This may come out as a simple question for a rookie.. Does Accutrans our MeshLab support boleen operations with multiple STL files? If not Is there a FREE program that does? In the ZIP file attached are 60 stl files. Each of them are water tight and translated to their correct opsition. They simply need to be boolean added together into a single file.
Blender is a free program that does Boolean operations and can import STL files. Sadly, in most programs I've used (Blender included), Boolean operations tend to have unexpected results. Is there a mathematician/computer-scientist out there who could explain to me what is so difficult about program a boolean operations? It SOUNDS easy, but it must be some kind of unsolvable problem given that it has been so poorly implemented for so many years.
I use KeyCreator (pricey stuff) and it performs booleans wonderfully. Solid Works should have a boolean operation. If this is your star sphere thing still, go in and just delete the faces on the inside. and stitch it all together.
Hi Michael: Thank you for using KeyCreator. I noticed you are a fan. Are all of your models are created in KeyCreator? Would you like to have us post some of your favorite models on our website. We would be happy to link them back to your store. Also, we are finalizing version 10's features. I realize you are on version 7 (This is when we invented the Direct Modeling tools that all of the other CAD companies are trying to copy). If you would like to try out the cool new feartures in version 9, please download a free copy from our website and go complete the project in the Test Drive Guide. http://www.kubotekusa.com/products/keycreator_sub/tdemo/choo se_language.asp?a=download Best regards, Scott Sweeney VP Marketing Kubotek USA (the company that writes KeyCreator) PS - we are about 1/2 the price of solidworks and much more flexible and much easier to learn, use and edit. (And yes very precise!)
Scott I appreciate the info and the opportunity, I sent you a pm with my email and would be glad to talk to you more about it. I don't want to hijack his tread on this, but would be glad to discuss the pros and cons of individual software on a thread related to the topic. Just a quick thing about the pricey comment. Yes for a corporation the price is nice. For most shapeways users, 4 digits is way too much.
There are a few different ways to Boolean with Solidworks depending on the model type. With surfaces you can use the Knit function With solids you can use the Merge (I think) or Join function If the are multiple parts in an assembly you can save the assembly as a single part,, then export to Shapeways as a STL file.