What is the maximum stl file size that i can slice

[ranicalvo 0]

What is the maximum stl file size that i can slice?

I have a 5.2 Gb file that was built in Meshmixer

I opened it in Cura 3.6 and the slicing look like it will never end.

Is there a size limit for the files?

[Smithy 1,146]

I don't know if there is a size limit, but with 5.2 GB you should not wonder that it takes very very long!

You should really try to reduce the size of the file, because I am also not sure if your printer is able to print such a big file.

[geert_2 559]

I am not related to Ultimaker, and not involved in software development. So this is only a general answer.

 

It is not only the slicer that has to be able to handle the file, but also the operating system and the computer hardware.

 

If the computer can't get the whole file in memory, or if the operating system does not allocate enough memory, it needs to temporary swap parts of the file to harddisk. This may slow down things by a factor 100. Sometimes memory-requirements might be 2x or 3x file size, depending on the software and operation. For example if the software needs to store the original file in memory, plus the temporary calculations, plus the resulting file.

 

Further, it makes no sense to provide more details than the printer's resolution, since microscopic details can't be printed anyway. Personally, I think reducing the file to a grid of 0.1mm or 0.2mm would make no visible difference. When designing small text, I found that all fine details were lost anyway, so I could as well leave them out from the design. I believe you could bring this file down to let's say 50MB, without much visible difference in printing.

 

Maybe you could cut out a small piece of this model, and try to reduce that to different resolutions, and compare these in a test print?

 

[ScanHD 32]

To maintain as much detail as possible you could run it through an optimisation operation. This reduces the triangle count only in areas that have little/no curvature, whilst maintaining the count in high curvature areas. This is the best way i know to reduce file size with minimum impact on detail.

[ranicalvo 0]

21 hours ago, ScanHD said:

To maintain as much detail as possible you could run it through an optimisation operation. This reduces the triangle count only in areas that have little/no curvature, whilst maintaining the count in high curvature areas. This is the best way i know to reduce file size with minimum impact on detail.

What software do you use to do the optimization?

I'm trying to reduce triangles/vertices with Meshmixer with not so much success.

 

 

[ScanHD 32]

2 hours ago, ranicalvo said:

What software do you use to do the optimization?

I'm trying to reduce triangles/vertices with Meshmixer with not so much success.

 

 

 

The software is Geomagic. Its primarily for reverse engineering/modelling purposes, but its a very powerful mesh editing suite in its own right. If you can find some way to get it to me, id be happy to try and run it through and see what i can do with it.

 

 

[gr5 2,294]

@ranicalvo - try this: http://www.shapeways.com/tutorials/polygon_reduction_with_meshlab

 

I'm not sure what the limit is for triangles but 1 million should be safe and give you much more resolution than any printer can print.  That would end up being about 60MB STL file (if compressed format which is the more common of the 2 STL formats).