LIMITSTATE:FIX V2.0 LAUNCHED

Engineering software business LimitState released a new version of LimitState:FIX, a software application which automatically fixes 3D model STL files and prepares them for optimized 3D printing.

It incorporates the Polygonica technology from engineering software firm MachineWorks and its goal is to help boost the productivity of professionals in additive manufacturing.

Everyone who is involved with 3D printing knows that the experience of 3D models failing to print can be one of the most frustrating issues for engineers and designers across the board. Whether you are working on product prototypes and parts for aerospace, automotive, engineering and jewelry, flawed STL files can waste significant amounts of time.

LIMIT:FIX v2.0 has a lot of new enhancements and bug fixes:

● The software now uses the new version 1.2 of the Polygonica engine to do its work, which means that LimitState:FIX has enhanced automated healing of complex meshes.

● For closing solids, users now have an array of techniques to choose from: If the original fan closing technique doesn't yield the right result, then the user can choose 'planar', 'minimum area' and 'smooth' closing techniques.

● LimitState:FIX now uses four decimal place precision when outputting STL files by default. This gives it a boost in compatibility with other additive manufacturing software, such as Netfabb and Magics.

● 'Enhanced Noise Shell' purging in the Auto Fix process means that the software now only removes very small objects by default. Users can also set the threshold for removing noise shells manually, just like in the previous version.

Produced and printed by the Mercury Centre for an aerospace client it is a lattice design made from advanced materials with special properties. Specifically it is an “auxetic” material - which means that it gets fatter rather than thinner when stretched. This makes it both very low-mass, and able to absorb enormous force, so auxetic materials are very useful in aerospace, automobiles, defence and many other fields.

LimitState:FIX still has the ‘one click’ automatic fix solution for 3D STL files, as well as sophisticated manual fixing processes. After analyzation, the software repairs holes in solids and fixes defective mesh files. It also "closes solids, fixes polygon orientation, removes self-intersections and noise shells, and ensures the geometry is manifold."

This is a prototype chassis component which uses advanced design and materials to reduce weight and would typically be used for motor-sports applications. The weight-reducing design would be very difficult to produce with traditional manufacturing methods.

During testing with customers, LimitState:FIX performed much better than other tools for difficult and complex 3D models. Instead of reporting that issues have been fixed in an STL file while errors actually remain that prevent full printing, LimitState:FIX will address and fix these same issues.

I attended 3D Print Week New York, and Polygonica was there talking about LimitState:FIX this past week.

Polygonica and LimitState: FIX is also on display at the Additive Manufacturing Users Group at the Hyatt Regency, Jacksonville today. If you get a chance, walk over and speak to Dr. David Knight who will be happy to discuss the latest about both Polygonica and LimitState: FIX.