Author Topic: Join Your Solids Before Exporting to STL for CamBam  (Read 2009 times)

Offline Bob La Londe

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Join Your Solids Before Exporting to STL for CamBam
« on: August 27, 2021, 02:56:37 am »
I was recently fighting with a complex file.  I didn't join everything into a single solid model so I could make adjustments.  When I selected all the parts and exported as an STL for CamBam it created a single STL file, but the complexity was an order of magnitude higher because all those internal surfaces were still there.  I was fighting memory and processor usage for a day and a half.  This is with 64bit CamBam on an 8 thread machine with a lot of available memory.  Finally about half an hour ago I went back to CAD joined everything and then exported the STL.  After doing an entity replace and deleting the offending entity everything worked crisply.  (It was still complex enough that things worked better if it was hidden.) 

I admit with CB-64 on this machine I have gotten a little lazy and let the machine do the work.  It cost me a day of labor to be lazy this time around.  LOL. 
« Last Edit: August 27, 2021, 02:58:13 am by Bob La Londe »
Getting started on CNC?  In or passing through my area?
If I have the time I'll be glad to show you a little in my shop. 

Some Stuff I Make with CamBam
http://www.CNCMOLDS.com

Offline Bubba

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Re: Join Your Solids Before Exporting to STL for CamBam
« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2021, 12:37:37 pm »
Bob,
Good tip. Thanks for sharing.
My 2¢

Win11, CB(1.0)rc 1(64 bit) Mach3, ESS, G540, 4th Axis, Endurance Laser.

Offline Bob La Londe

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Re: Join Your Solids Before Exporting to STL for CamBam
« Reply #2 on: August 29, 2021, 00:07:54 am »
That kind of leads to another tip I have mentioned before.  If you are working with a complex STL model and CB is responding a little sluggishly put the item on its own layer and hide the layer.  Performance improves substantially. 
Getting started on CNC?  In or passing through my area?
If I have the time I'll be glad to show you a little in my shop. 

Some Stuff I Make with CamBam
http://www.CNCMOLDS.com

Offline Bubba

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Re: Join Your Solids Before Exporting to STL for CamBam
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2021, 01:11:14 am »
Thanks Bob.
Boy, we do need a "THUMBS UP". David, Andy?  ;D ;D ;D ;D
 
My 2¢

Win11, CB(1.0)rc 1(64 bit) Mach3, ESS, G540, 4th Axis, Endurance Laser.

Offline dh42

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Re: Join Your Solids Before Exporting to STL for CamBam
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2021, 23:23:27 pm »
Hello

I've had a look on smiley but I don't understand how to add an unique new smiley to the collection in use, seems we can only select a whole "collection" ... and changing the collection currently in use will certainly disturb the smiley that are already in the existing messages because the shortcut in the message will not point to the right smiley of the new collection (I get this problem on another forum) ...

++
David

Offline Bob La Londe

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Re: Join Your Solids Before Exporting to STL for CamBam
« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2021, 15:43:14 pm »
It's been a while since I did it but it is possible to ADD emojis with SMF.  I am pretty sure it requires admin access and you have to create the emoji short hand for each one.  The challenge is to make sure they aren't combinations that might occur naturally.  :)
Getting started on CNC?  In or passing through my area?
If I have the time I'll be glad to show you a little in my shop. 

Some Stuff I Make with CamBam
http://www.CNCMOLDS.com