CADspan

About CADspan

CADspan is an innovative set of tools that can be used to create 3D printable files from existing, non-printable 3D CAD data. CADspan also:
-Reduces re-drawing
-Allows prototypes to be made earlier in the design process before "solid" geometries have been finished
-Facilitates 3D printing from a broader range of CAD programs including low cost, non-solid modelers
-Eases 3D printing by non-traditional markets including, but not limited to, Architecture, Art, and Animation

The most powerful and important of these tools is the CADspan resurfacer. This software can be used to resurface geometry in order to generate a new solid, single object in 3D printable STL format from various input file types (3ds, dwg, vrml, etc.) and geometries. Think of this process as "shrink-wrapping" a 3D model to create one continuous, solid mesh. All interior geometry is ignored, only the exterior surfaces and points are used to create the new resurfaced mesh.

Why use CADspan?

Before CADspan, the input for 3D printing had to be modeled using a CAD package that was capable of solid modeling. For some engineers in industrial and mechanical design, programs like Pro Engineer and Solidworks can output files that are 3D printable. However, even high end CAD programs can generate STL files that have errors. They either contain too many features that the STL standard cannot accept, or the CAD program is designed to create virtual models for digital visualization and does not take a solid modeling approach to the geometry creation. While tools to repair STL files are available (such as Materialise's Magics), the patch and repair techniques can take hours on some models.

CADspan allows good, 3D printable STL file generation from a very large spectrum of input geometries. Instead of re-creating a model in a solid modeling CAD program, the existing model can simply be resurfaced; producing a new, perfectly 3D print-ready file.

If you:
-Need a physical model that just looks like what you have on your screen
-Don’t have hours to spend worrying about solid modeling and mesh repair
-Have a complex object and just need to see what the assembly looks like
-Are an architect who is using or is interested in rapid prototyping
-Are a service bureau tired of turning away customers who send you bad data
-Own a 3D printer but find that you spend too much time getting files ready for your machine, or you can’t get them to be buildable at all

CADspan can be a great solution. Check out the Using CADspan page to get started.