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Center of gravity? [message #55424] Tue, 16 October 2012 07:51 UTC Go to next message
avatar Dragoman is currently offline Dragoman
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Hello

I have to check whether a complex shape will balance properly.

Can somebody advice how to find the center of gravity of an object (before actually printing it)?

I use Blender and can handle Netfabb.

Greetings
Dragoman
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Re: Center of gravity? [message #55464 is a reply to message #55424 ] Tue, 16 October 2012 23:12 UTC Go to previous messageGo to next message
avatar bvr is currently offline bvr
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Dragoman,
Not sure if that is a feature of Blender. The cad software I use has a checkbox for it, and it sure is handy for pendants and things that hang. Do you have any cad software available?
bvr

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Re: Center of gravity? [message #55469 is a reply to message #55464 ] Wed, 17 October 2012 01:42 UTC Go to previous messageGo to next message
avatar Fredd is currently offline Fredd
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Actually I think Meshlab can detect it. Import your model, click Filter/Quality Measures and Computations/Compute Geometric Measures. Then click show layer dialog icon. Looks like a sheaf of papers(It is under the Window in the top header) Center of mass looks like what you are looking for. Plus gives bounding box dimensions, surface area and volume. Lots of goodies, besides it being free.Smile
Keith

Have any questions regarding Blender, and need fast answers, you are always welcome at the IRC Server Freenode, channel #blender. As a bonus, several there have experience in modelling for 3D prints.

Keith
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Re: Center of gravity? [message #55604 is a reply to message #55469 ] Thu, 18 October 2012 18:51 UTC Go to previous messageGo to next message
avatar Dragoman is currently offline Dragoman
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Thanks.

I installed Meshlab and I got it to work. On some test cases, the CG seem to be where I expect it to be. Razz

Greetings
Dragoman
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Re: Center of gravity? [message #56701 is a reply to message #55469 ] Mon, 12 November 2012 15:02 UTC Go to previous messageGo to next message
avatar bartv is currently offline bartv
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That's a great trick Fredd, thanks!

Bart

Community Manager Europe | Shapeways
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Re: Center of gravity? [message #56715 is a reply to message #55469 ] Mon, 12 November 2012 17:33 UTC Go to previous messageGo to next message
avatar stop4stuff is currently offline stop4stuff
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Fredd wrote on Wed, 17 October 2012 01:42

Actually I think Meshlab can detect it. Import your model, click Filter/Quality Measures and Computations/Compute Geometric Measures. Then click show layer dialog icon. Looks like a sheaf of papers(It is under the Window in the top header) Center of mass looks like what you are looking for. Plus gives bounding box dimensions, surface area and volume. Lots of goodies, besides it being free.Smile
Keith




A most excellent top tip http://www.shapeways.com/forum/images/message_icons/icon14.gif

Thanks Smile

Paul
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Re: Center of gravity? [message #57140 is a reply to message #55469 ] Tue, 20 November 2012 11:39 UTC Go to previous messageGo to next message
avatar bartv is currently offline bartv
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Hi Fredd,

we thought this tip was good enough to share with a larger audience and turned it into a blogpost!

http://www.shapeways.com/blog/archives/1771-Quick-Tip-Findin g-the-Center-of-Mass-of-a-Model.html

Thanks again Smile

Bart

Community Manager Europe | Shapeways
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Re: Center of gravity? [message #57168 is a reply to message #57140 ] Tue, 20 November 2012 18:12 UTC Go to previous messageGo to next message
avatar Fredd is currently offline Fredd
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I am just curious for how long people have been looking for that info?
Oh well, I am glad it could be of some help, and thanks.

Keith

Have any questions regarding Blender, and need fast answers, you are always welcome at the IRC Server Freenode, channel #blender. As a bonus, several there have experience in modelling for 3D prints.

Keith
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Re: Center of gravity? [message #59163 is a reply to message #56715 ] Mon, 24 December 2012 14:02 UTC Go to previous messageGo to next message
avatar Plumguy is currently offline Plumguy
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While using Blender, would the best format for MeshLab to import be STL?
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Re: Center of gravity? [message #59167 is a reply to message #55424 ] Mon, 24 December 2012 17:20 UTC Go to previous messageGo to next message
avatar Fredd is currently offline Fredd
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It doesn't really matter. Beware though if you are going to use it, and are going to let SW boolean join some meshes together when your model gets uploaded, there will be a discrepancy.
Bigg news though!!! Blender 2.65a release has an option to move the origin to the center of mass, which is the same thing. Do this in object mode from the tool panel.Smile

[Updated on: Tue, 25 December 2012 17:42 UTC]

Have any questions regarding Blender, and need fast answers, you are always welcome at the IRC Server Freenode, channel #blender. As a bonus, several there have experience in modelling for 3D prints.

Keith
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Re: Center of gravity? [message #59908 is a reply to message #59167 ] Wed, 09 January 2013 14:32 UTC Go to previous messageGo to next message
avatar roofoo is currently offline roofoo
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Fredd wrote on Mon, 24 December 2012 17:20

Bigg news though!!! Blender 2.65a release has an option to move the origin to the center of mass, which is the same thing. Do this in object mode from the tool panel.Smile


Sweet, thanks for that tip!

http://www.eyephoriadesign.com http://www.shapeways.com/shops/eyephoriadesign http://www.etsy.com/shop/eyephoriadesign
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Re: Center of gravity? [message #62264 is a reply to message #59908 ] Sun, 17 February 2013 22:47 UTC Go to previous message
avatar Tigermoth is currently offline Tigermoth
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Great advice Fredd!
This should be an important feature in all 3d apps imo.

For the Rhino users, select object > Analyze/ Mass properties/ Volume Centroid.

I've been working on some balancing acts myself...dunno how well this actually works, but will know more when my next shipment arrives! Wink
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