Data Transfer

Data Exchange
By Email (Max 100mb)
crdm@crdm.co.uk

By FTP
Please contact for access.

By Post
Compact Disc


File Types acceptable by CRDM
.igs / .iges
.step / .stp
.stl
.prt (Pro Engineer Wildfire 2)
catpart/catproduct Version 5 Catia.exp/.cat/.mod/.mdl/.model Version 4 Catia
.dxf
.dwg
.zip

Generating STL files

The .STL file format is required for all Rapid Prototyping Apparatus. With the ever increasing need for Rapid Prototyping , most CAD packages now have the ability to export this file type. Below is a brief description of how each CAD package can generate an STL file.

ProE

•  File > Export > Model

•  STL

•  Set chord height to 0. This will be replaced to the minimum applicable chord height.

•  OK

SolidWorks

•  File > Save

•  Set Save As Type to STL

•  Options > Fine > OK

•  OK

SolidEdge

•  File > Save As

•  Set Save As Type to STL

•  Save

Unigraphics

•  File > Export > Rapid Prototype

•  Set Output Type to Binary

•  Set Triangle Tolerance to 0.0025

•  Set Adjacency Tolerance to 0.12

•  Set Auto Normal Gen to On

•  Set Normal Display to Off

•  Set Triangle Display to On

AutoCAD

•  Type STL OUT at the prompt

•  Select Object (must be in positive vector space)

•  Binary

•  Filename

SolidDesigner

•  File > Save

•  Set Save As Type to STL

•  Options > Fine > OK

•  Save

I-DEAS

•  File > Export > Rapid Prototype File > OK

•  Select part

•  Select Prototyping Device > SLA500.dat > OK

•  Set Absolute facet deviation to 0.000395

•  Binary > OK

Mechanical Desktop

•  Type AMSLOUT at the prompt

•  Aspect Ratio, Surface Tolerance and Vertex Spacing should be set to a reasonable level. If these settings are set to 0, the particular control will be ignored. An appropriate setting will be required to produce a file between 2Mb and 10Mb. If the file size is outside this bound, it may be heavily faceted or excessively high in resolution.

Rhino

•  File > Save As

•  Select File Type > STL

•  Save