Re: alt.binary.3D Lightyear style files

From: William LeBlanc (leblanw@UMoncton.CA)
Date: Tue Sep 28 1999 - 17:08:36 EEST


Andy,

Yup, the binary editing was one of the first things that I tried ..... brick wall. Anything to gain control!

I was explaining the 3D lightyear software to one of my colleagues and what I told him was this:

"Imagine buying a brand new top of the line sports car and finding out that once in 5th gear you could only REV the engine between a PRE-DEFINED RANGE of 1500 to 3000 RPM" .... So much for the power users!

Regards,

William LeBlanc, ing.
Concept + Inc.
leblanw@concept-plus.com
www.concept-plus.com

>>> <ATiburon@aol.com> 09/27 9:39 PM >>>
In a message dated 99-09-23 18:14:41 EDT, dflynn@expresspattern.com writes:

<< While at 3D I served as Technical Director in Marketing, and had a
close-up look at, and some participation in the late stages of product
testing and market introduction of Lightyear. >>
I'm sure it would have been fun to be a fly on the wall at those meetings.
Here are my final comments on the style file for advanced users issue.

It occurred to me that there are file management tools for reading and
editing even binary files. But the new Lightyears style files aren't merely
binary it turns out that they are PGP encrypted as well. I might have to talk
to my security department about encrypted files supplied by vendors and where
they can be stored/used.
There was NOTHING wrong with the way that style files were incorporated in
Maestro. It was useful(friendly) to collect and maintain all the
information/notes in a readable/editable format. In fact I could cut and
paste when sending them to the resin manufacturer to be translated into
Lightyears files. Styles are a result of experience with a particular machine,
resin, and geometry that you are familiar with. They can change as the resin
ages or the machine changes. They need to be TRANSPARENT and MAINTAINABLE by
the user, bottom line. They can be tailored to get the best throughput with
the best results for a particular system. In fact Lightyears could have been
designed to use those Maestro files directly.
There is NO GOOD reason for 3D Systems to want to be, no insist on being, the
long pole in the tent when it comes to creating, using and maintaining new
style files. There is NO GOOD reason for style files to be
encrypted(hostile), unless you are European user perhaps. Remember that this
is NT software, the control over read/write permissions is the
domain/responsibility of the User System Administrator not the manufacturer.
Now if you want to try something outside the envelope, use a new resin,
change your Ec/Dp values for Auto Z correction based on your Accumax results
you need to send them to 3D first? And have no way of
knowing if they got it all right?
The only right long term solution will be to have all the information in the
style file viewable and editable as it was previously. That and put Post Dip
Delay back in.
 Also don't assume that if 3D makes you a file you are good to go. I was
checking a new Lightyears style file created for a non-ciba resin against
what was recommended. I find that NON of the recommended parameters have
been incorporated. Rather in every case the default values have been used.
Of course you can change them to what they should be, but then what was the
point of sending them to 3D? And that is for the values that are
viewable/editable. Makes one wonder what happened to the stuff you can't
see.
To quote Lightyears;
"Remember, 3D Lightyear SLA File Preparation software is designed to be
operationally flexible. Its architecture is intended to allow you, the user
to tailor the method of its use to your own, personal preferences. <snip>
*1999 3D Systems, Inc."
Also I would expect that if a style file had been created by 3D then that
resin should now be available on the pull down menu in the Machine setup
wizard. Maybe I'm way too picky?
Andy Scott
Lockheed Martin Aero Sys
 

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