Printing lots of model;s is very difficult because of the detail loss on the bottom surface.
Ity would bve very nice to have Preform split the model in two halves and then print them with a flat bottom, that can be sanded from support marks and glued together after print for maximum surface quality.
Optimal orientation can help to mitigate loss of detail on bottom facing surfaces and we have a great introductory video here. Splitting models is a great solution for some geometries but many models will still have bottom facing surfaces that require support structures. Printing direct on platform can also cause changes in the dimensional accuracy of a print. We have a tutorial on making objects larger than your printer’s build volume here if you’re interested.
thanks for the tips. I was already aware of everything you mentioned. I still think that such feature would be amazing. You might think that it sounds too much like admitting that the bottom side is lower quality, but it would help the workflow a lot. I Also understand that probably budget for this feature is out of discussion as it is something that depends on a number of factors. That being said I still feel like its a good suggestion.
It would be better to do stuff like that to the model before exporting to PreForm so that you have more control over where it splits, you can then have more control.
I believe if your using Zbrush or 3dCoat they have a feature to add alignment pins to a shape as well as easy to cut them in half.
Cad software it should be easy enough in most cases once the model is hollowed out. I agree it would be nice to do it within PreForm especially if your running parts out for customers who many not have the tools or abilities to do this and allow you to optimize the orientations of the models (ie cut side on supports).