[Plugin] Slicer5

Dave R

I did not have a solid component. I just right clicked on the mesh, selected 'edit component' and that made the mesh a solid based on the Entity Info box.

It sounds like you have a nested component. If it isn't nested, Entity Info won't show it as solid if it's open for editing because you'd have raw geometry selected.

sketchartist023

I was in the process of learning how to write and code for something just like this, and behold...TIG You are a genius man. I did my first model of a cape cod that I used the solid inspector on to make it solid for this plugin and it works well! There are a few missing parts/sheets here and there but I will do the scaling up x10 or x100 again with different settings to see how that works then scale back as suggested and maybe it will become flawless! I have spent many months doing this by hand this past year so donations will be on the way, and possibly more steady if I can get my models consistent I was able to get down to 1/32" (about 0.79mm (thickness of my watercolor paper for 3d modeling real-time) and I am going to make a paper model of this soon!

By far one of the best additions to V8+ I have encountered as an artist! Hats off, and models on!

Flaws so far (either my user error or just fyi that may already be noted(:

When processing, flattening says fattening minor I know but it is something to help
Skipped slices. Maybe due to my scale, Ill keep working
zooming (maybe major?) sometimes when finished, the model disappears all together from any view and camera settings. zoom does not work or possibly too sensitive due to my scale? Not sure but just something I found that had me saving and reloading SU to get it back. The undo saves as expected, but still nothing to show. Not happening often, rare.

The guts of this are extreme and amazing! I will make sure within the next few months (remind me lol) that you are compensated for saving me so much time with something I have extreme passion for!

My project with scaled items in place

yida

Hi there ,

I have just installed the slicer 5 to have it to help me to slice up a site topography model for lazer cutting purposes .I wanted to slice the site model up vertically with having cardboard material of 3 mm thick for it . I have tried various way to get the model slice up but it always end up missing.

I have attached the sit model image below. I tried to upload the file but the file size is too big , so here is the link for it : https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bzbv-1flN2CiNzg3OGoxamx2enM/view?usp=sharing . Any help will be much appreciated !

site model picture

TIG

SketchUp treats points within 1/1000" of each other as coincident, therefore tiny edges don't get made and the faces relying on those edges don't get formed.

Consider doing it this way...

Add the site geometry group into a component.
Make a copy of that component-instance off to one side.
Scale that copy up by x1000.
Edit the copy and slice the group inside it - using 3000mm cuts rather than 3mm ones.
When you are done exit the edit.
You should now have a set of slices with retained geometry inside both the original sized and giant version of the component.
Select and delete the giant version.
Within the original version you should still have the slices with their tiny edges etc intact.
Tiny edges and related faces can exist, but they cannot be created from scratch.

yida

Hi TIG ,

Thanks you for the fast response . I tried to do as according to what you said, however , i try creating over more than 100 ++ planes , the file would start to load and the same thing would happen again ( the model inside would be missing ) . Is there anything that i would have done wrong in the process ?

TIG

I finally got a chance to download your SKP.
I sliced it at 35mm thickness - so it was quicker x10 !
It seems OK, even at the original size ?
The reason the original 'disappears' is that it's assigned to a HIDN layer...

Can you supply a screenshot of your Slicer dialog, so I can see your actual settings...

facer

TIG,

Yida requested "VERTICAL" slices.
Is there a reason you sliced "HORIZONTAL"?

TIG

When making a topo model it's usual to use horizontal sheets - say 3 or 6mm thick.
Cut along 'contours'.
These are overlaid on top of each other to make a surface in 3d.
Note how I chose the option to imprint the outline of the next sheet above onto each sheet, that is for easier alignment when assembling the cutout sheets in 3d...

The wording of 'vertical' slices is ambiguous.
It could mean what I showed, or mean one of several other slicing options - X, Y, X+Y etc...
If the OP wants one of those alternatives, then it should work much the same.

That's one reason I asked for a screenshot of the Slicer dialog - otherwise we must guess...
It worked for me, but not for the OP, so something is awry.

facer

Tig,
Thank you for the tip!

"...Note how I chose the option to imprint the outline of the next sheet above onto each sheet,
that is for easier alignment when assembling the cutout sheets in 3d ..."

I was not aware of this option, it will certainly help in the fabrication of a
contour model. Well done!

Pixero

Is it possible to use this on the currently set axes and not the original "world axes"?
I have a model where I have moved the axes some and I have to move and rotate every piece I want to slice to original world axes for it to work ok.
Or am I missing something?

TIG

Sorry but it's the 'world' axes only.

AndrewAn

Hi, I really like your plugin. Recently I was using the slicer tool, there is always such a mistake, as in the picture.

TIG

@Andrew
We don't have permission to view your image please just attached it to your post so we can see it...

zhaomayhn

Hey!

Don't know if it's just my machine, but have been able to consistently reproduce an error when exporting in SKP 2018 (I understand that it's not currently listed as supported) -

Following slicing, I run the audit tool and there are no errors.

Then PNGs export just fine, but when exporting DXFs, the first one exports just fine but SKP crashes while exporting the second one.

When running the extension in 2017, the same error occurs. I am running Slicer v5.23

TIG

There used to be issues like this with MACs, but that was fixed.

My setup on PC sounds similar to yours, and I tested it in v2018 with this latest Slicer version and it quickly exported the DXF slices...

Does it always crash after DXF-001 ?

Can you supply a simple SKP that crashes for you.
You can pre-make the slices in it...
Then I can test it to see if I also get a failure exporting them as DXFs...

carpa65

Hi, first of all a very fine script that fit my needs.
one thing i would see is the posibilityto increase the number of
sides/polygons on curves and circles. i would like to export the files to a milling machine and cutter with perfect circles without steps.

keep doing the good work.

Dave R

@carpa65 said:

Hi, first of all a very fine script that fit my needs.
one thing i would see is the posibilityto increase the number of
sides/polygons on curves and circles. i would like to export the files to a milling machine and cutter with perfect circles without steps.

keep doing the good work.

The number of sides on curves and circles is determined by the user when they draw them, not by Slicer. If you want smoother curves in the slices, draw smoother curves in the slicee.

Alagcommer

Hi TIG,
The quality of your work is impressive.
I meet a problem with a model :
When i do a XZ slices it crashes but not with Z only.
Could you tell me what is wrong with this model ?
I'm awaiting for your answer.

Regards

Alain

param

model

TIG

It's probably because the slicing spacing results in tiny length edges, which SketchUp can't make - < 1/1000"
Either rotate the object and try slicing it in the pseudo-z axis...

Or use a pseudo 'Dave' method...
With just your object in its own model...
Scale the object up by x100.
Do the slicing, increasing all of the slice measurements by x100 too.
Do the slicing.
Assuming it's all done successfully...
Rescale the results by 1/100 - you can do this using the Tapemeasure tool - pick two points on the object and type in what the distance should be when scaled-back.
Choose to scale the model.
Now everything is back to the small size.
Some geometry can exist, but SketchUp's native tools, and by extension Ruby code, cannot create it !

Alagcommer

thanks for your help.
I'll let you know.