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Post by papa on Jun 24, 2021 9:36:59 GMT
STEP files are very common with commercial CAD projects, and I often find them accompanying STL files. I have a chance to build a preview thumbnail program for them, much like my STL Thumbnails. But before I waste time on a program that nobody needs, I wanted to ask: How common are they? How often do you open them? |
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Post by Xayoz on Jun 24, 2021 11:35:44 GMT
never...I've opened obj in slicer a couple times, 3mf often, mostly stl
as far as design, I've done very little and never actually opened anything as I've only bothered to learn tinkercad so far. have not needed anything more advanced or complex yet.
what is the advantage/disadvantage to step over other formats?
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Post by RobertsClif on Jun 24, 2021 12:10:16 GMT
Have never used a step file, should learn more about using this type of file...
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Post by papa on Jun 24, 2021 13:33:37 GMT
what is the advantage/disadvantage to step over other formats? STEP is not polygon-based, but a parametric boundary representation of solid geometry. As such, it is used heavily in industrial/automotive design and for “digital twins”. I receive STEP files quite often when industrial/automotive clients need something printed. Usually, the larger the company, the more likely it’s STEP. But STEP-compatible software can be very expensive, so I rarely get such files from hobbyists. |
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