>Time is our business. If file sizes affect computability
>(as is for ASCII, binary STL), then they should be
>considered. If VRML is significantly faster (and
>accurate enough) than STL, than VRML is the way to go
>by.
It is VERY much faster, because it is a 3D telecommunication standard,
and not something to be put on disks and tapes like STL.
All this discussion only reflects the present; now, the >candies< of VRML
are only reduced file size, improved architecture and free viewers via
the Internet. But think of the near future:
- Cheaper 3D printers
- Colour RP
- With OpenGL in Windows and lowcost 3D graphics adapters, the consumer
market goes 3D ...
- ... with volume modellers costing 500$ (yes, 3D Eye has VRML interface)
- Internet as common as phone and fax
- Multiuser interaction incorporated into VRML without the need to buy
expensive software (yes, this is a question of bandwith).
Even now, VRML is able to hotlink geometry. Example: Car manufacturer and
Mirror supplier.
1. Suppier proposes design change to enhance stiffness.
2. Invites car manufacturer to view this.
3. Car mfct. loads the door model, and then re-loads the mirror hotlink.
The new design appears.
4. Says yes, lets see what wind tunnel says. Prints thing out via RP,
mounts on door, performs test.
...
to Yuval Roth:
>We have implemented the [VRML] format and will support it in our
products for other reasons
Could you specify ?
>In fact, I have started playing around with syntax definitions for a
>format I coined TFF (Triangular Facet File). I will be more than
>happy to share this discussion directly with all interested, or if
>enough interest is generated, to open the discussion on the mailing
list.
Hmmm...
Appreciate your initiative, but why not build it into VRML ?
See our example at
http://www.biba.uni-bremen.de/docs/users/bau/user_stl.wrl
The DEF statement shows how easily you include an RP specific subnode. As
you and Brock said, RP needs better geometry >correctness< than viewing.
When we make the effort to inlude such a >manifold< or >manufacturing
geometry< node into VRML rather than inventing ANOTHER format, the above
mentioned advantages supply added value. The just-viewers can still view
our RP data, and some people with clever software (like Imageware ;-) can
enhance just-view data to manufacturing needs.
Regards, Juergen
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dipl. Ing. Juergen Bauer, Bremen Institute of Industrial Technology and
Applied Work Science (BIBA), P.O. Box 33 05 60, 28 335 Bremen,
Germany,
Phone: +49/421/218-5595, Fax: +49/421/218-5510, Email:
bau@biba.uni-bremen.de,
WWW: http://www.biba.uni-bremen.de/docs/users/bau/bau.html
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