FresnelLensExample.3dm (288.0 KB)
Hello,
This file was sent to me as an example of using Photopia with Rhino to create a Fresnel lens. I want to make a linear fresnel lens too, and export it as an STL.
It has to be no larger than 160 mm x 65mm to fit on a small printer build plate
It is for a post-grad project on Direct Solar Concentration. I have never had a 3DM file crash Rhino. I have tried switching off all selection filters except curves. If anyone can help with linear fresnel lens design or this particular file that would be great, thank you. I want to print the lens as a PoC and then a mold to cast it in, about 20 prisms wide. Initial mold cutting will be on a 100W 3D MOPA fiber laser.
Your file opens fine here for me.
Do you have any 3rd-party plug-ins installed?
My guess is that is what’s crashing.
There are no crash reports associated with your email address so it is just a guess.
In Rhino Options > Plug-ins, change the list filter at the top to “Plug-ins that do not ship with Rhino”.
Disable all of them.
Restart Rhino and see if you can open the file.
Assuming you can, enable your plug-ins one at a time, restart, and load the file again until you find it.
I see “Photopia” data in the file.
That’s probably what’s crashing.
Here is the file with the plug-in data removed:
FresnelLens_no_photopia.3dm (132.4 KB)
Hi John,
Great, thank you! Your file works here too without disabling plug-ins. Their app has a page that allows parametric resets for the lens. Is there is any helpful information I can relay back to their developers? I need that zig zag curve to extrude it into a linear Fresnel; but I can’t chain select the whole profile used to revolve the lens. Is there a way? The lens profile does not appear to be joined. I can only select the straight line section that starts at 3 o’clock to the origin in the top view. SelChain?