Re: triangle ordering in STL files

From: kevan_jones@cemcom.com
Date: Sun Nov 22 1998 - 21:02:44 EET


Speaking with regard to 3D systems SLA machine, it seems to me that the
(numerical?) order of the triangles in the .stl file is not as important as
their location and normal orientation wrt the origin. The SLA machine does
not work with the .stl file. It uses the Build Format File (.bff) which
contains the layer information. Obviously, if these layers are out of
order, then the SLA machine is going to build something rather strange (if
it builds at all). The software which creates the .bff file needs to know
the location and normal orientation of the triangles in the .stl file, but
I don't see how an order might be important. If anyone has any other
thoughts, please step in, as I do not claim to be an expert on the
technical issues regarding how the zslice routines work, or use the .stl
file.

Kevan Jones
Director, Information Systems
CEMCOM Corporation
4100 Pistorio Rd
Baltimore, MD 21229
www.cemcom.com

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