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Forgot to reply to list as well.<br>
<br>
-------- Original Message --------
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<th nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">Subject: </th>
<td>Re: [Chimera-users] Exporting .stl</td>
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<th nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">Date: </th>
<td>Tue, 30 Nov 2010 13:33:23 -0800</td>
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<th nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">From: </th>
<td>Greg Couch <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:gregc@cgl.ucsf.edu"><gregc@cgl.ucsf.edu></a></td>
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<th nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">To: </th>
<td>Dennis Kolva <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:dk429@cornell.edu"><dk429@cornell.edu></a></td>
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<br>
On 11/25/2010 06:29 PM, Dennis Kolva wrote:<br>
> I have been using Chimera to export .stl files of proteins and
RNA for 3D printing. The surface models print OK, but sticks or
ribbons choke the printer. I looked close at the output meshes, and
they have many extra surfaces which should be removed to make
"legal" .stl format.<br>
><br>
> Is that portion of the code open source? I'd like to take a
closer look and see if it's possible to fix. It would be much easier
to rectify the bad surfaces upon creation, rather than trying to
remove them by post-processing.<br>
><br>
> Thanks,<br>
><br>
> Dennis Kolva<br>
> Cornell U.<br>
<br>
Presumably , you don't have a Z-Corp printer and their ZPrint
software, <br>
otherwise you would output VRML from chimera and have ZPrint do the
<br>
proper conversion to STL.<br>
<br>
So yes, the source code is available at <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://plato.cgl.ucsf.edu/trac/chimera/browser/trunk/apps/x3d2/stl">http://plato.cgl.ucsf.edu/trac/chimera/browser/trunk/apps/x3d2/stl</a>,
and <br>
we would welcome improvements. I believe that the problem is that <br>
chimera does not output manifold geometry and that the X3D to STL <br>
converter would need to perform CSG operations on all of the
geometry, <br>
especially the spheres and cylinders, to eliminate interpenetrating
<br>
surfaces. Another issue to consider is what to do about ribbons and
<br>
cylinders that are too thin for the printer you're using.<br>
<br>
Feel free to contact me directly with questions about the code or
use <br>
the chimera developers mailing list, <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:chimera-dev@cgl.ucsf.edu">chimera-dev@cgl.ucsf.edu</a>,<br>
<br>
Greg<br>
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