Prepare and Export Site Model for Laser Cutting

[ThreeDot]

Does anyone know how I can slice a site model into layers and export each layer to be cut on a laser printer?

 

Edited August 18, 2023 by ThreeDot

[Jeff Prince]

@ThreeDot

Be sure to make a backup copy before proceeding.

 

The easiest way is to:

 

1. Configure your site model settings with desired 2D and 3D contour appearance.

2D Display \ Style: 2D Contours (turn off labels, but leave the border on...it makes a nice frame for your pieces to be cut to and is based off the model crop)

           Keep in mind, smoothed 2D contours can sometimes have too many verticies and trip up some laser cutters and contour labels will break your contours.

3D Display \ Style: 3D Contours

 

For your model, I would do 3D contours because you can use their Z value as selection criterial for organizing your printing using classes and design layers.

 

2. Make a copy of your site model and put it on a separate design layer.

      This will keep things organized and aligned for any common items you want to develop for the cutting process, like alignment keys.

 

3. Switch to Top view (not Top/Plan) for 3D poly based contours and ungroup.

 

5. Check your contours and make sure everything looks good.  Convert your skirt to a 2D polyline to use as an edge boundary for your model.

 

Now you have the contours you need for cutting out with the laser.  You will need to organize them into logical groups for printing to get desired result, which will depend on the shape of the model and the material you intend on using.  If you intend on doing a lot of this kind of thing, a script for organizing contours into classes and sheet layers  would speed things up.

 

Feel free to ask more questions if needed.