Work environments preconfigured and set up for a variety of technologies and models of AM machines available on the market
What are machine workspaces?
Machine workspaces combine many tools typically used in the workflow for those machines.
Why use them?
The tools they combine save time otherwise spent in configuration for, and the development of, the workflow itself, chiefly by providing a targeted buildfile generator with ready-to-use algorithms for converting 3D part data into the format required by the target machine.
They are therefore an alternative to the other tools in Netfabb that can do the same but provide more granularity than perhaps required in your particular task.
Key points
- Machine workspaces are defined and loaded using the My Machines command.
- Besides a large range of models available on the market, generic workspaces for metal powderbed fusion and direct energy deposition are available if a machine model is not listed or you want additional freedom in configuration.
- They occupy the context view with their commands. Some machines even include shortcuts to regular Netfabb functions such as support generation or packing.
- Machine workspaces may come with
no-build zones already defined: To help with aligning and packing parts on platforms, these volumes are displayed and checked against while working within the workspace: For example, if a part intersects with such a zone, a warning is given upon attempting to generate build or simulation data.
A part intersecting with a no-build zone (in transparent red). Attempting to create toolpath information would produce a warning message.
- Some machines have a different
machine origin: Their coordinate system starts in the center of the build platform, not the front left corner. For these, such as the
Generic MPBF, the machine origin shows
where this coordinate center is located. Additionally for some machines, you can
switch the origin's position between front left corner and center.
The machine origin as it is visualized in the buildroom.