Slicing of CAD models in ETL format

Abstract

Purpose

ETL format is a newly proposed CAD format, which is both simple enough that CAD models in this format can be easily sliced, and capable of describing solids with arbitrarily complex surface details. This paper aims to provide a method for slicing CAD models in ETL format.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed slicing method is based on a method for slicing CAD models in colour STL format. Affine mapping method is used to calculate the colour of the intersection polygon of a voxel in the slicing result volume dataset, and a triangular facet that constitutes the geometry of the described object, when the facet has texture mapping definition.

Findings

The proposed slicing method is simple and robust. Implementations have demonstrated its feasibility.

Originality/value

The proposed slicing method is meaningful to preparing data for the rapid formation of models with complex surface details, including colour and textures.

Citation

Wang, D. and Leng, H. (2007), "Slicing of CAD models in ETL format", Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 13 No. 1, pp. 53-57. https://doi.org/10.1108/13552540710719226