I know that this has been request by Zach Bracking before, but it was never answered by FormLabs:
We need a feature that would let us mirror/flip an object within PreForm.
I know I can mirror any object in an external application (like NetFabb, Meshmixer or whatever I used to model the original in), however, it would sometimes be more convenient to have that feature inside Preform. Also it would be very useful to be able to mirror an object has had the supports already generated. Opening up the mirrored parts separately, and re-orienting everything to match the original piece(s) and re-generate supports is not always easy.
Come on FormLabs, it can’t be that tough.
Besides, PreForm’s copyright notice states that it’s repair engine is by NetFabb. Netfabb has a mirror feature built right in. Why not use that code to implement the mirror within PreForm?
If they would simply enable the XYZ scaling chain icon that’s always been there and always been useless, you could simply change any one axis to scale -1.0 and get mirrored. Oh, that is if they enabled negative numbers too. Sigh.
Thanks for the suggestion! We’ve seen this a few times on the forums and I’ve forwarded it on to our software team. There might be a cleaner implementation than a sort of negative scale and we’ll look into it.
If were getting NEW features; How about a “break up parts” feature that when printing multiple and separable-able parts it will allow individual parts to be separately arranged; so that I don’t have to insert multiple .stl files
@pieralberto76, thanks for bringing this thread to our attention again! No updates yet, but I’ll let our software team know that people are still interested in a feature like this.
I do all of my mirroring, duplicating and arranging in my modeling program which I find much easier. I also created a wire form of the build chamber that I insert into my model. In that way I can do all of my arranging before I create my single stl file to send to Preform AFTER I DELETE THE BOUNDING BOX!.
A cautionary note about mirroring threaded parts. Mirroring threads gives yo left-hand threads. I find rotate safer since my bad experience. BTW, it took a little while to figure out.
Not everyone is able or willing to use this workflow. Mirroring (as well as part grouping) would enable quickly getting what you want, without having to go back to the modeling application.
Assuming that you created the object, going back to the application that was used to create the stl file is much easier. Editing stl files is not trivial pursuit, although there are applications that you may purchase that will convert them to files that you may edit. I assume that means that you are using stl files created by others. In that case, I would say that you are on your own. Search around, you may find an Application that will, at least, let you scale and mirror an stl file. The creator of the file spent a lot of time modeling the object and posted online the form that he was willing to share. IMHO, it’s unreasonable to ask Formlabs to aid in plagiarism. Modeling an object in 3D is a complicated process, requiring training, practice and the purchase of relatively expensive software and hardware. My video board alone was thousands of dollars. Have you tried contacting the owner/poster of the model?
whoa, dude… seriously, you need to get off that double stacked soap box. Just because someone wants to mirror or scale an object they downloaded off the web prior to printing, doesn’t make them a plagiarist.
Do you even know what the term means? A plagiarist is someone whole takes someone else’s work and passes it off as their own.
The ability to scale, mirror, or group/ungroup and object, is something that almost every major 3d printing software is capable off. Preform itself is capable of scaling an object. It just can’t mirror.
I’m sure that if Formlabs wanted to, they could easily add this feature, But apparently they don’t want to.
Yes, I know I can go back to my original app and mirror or scale the model then export it again to STL, but it sure would be ice if I could do this within PreForm, and save me the time to load up the original model, as well as the space required to store the mirrored file.
Here is an example: I have a humanoid for I built. The head and torso are 1 part, then I have a left leg and a left arm. I would then mirror the leg and arm directly in Preform and save myself the trouble of saving and importing 5 parts when 3 would do just fine.
Anyway, for those that want to mirror or scale an object they can simply download Netfabb Basic and do all these functions and more for free.
And no, that’s not plagiarizing or stealing someone’s work.
I won’t go into answering the groundless, unasked for and just plainly wrong accusations voiced here.
Mirroring functionality would save many PreForm users time and effort, so it would be a really great feature to add in PreForm.
Grouping, as stated in at least 3 other threads, is even more important, as it makes dealing with printing multiple objects much easier and less frustrating - especially since one can’t re-export a model with supports as STL, so you can’t even do the grouping in another application.
Here is a Prime reason Some of us would like the ability to mirror parts… I contacted the original Cad owner and she was a Bitch… (Oh Wait that is me).
So far I have over 500 individual parts and 200 or so that need to be printed Mirrored orientation. I agree when you only have to a part or 2 it doesn’t make sense. but when you are professional designer/manufacturer time is money.
It’s a little more complicated than that. We wanted it to be nice and fast, so it does just mirror the text when you click Mirror. But if you do anything that forces the raft to regenerate, then your text will come out the right way round.
YAAAAAAAA>>> ALL SINS ARE NOW FORGIVEN… You have restored my faith.
Seriously though… Thank You… In my business you really do not know how much time this saves me and many others.
Thank You for listening…
Now I have to go and find something else to complain about.
