The platform automatically performs 3D model optimization during the upload.
Parametric File Formats
Parametric file format such as “.stp“ and “.iges“ contain surface representations of a 3D model. Although this representation provides an extremely precise and compact description of the model, it are not suitable for 3D printing. Our platform automatically converts surface representations into a triangular meshes and proceeds with mesh optimization.
Make sure that the surfaces of a single object in your parametric file are joined together before uploading your file. Conversion may fail otherwise.
Mesh File Formats
A mesh is a triangulated approximation of a 3D surface and it is a suitable representation for any 3D printer on the market. The most common mesh file formats are “.stl“, “.wrl“ and “.obj“. A mesh file does not require any pre-processing and is immediately suitable for mesh optimization.
Mesh Optimization
Mesh optimization will automatically start after the upload of a mesh file or the upload and the conversion of a parametric file.
Goal
The goal of mesh optimization is to ensure that your file is printable and that the outcome has the best possible quality. The platform will attempt a first optimization step to make sure your model meets the minimal requirements for printability and then starts a second optimization step to improve the surface quality of the final printout.
Minimum requirements for printability
The first optimization step makes sure that the minimum requirements for printability are met.
Printers of several manufacturers will reject the 3D model if the following requirements are not met:
Manifoldness or Watertightness:
Manifold meshes are characterized by strong connectivity. In simple words, each triangle of a mesh should be connected to exactly 3 neighbor triangles.
Strong connectivity guarantees that none of the following problems occurs:Holes
Redundant triangles
Merged objects
Correct triangle orientation:
Meshes with correct triangle orientation uniquely define the inside and the outside of the object. If this requirement is not met, printers may not be able to correctly distinguish between printing volume and empty space. Triangles with incorrect orientation (in black) may also not be visualized incorrectly by CAD programs.
Requirements for best surface quality:
The second optimization step attempts to improve surface quality by removing self-intersections.
Absence of intersections:
For a high quality printout, the volume of each object needs to be uniquely defined, but self intersecting objects may define the same volume multiple times .
Although many printers accept files with self intersections, the surface quality of the final printout may be negatively impacted.
Disabling mesh optimization:
Disabling mesh optimization is not recommended. Please contact our tech support if you want mesh optimization to be disabled.
On premise installations allow for disabling mesh optimization. Mesh optimization should be disabled only when there are strict quality assurance processes are in place, when models are already pre-processed by other data preparation software or when performance is a serious issue.
Workflow differences with enabled and disabled optimization:
Workflows with and without optimization are fully compatible and produce exactly the same files.
When mesh optimization is enabled, the uploaded file is converted into <file_name>_original.stl (if needed) and then optimized and saved into <file_name>_optimized.stl.
When mesh optimization is disabled, the uploaded file is converted into <file_name>_original.stl and then copied into <file_name>_optimized.stl.