iges or stl to g.code

[Dan Brown]

dose anyone have any ideas on cheap options for turning iges or stl files into g.code?.

i'd like something that can handle smooth curved surfaces or is that where it starts getting pricy?

[tribbles]

STL isn't a smooth curved surface - it's actually a collection of triangles. The more triangles you have, the smoother the curved surface is.

For a 1:10th scale model of the car I want to make, it's 20716 triangles - the full size is 82,864 (as it currently stands - I still haven't finalised the design).

I wrote my own software for converting the STL file into G-code, suitable for my machine (2.5D). It also splits the object up into the blocks we'll be using, and gives me an estimate of the number of blocks required (63 at the moment).

The only caveat is that it only works to the nearest 1mm, which is fine for my requirements. It could be written to go much finer than that.

I've also got a number of different algorithms which trade off accuracy against speed.

Oh, and it's MacOS only as well (could be important for some, well most people!)

This is why machine is called "STLCutter"

[pavlo]

Cambam handles STL files pretty well. It's not free but you get 40 uses before you have to buy it.

[John S]

Millwizard can do this and it's free but only does one pass, you may have to do 2 or 3 programs with different cutters to get an acceptable finish.
Vectric's Cut3D can also do it using roughing and finishing passes, bought program, not free.

[ptjw7uk]

Thanks for the link John, just had a quick play - Oh Boy that produces a lot of code.
Something else to get my head around.

peter

[Dan Brown]

cheers for the pointer to cut3D john. looks like a good program, and pretty cheap.