the smallest allowable value. If a big file results - so what?! What is though of as a big file now is a lot different from back in '94. Obviously, if you have a very large, complicated part you could still produce a very large file by doing this and may want to play around with the value to get something more manageable.

Angle control, almost without exception, I leave alone. If you get an error creating the file it is worth changing this and trying again to see if this helps.

 

[jamierd]

justkeepgiviner/ dhray
Thanks for the advice - am now sorted
Cheers