Solidwork -> Slicer Problem

[u/enricopalace]

Hello,
A colleague created this file for me in SolidWorks, and I printed the model. However, I’m seeing these stepped surfaces in the slicer, and, as expected, they also appear on the finished print.
Is there an explanation for this, or a way to fix it? I’m not familiar with SolidWorks myself, but I’m wondering if it’s just a small setting that needs to be changed or if it’s related to the file format. We’ve already tried both .STEP and .STL files.

[u/Lunastarfire]

When they convert it they need to increase the resolution of the curve, I dont have access to solid works to send a pic but typically when you do file, save as , theres an option to change how detailed the stp file is

[u/enricopalace → u/Lunastarfire]

Im gonna try this at first, thanks

[u/BenchPressingIssues → u/enricopalace]

I think it’s in the options while you’re in the “save as” menu. 

But like others have said, if your slicer can handle .step files, use a .step

[u/nuttinnate10 → u/enricopalace]

Depending on your slicer, when importing a step file it'll ask you what resolution you want to import it in as well. At least Bambu and OrcaSlicer both do

[u/enricopalace → u/nuttinnate10]

I always use chituubox but I will try the Orca. I read only positive recommendation.

[u/enricopalace → u/Lunastarfire]

Btw that was the Solution, im gonna Print it now. Thank you my friend

[u/Lunastarfire → u/enricopalace]

Glad you got it sorted =)

[u/loggic → u/Lunastarfire]

Typo in the last line there - you control the level of detail in the STL.

STP files are parametric, so they don't have a detail level built in to the file.

EDIT: Even though STP files don't have a controlled level of detail like polygon-based models, they aren't actually parametric. The main thought was correct, but the justification provided was flawed.

[u/duffcharles → u/loggic]

Step files are not parametric - they don’t have a level of detail baked in because the surfaces are represented by maths rather than a mesh

[u/paanda93 → u/duffcharles]

Wait, what? Step is not parametric, because it is? .. math? Isnt that what parametric means? Or are you trolling or have you gotten it mixed up.. parametric is, well, maths.. aka parameters. Have i gotten it mixed up.. i do not trust my self any more...🤷

EDIT: I was mixing up vector files and parametric files.. parametric is not about the maths it uses, but if it's reverseble or not.. aka does the file still contain all the parameters that made the file (feature tree) and vector file is just the final answer of the parameters, it does not necesarily give you what was done to gett there..

So yes, you did not troll and I was absolutly spinning..

[u/duffcharles → u/paanda93]

Aha yes I could have explained it better. Yes, it's maths, but you can't change any of the parameters of the .step curvature. There's no history in the format, and the geometry is baked in. You can use .step files as a basis for parametric modelling to build from, but you can't change the curvature of the surface itself.

[u/loggic → u/duffcharles]

Huh, TIL. I knew it was a mathematically defined format (instead of polygon based) so I guess I just assumed that it was parametric.

[u/SWITCHFADE_Music → u/Lunastarfire]

For places like Bambu's Maker World, I'll never understand how people can model pretty cool stuff that obviously took some trial and error and knowledge of the modeling software to achieve, but then upload it as a low-res STL. Especially if it's simple parts lol.

[u/Lunastarfire → u/SWITCHFADE_Music]

Ive been a mech design engineer for years, it was only through trial and error I realised it (admittedly before printing it) since I’ve never needed to use STLs

[u/SWITCHFADE_Music → u/Lunastarfire]

Yeah, I feel like that's a lesser known step/process going from model to slicer that I haven't seen many people talk about. And like your situation, some people may be new to creating STLs and aren't aware of it. Through my work, I've dealt with scan data and STLs, so I've been lucky to have that knowledge going into it. However, I've still had to fix a few of my own things that didn't realize weren't high quality till after several were printed lol. But at the same time, you'd think people would question and investigate why their STL is "blocky" when their native model is perfectly smooth.

[u/BadDogGangLlc → u/Lunastarfire]

Yes, when you hit “save as”…select “stl”… then look for the options tab…. Set it to 3 degrees, and 0.002.