Resource needed to learn what is appropriate for STL file

Rhino Rhino for Mac
1

Newbie wondering what would be a good source ( book / online ) to help learn what makes an STL file appropriate for rapid prototyping. I think I have my models meeting criteria,…but I am still getting an error when I save an STL file.
Thank you for any guidance. - Kyle

2

Hi Kyle - what error? From Rhino or a downstream application?

-Pascal

3

Hi Pascal,
I am exporting to origin and the error reads " this file is not appropriate for rapid prototyping.

  • Kyle
4

Hi Kyle - most likely the object is not closed. The first thing to try is to use ShowEdges to see where there are ‘naked’ edges on your object.

-Pascal

5

Thank you for your help Pascal, I have no naked edges, shared edges, floating hidden points or double anything i can tell. as far as i can tell it is manifold. Funny thing is i put five 3d mesh objects together in a mess without trimming them and it saved as an STL file without the error message… and the file 3d printed “ok”. So i was wondering if there is something more i don’t know? - Kyle

6

Hi Kyle - can you post your file or send to tech@mcneel.com? Are you exporting mesh objects or meshing surface/polysurface objects ‘on the way out’ so to speak?

-Pascal

7

sent you an email - Thank you for looking at this. - Kyle

8

Hi Kyle,

I responded in the tech email. There were overlapping edges in the model creating non-manifold mesh edges.

9

Thank you for your help!