1 Topic by nuhland

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Topic: STL sizing issues, Solid Edge

I'm having a hard time getting my prints to be the correct dimensions. I model using Solid Edge and export as .STL.  However, when i drop the stl file into repetier, it's tiny. I can always scale it up to about the size i want, but I don't know the dimensions that it starts out, so i cannot get a scale factor to bring it to the exact dimensions I want. This happens for everything I create using Solid Edge. I don't have any other CAD software to try, so I am unsure if this is specific to Solid Edge or if it's something else entirely, but every STL that i load from other sources shows up in repetier the correct size the first time.

Does anyone else have this problem with STLs exported from Solid Edge?

2 Reply by drillbit

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Re: STL sizing issues, Solid Edge

I have the same problem whether it is something I designed or downloaded from thingiverse. I'm curious if there is something I'm doing wrong

3 Reply by adrian (edited by adrian 2013-07-21 06:30:29)

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Re: STL sizing issues, Solid Edge

Most modelling, particularly in the 3D world, is done in metric (it divides by 10, and has far less 0's for the same given accuracy). Both of you I'm guessing are displaying/viewing in CAD in Inches or part there of, and then exporting it? The STL export will be invariably in Metric.

Scale up your object in Slic3r by 25.4 , this will convert mm's back to inches.
If you experience the reverse (happens occasionally, particularly importing STLs into CAD), then scale down .0393 .

To fix - design in mm's, or, make sure your STL export is in the same units you are designing in. But even then, you'll find stuff will still try to make sense of it using metric... so YMMV anyway....

4 Reply by thsorensen

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Re: STL sizing issues, Solid Edge

I also got this problem, and I have tried asking about it on the forum earlier (http://www.soliforum.com/topic/2389/strange-behavior-with-slic3r-adds-vertical-edges/ and http://www.soliforum.com/topic/2388/con … slicing/).

I have had successful prints when I have sliced my STL-files with MakerWare (MakerBot's software).
But you will have to do some converting of the GCODE before it will work with ReptierHost, or you can try my beta-silverlight tool for doing the GCODE-conversion:

Slice with MakerWare, and export the GCODE, then upload the GCODE-file to http://gcoder.blackedge.org/ and convert&download. Then import the GOCDE into ReptierHost.

The gcoder tool is under development, so use it at your risk.

Thomas

5 Reply by mark.burhop

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Re: STL sizing issues, Solid Edge

Hi nuhland,

I actually work for Siemens PLM smile    What you need to do when you do a "save as" is click the option button and set the part to millimeters.  I also set tollerance to .1 mm and output to Ascii.   STL does not have units and Repetier Host expects mm.

Let me know if you have any questions.  I use SE for all my designs.

Mark

SD2, glass bed, MK5 setup with E3D lite extruder
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6 Reply by nuhland

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Re: STL sizing issues, Solid Edge

Mark, that worked like a charm. Thank you.

7 Reply by b.reube

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Re: STL sizing issues, Solid Edge

Sometimes in Repetier is does that for me too. Especially when files are sent to me.

Scaling up 25.4 will do the trick for mm to in. We do that a lot for clients when we print.

Bill
indimension3.com

8 Reply by IronMan (edited by IronMan 2013-08-07 20:48:39)

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Re: STL sizing issues, Solid Edge

In Solidworks, you can design in Inches and then in the Save as - STL dialog box, there is an Options tab where you can specify the output to be in mm.  Works like a charm.  Mark's reply above seems to indicate the same option in Solidedge.  The key here is you can continue to design in inches if you desire and output the STL only to mm...your CAD model units will remain in inches.

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9 Reply by mark.burhop

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Re: STL sizing issues, Solid Edge

A couple more people asked about this problem so I did a youtube video on STL and exporting from Solid Edge. I explained STL a bit too. I hope this helps:

SD2, glass bed, MK5 setup with E3D lite extruder
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10 Reply by Gomisan

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Re: STL sizing issues, Solid Edge

and likewise, if you're working in Rhino 3D create your project in mm's and then when you save the STL you'll be able to specify accuracy in mms. (defaults to 0.01mm which is pretty damn accurate)

Gomisan's Website

11 Reply by Malleolus (edited by Malleolus 2014-08-01 08:54:19)

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Re: STL sizing issues, Solid Edge

Wait a second now... I just tested the .stl translation option, then reopened the .stl file in my st5.  The entire part document is now 25.4 times larger than the original...

I'm assuming that the conversion works only one way, so re-opening it in solid edge (since I set the default to inches) scales the mm up w/o discretion... or am I sending files off that are 25.4 times larger off than they should be for printing?  I don't need an 8 foot x 2 foot part to be printed (like they could print it anyway).  1100lbs is a little much for most printers.

12 Reply by mark.burhop

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Re: STL sizing issues, Solid Edge

Malleolus, the issue is that STL does not use units. So, to keep things the same size, you have to read it and write it with the same units.

If you save it as mm, you may have to have mm as your default units when you read it back in (unless there is an option to change it)  I've never really had a reason to read STL files into Solid Edge - you can do much with them given their poor precision.

Mark

SD2, glass bed, MK5 setup with E3D lite extruder
NX and Solid Edge CAD user
PI, Galileo, and arduino hacker
Code Monkey and Twitter user @burhop

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13 Reply by grob (edited by grob 2014-08-05 04:37:41)

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Re: STL sizing issues, Solid Edge

Malleolus wrote:

(since I set the default to inches)

There's your problem. tongue
I'm a big fan of mm, trust me, you will be too hehe.

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14 Reply by wire10ga

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Re: STL sizing issues, Solid Edge

+1  mm

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