Nothing will slice, every model is grey

[cmosera 0]

I was trying to make a cookie cutter and the model would always be greyed out and when sliced, would show that it would take zero minutes and use zero filament.  I tried to create a simple cube with an overhang just to see if my model was busted but the simple cube returns the same results...  No slicing, no filament prediction or time other than zero.  I tried setting all settings back to default and I just can't figure this out.  I'm a teacher trying to start a 3D printing club at my school but this is ridiculous.  I've never had this problem before with other 3D printers.  The fact that the software seems to be giving me no feedback and no way to pinpoint the problem seems a little crazy.  Am I missing something?

 

Thanks!

Chris

[Cornelius703 1]

Uhh...

 

You have to hit the 'Preview' button to actually slice it? 😏

 

The 'Prepare' view are for easy/fast positioning, resizing, rotating etc. the object on the printing bed. 🙂

Edited January 23, 2020 by Cornelius703

[P3D 46]

@Cornelius703: No, you only get that view after slicing. I suspect that there is something amiss with the model. 

 

@cmosera: Which software did you use to create those test cubes? Did you also try to slice some random STL from thingiverse or a similar platform?

[nallath 1,123]

Could you save the project for me? I can have a look at it.

[cmosera 0]

@P3D I used SketchUp Pro.  I did upload some stuff from Thingiverse and that seemed to work OK.  

 

@nallath  Sure I can save the project.  It's attached below.

Test.obj

[P3D 46]

SketchUp is notoriously bad at exporting proper models for 3D printing. I guess that's the culprit. If your model is just composed of Surfaces with zero thickness, Cura doesn't have anything to slice.

[Job_van_gennip 23]

I think there is a problem in your model. It also does not register at my pc. I found that it is super easy to "break" a model in sketchup by for example moving part of your model through itself. I would recommend using a different software if your main goal is 3D printing. Try tinkercad (easier) or fusion 360 (more complex)

Edited January 23, 2020 by Job_van_gennip
Make it more useful

[cmosera 0]

@Job_van_gennip  Ugh.  Now I have to learn ANOTHER program.  My brain hurts.  🙂

 

@P3D  Thanks for replying.

 

@nallath  Thanks for looking into it.

Edited January 23, 2020 by cmosera
Forgot to thank people

[Job_van_gennip 23]

@cmosera thingiverse luckily is not that hard to learn. It works very intuitively and you do not have to download it. 

[P3D 46]

30 minutes ago, cmosera said:

@Job_van_gennip  Ugh.  Now I have to learn ANOTHER program.  My brain hurts.  🙂

 

@P3D  Thanks for replying.

 

@nallath  Thanks for looking into it.

 

You're welcome. 

 

2 minutes ago, Job_van_gennip said:

@cmosera thingiverse luckily is not that hard to learn. It works very intuitively and you do not have to download it. 

 

You mean Tinkercad, right? 

[Job_van_gennip 23]

Just now, P3D said:

You mean Tinkercad, right? 

Haha yes😅

[P3D 46]

1 minute ago, Job_van_gennip said:

Haha yes😅

 

Thingiverse is also not that hard to learn, though 😂

Edited January 23, 2020 by P3D

[nallath 1,123]

22 hours ago, cmosera said:

@P3D I used SketchUp Pro.  I did upload some stuff from Thingiverse and that seemed to work OK.  

 

@nallath  Sure I can save the project.  It's attached below.

Test.obj 3.41 kB · 3 downloads

The model is indeed non manifold. As other have already indicated, sketchup is infamous for generating models that look right, but have all kinds of issues with them.

[cmosera 0]

I remade the project from scratch and then ran it through some plug ins that fixed non manifold issues as well as reversed faces and other things.  I got it printing though.  Thanks for the help.  It's so frustrating when it looks great on the screen but can't print.  I forgot about all these issues.  I've been too spoiled using Shapeways to print my stuff.