I am printing a model of a birdhouse which I assume has been cut into smaller parts to help facilitate multiple colors but with a significant reduction in filament swaps.
This is the original model. American Craftsman Bungalow Birdhouse
When you cut a model into smaller parts, is it possible to cut the model but inadvertently leave an artifact behind?
On the cut model, the sub-parts (as downloaded) are floating in space which is is a separate subject.
In the process of changing filament colors I had a prime tower I could not make go away, which it should have disappeared once all the parts were the same color.
After much head-scratching I noticed line that had nothing in the Z-Axis but I was able to click on it and delete it. Found two more of those artifacts, deleted them and the tower disappeared, as expected.
I’m calling them artifacts out of not knowing any other term but is this something one has to be conscious of when cutting a model into smaller parts?
Can you take an existing model from Printables for example, drop it into the CAD program of choice, cut it into subparts, then re-export it as an .stl file?
If you know how the CAD program works and the model licence allows it.
My comment was focussed on a ‘good’ designer should design the model to be printed. This includes making the parts and the means to assemble the parts that the slicer can print.
Unfortunately, there are too many ways to do this to list them all here, but it’s a relatively straightforward task.
If you’re trying to cut a specific model from an online source, post it here—I can suggest a more suitable approach based on the file.
Many models on Printables include STEP files. Admittedly, fewer than 20% do, but they’re there if you look. I use this as a filter when choosing among versions and remixes. STL-only contributors are my last resort.
Import the STL, cut it there, or export it as STEP.
The downside: cutting STL files often results in open manifolds. Not a showstopper, but it’s unintuitive for most users. Unfortunately, even competent YouTubers struggle to explain this in layman’s terms—likely because most viewers check out as soon as math enters the picture.
Use FreeCAD 1.0:
The mesh-to-solid tool has improved dramatically in this release.
While not as clean as Fusion’s prismatic tool (from what I’ve seen), it works surprisingly well.
Honestly, it’s the only reason I keep FreeCAD installed. After 22 years, it still feels like a science project.
Use Fusion. Fusion free version has “just OK” mesh tools. The paid version is substantially better but then you have to buy into their $680 license fee that get cut to $382 with a promo code and then jacked back up once you are inside their ecosystem which is why I only use the free version sparingly, too many strings attached.
That’s good to know for the future but in this particular case, I am person #3 with my hands on the STL files. The original model was saved in .ipt and .stl.
Person #2 cut some of the parts further and saved everything as .stl only.
In the process of changing the color, a tower was created which I had a time trying to understand why.
So, Bambu Studio defaults a model’s color to what is in Slot #1 of ones AMS.
When I loaded the .stl file onto the build plate, it defaulted to White as that was what is in slot 1 of my AMS#1. That model consisted 7 discrete objects (or so I thought)
As soon as I changed the color of one of the objects, the tower appeared which was no surprise. My expectation being the tower would go away once all the parts were the same color. In the end I found three tiny objects, little more than lines.But lines Studio saw as objects on the build plate. Deleted all three and the tower disappeared as expected.
I was trying to confirm that cutting can do that, possibly how to avoid