Hello All,
Has anyone else had a problem getting stp export files to work with MegaCut 3d? I am working with a company to do this milling, and, even though I get an export that is a solid, the MegaCut isn't happy with it, stopping on what it perceives as gaps.

I am trying to merge every surface, to see if the perceived gaps will go away on export.

Open to other approaches.

Best,
Bill Parker

Hi Bill, I'm not familiar with MegaCut 3d myself. Maybe it is sensitive to certain kinds of things...

Does it support other import formats other than STP files? If so then maybe try one of those other formats, maybe a high density STL file if that's possible.

I guess the other thing would be to try other different CAM programs and see if they can operate ok on the same file.

- Michael

Hi
I dont know specific about Megacut 3d, but when i use stl for 3d printing or cnc, i somtimes need to run it tru programs like netfab to correct the mesh - i have also had great succes with the mesh check that comes with FreeCad. So i check the designs from Moi3D - now mostely - in Freecad, before i send it to the 3d printing or cutting program.

Hi Michael and Hep,
Thanks for the quick response. Hep, I will definitely give that a try.

Hi Bill,

Looking at the MegaCut 3d specs it writes; Supported file formats: plt, dxf, G-Codes, RAW 3D, bmp. This means you'll have to go through a second step to get your model into MegaCut.

Even though it says dxf it doesn't specify if that's 2d lines, arcs and splines or 3d mesh data, MoI does export dxf but only 2d lines, arcs and splines. You'll have to find out if the MegaCut dxf is 3d mesh data first either way it looks like you'll have go through another program like Blender which is free http://www.blender.org/ and supports dxf meshes and RAW however before you try and export in RAW 3D, which by the way looks like the only 3d mesh data MegaCut will accept, I'm not sure but you might have to install a script to get the RAW 3D option.

Cheers

> Supported file formats: plt, dxf, G-Codes, RAW 3D, bmp.

Hmmm, this is a rather odd set of file formats to support for a 3D CAM program... It makes me wonder whether MegaCut is primarily focused on 2D and if 3D support is just somewhat lacking in general...

Possibly a more established 3D CAM program would be good to try out.

- Michael

Hi Michael,

Looking at the website the company Megaplot manufacture CNC Foam Cutters, Laser Cutters, Routers and Hot Wire Foam Cutters and MegaCut 2d is their bundled software so predominantly 2d specialists, MegaCut 3d is offered for free to Megaplot Router owners.

-

It looks like only RAW triangle format is supported by Megacut 3d, so someone must be converting the STP file to RAW.

Converting from a nurbs surface (STP) to a mesh has some variables that could end up producing different result depending on which application is doing the conversion, and how the conversion parameters are set.

Its just a thought, but try exporting as an STL. You could check it in netfabb as hep suggested to be sure it is a solid. I would think STL triangles would convert directly to RAW triangles. So theoretically, if you have a good STL, then the RAW triangulated file converted from the STL might be a better method.