Smooth or true cylinder for 3d printing

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to make a cylinder shaped object that is completely or close to completely smooth. I changed the arc and circle display smoothness to 20,000 but I think that only affects the object displayed and not the structure of the cylinders facets. So if I export the cylinder to a file to be 3d printer (an stl), I have some facets or angles along the circle. Is there a way to make the circle completely round or to increase the facets or smoothness in autocad? Either way would help. I don't mean how the cylinder is displayed; I want the shape to be smooth so I can create the cylinder with a 3d printer.

[Patchy]

3d printer make nice round circle or jagged edges because how the options are picked in the printer, not because of the .stl.

Print it slower and using Best quality.

That's how it works for me.

[Anonymous]

In autocad the cylinder looks completely smooth. The pic I uploaded shows what happened right after I imported the autocad stl into the program for 3d 'slicing.' So that's the printer preview from the 3d printer slicer. The print I did yesterday I only ran at 15 mm/second (I was trying a new filament). I don't think my printer caused the facets. Do you think the slicer fauceted the cylinder? I used sli3er and my detail resolution is set to full resolution which I think means the stl file wasn't downscaled at all.

[Patchy]

Maybe you need Meshlab, it's free.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CI18VAebJpk

[Anonymous]

That's interesting but I doubt the number of faces was the problem. I just tried importing one primative cylinder. I'm not sure if autocad saved the file with facets (I counted 26) or if they were converted somehow due to something intrinsic to the stl conversion or maybe even the slicer program changed it (I doubt that though because I tried multiple slicers at full resolution). An autocad command to change facets from 26 to like 500 or 1,000 would be nice.

[steven-g · Accepted solution]

From what I can find it looks as though FACETRES=10 is the setting that you need in Autocad, and if that doesn't fix the issue it could be your slicing software.

Edited by
Discussion_Admin

[Anonymous]

Hey guys!
I am ruining about the same problem but my slicer doesn't show the faces but these apear in print. I used variouse slicer softwares (cura, slic3r, xyz print, kisslicer) but all prints had the same problem. I am sure it doesn't cause the slicer software it is because autoCAD. What more my circles in prints have the same 26 sides!
I would be glad if somebody can give any advice!
I'll try the FACTRES command at the afternoon and I'll report you guys what's the result.

[JDMather]

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@Anonymous wrote:
....I would be glad if somebody can give any advice!
I'll try the FACTRES command at the afternoon and I'll report you guys what's the result.

---

The number of facets is determined by the settings at the time of saving as *.stl file.

Increase FACTRES to 10 as suggested.

You might also be interested in Print Studio.

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for your help! I'll try this command.

[Anonymous]

The name of the command is FACETRES but it works awesome! Thank you very much for your help!!! I ruined so long about this problem!
One more question: can I set this value to 10 as default? If its possible i dont need set this at all of my draws one by one.
Thank you one more time I am so glad!!!

[JDMather]

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@Anonymous wrote:
... can I set this value to 10 as default?

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Set this in your *.dwt Template for all future work.

[grgyssf]

  that's completely incorrect there is a command in AutoCAD called FACETRES that is by default set to 0 if you set it to ten you get much smoother cylindrical and circular faces .

[grgyssf]

the advice you have been given is completely incorrect there is a command in AutoCAD called FACETRES that is by default set to 0 if you set it to ten you get much smoother cylindrical and circular faces .

[Anonymous]

Yes! You are right! The command is FACETRES and after I set its value to 10 it solved my printing issue!

[Anonymous]

Would it be possible for someone to include a smoothed cylinder here for download? Thanks in advance.

Len

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> Would it be possible for someone to include a

>> smoothed cylinder here for download?

Do you mean a dwg-file with a cylinder? Then please find attached.

If you mean something else, then please give us more details to what you need.

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your most prompt reply.

Sorry, meant to specify an stl file. Then I should be able to scale it.

Thanks!

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> Then I should be able to scale it.

No, that is not the real solution as the STL is already a triangulated file format, scaling means then you scale the triangles, the segmentation can't be modified.

So if you want to get a cylinder, which size do you need?

However, if you have a software that can scale cylinders, then you can also create cylinders, can't you?

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

Hi Alfred and thanks again for getting back to me and for the excellent
information.
Please excuse my ignorance as I am very new to 3D printing\modeling and I am
as old as dirt :).
I had a hunch about there being more to scaling than just resizing but I
didn't know for sure so I thought I would mention it. I am glad I did. Now I
understand scaling/triangles/ segmentation and the need to have a tool that
can properly scale cylinders and other objects.
I have been using only Tinkercad for modeling so my experience is very
limited. It has a Shape Generator feature that I played with for a few
minutes just this AM but was unsuccessful which prompted me to do a search
that landed me here. At present I do not need a particular sized cylinder -
I went with what I had and have 4 hours remaining of a 26 hour print. I
just wanted to have access to smooth shapes when I need them.
I believe I will go back to Tinkercad and see if I can make my own cylinder
shape generator. Perhaps it will be less painful than obtaining/learning a
new piece of software. I have a feeling that using multiple pieces of
software is where this is headed so if you happen to know of a good tool for
scaling that is not too complex please let me know.
Thanks again for your assistance Alfred - it is very much appreciated.
Len
.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

before starting to learn ThinkerCad ... look at Fusion 360, much more functionality for technical as well as creative design, and free for private use (>>>click<<<).

(and it can export STL in different quality levels)

- alfred -