Hi,
I had sent a mail inquiring about the software issues involved in RP. Part
of my findings,I am posting here.
This is all I could glean from the various sites of RP systems. They don't
seem to highlight their proprietary software. This isn't much but I have
formatted whatever I could get in the form :
RP SYSTEM PROPRIETARY SOFT. OF RP sys and FEATURES ALTERNATIVE
Of these , info on alternative software , I couldn't possibly hope to get
from any of the sites, and since the info is sketchy I'll need input from
the list members to fill in the gaps and get some meat on the subject .
Info on the alternative software that can be/and is used with various
systems will be invaluable, this I guess will be where RP bureaus can help
a lot . Your contribution will be much appreciated.
1. 3D Systems ( SLA )
?????
ALTERNATIVE - ????
2. Sanders - ModelMaker ModelWorks -
1. Operates on STL,SLC, AutoCad (DXF) & Alias (OBJ)
2. Orients parts in build volume, moves ,scales etc.
3. Finds voids , open surfaces
4. View 3D images of parts and also slice files
5. Find and repair bad surface normals.
6. Slicing,rasterizing model and nesting of parts.
7. Key feature - accept outputs of 3D models directly from a variety of
CAD workstations with the new slice (SLC) data format standard. The SLC
format has the advantage of representing smoother contoured surfaces of
solid models than the previous STL format which represented models as a
series of triangular flat-faceted surfaces.
ALTERNATIVE - ????
3. Z Corp - Z402 system
1. The CAD files are imported and then sliced into layers, each of which
represents a cross-section of the model. Z Corporation's proprietary system
software package provides an interface between the customer's CAD system
and the Z402 machine
2. ??????
ALTERNATIVE - ????
4. Cubital - SGC 5600/4600 - DFE
1. The DFE analyzes the CAD files, searching for and correcting common
flaws, such as tiny gaps between adjacent surfaces
2. Part nesting and slicing
3. Part visualization, scaling and splitting of part to fit build vol.
4. Software available on SG and DEC 5000 workstations
ALTERNATIVE - ????
5. EOS ????? ????
ALTERNATIVE - ????
6. Stratasys - FDM QuickSlice -
1. Quick color changeover at a selected point in the build process or to
insert a component into the model (ver 6.0)
2. Auto-Orient to maximize part orientation for smooth surface finish (ver
6.0)
3. It automatically slices and orients the file for the build process
?????
ALTERNATIVE - ????
7. DTM - Sinterstation DTM Sinterstation System Software
Materialize NV, Magics RP® Software
1. ????
ALTERNATIVE - ????
regards,
Vipul
----------------------------------------------------
"You can go a long way with a smile. You can go a lot farther with a smile
and a gun."
--Al Capone
----------------------------------------------------
Vipul Lotke
Graduate Student (MS)
University of Utah | 1155 East 500 South | Phone Nos.
Mechanical Engineering | Apt. No. 15 | (801) 585 9752 ( office )
MEB 3208 | SaltLake City, Utah 84102 | (801) 583 6904 ( residence )
For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/
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