Wrong Section: How to export an STL having a single mesh volume

neobobkrause
neobobkrause Member Posts: 105 EDU
edited May 2016 in Community Support
This question has been moved to the Using OnShape section.

I've developed a simple design consisting of 7 parts. When I export an STL,without selecting the 'Export parts as individual files' option, the resulting STL file contains multiple separate volumes. This confuses my slicing software (Simplify3D) because several of these closed volumes occupy the same space. This results in the CAM software generating an incorrect gcode file. I've spoken to S3D support, they say that the STL is being generated incorrectly.

I've gone so far as to add a Union Boolean operation to my parts studio just for the purpose of joining the parts together to create a single part, which I then export. But, wait for it... The resulting STL file still contains the same multiple volumes.

I've also tried inserting all the parts into an assembly, then grouping the inserted parts, which I then export. Same results.

Can anybody suggest the correct incantation?

Thanks,

- Bob
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Answers

  • Narayan_K
    Narayan_K Member Posts: 379 ✭✭✭
    @ neobobkrause,Is these parts are intersecting each other? After Boolean how many parts are showing in the part list?
  • neobobkrause
    neobobkrause Member Posts: 105 EDU
    The design works out to 7 parts. These of course reduce down to a single part as a result of the union boolean.

    And I think that answers the real question you're asking, which is whether the union of parts result in more than one body. No. All 7 non-unioned parts either overlap or are at least adjacent to each other.

    I've enclosed the STL if anybody wants to run it through S3D themselves.

    - Bob

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bx4LBYmiyKAvRXBBYmlGdE9RTEE/view?usp=sharing
  • NeilCooke
    NeilCooke Moderator, Onshape Employees Posts: 6,116 image
    edited May 2016
    Hi @neobobkrause - if the parts are indeed one body then the STL output will be correct - can you post the link to the Document or share with support? If you have any surfaces in your design you have to use the delete part command to get rid of them before export otherwise they will be included in the output.

    Senior Director, Technical Services, EMEA

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