Info Page: Fused Deposition Modeling

Free for educational use. Read here.

File Format and Control Software:

• AutoGen software controls the Genisys 3-D printer. Autogen is installed on lever.ices.cmu.edu in HbH 2211. Contact Mike Vande Weghe for username and password.

    NOTE: Due to a networking problem with lever, you need to send your stl files to Mike Vande Weghe. Please remember to include the files, and indicate the units (inch/mm/cm) for your parts, and how many you want.

• You need to generate .stl [SLA] files for your part/design to be able to open them on AutoGen. You can change:

  • the scale,
  • the dimensional unit, and
  • orientation

  of your part using Autogen, and then send it to the Genisys FDM machine.

• Generating .stl files using IronCAD:

  • You can export the file in STL/SLA format, but the machines in the cluster seem to lack the necessary module for this. The copy on lever.ices.cmu.edu in HbH 2202 is working fine.

• Generating .stl files using ProEngineer:

  • Note: If you want to use the files you have created on IRonCAD, make sure that you have a IGES file to import into ProE.

  • Choose Export/Model while in Part menu/module

  • Choose STL from Export menu

  • Set the following:

    • Coordinate System: Default
    • Format: Binary
    • Allow negative values
    • Chord Height: Default value given is usually OK, you can type in a smaller value.
    • Angle Control: 1.0
    • Choose a file name
      
      

  • The file <filename>.stl will be generated [NOTE: On Windows, .stl extension is used for 'Certificate Trust List' and your file might have the associate icon on it. You'll get an error message that says 'This is an invalid Certificate Trust List file.' It doesn't mean anything as long as ProE is concerned. You can still open your file in Autogen are any other CAD/CAM software capable of handling .stl files.]

• Using MicroStation: Alternatively, you can save your work in MicroStation as an IGES file, then import it into ProEngineer to generate .stl file.

  • Note that the sections that are defined as surfaces will not show up in ProE;  change all sections to 'solids' before exporting your design.
  • It is also a good idea to remove reference lines before exporting it in IGES format.
    
    
• Also take a look at the following pdf file from Stratasys on generating STL files (ProE, I-DEAS, AutoCAD, Mechanical Desktop).

Machine Info:

• Genisys from Stratasys. The machine's location is HH 2202.

  

• Instructions for using Genisys printer [Read this if this is your first time.]

• Here is a report on Genisys by David Garner and Alexandra Atkins.

Last updated on October, 1999