GridBlockSupportGenerator

class pyslm.support.GridBlockSupportGenerator

Bases: BlockSupportGenerator

The GridBlockSupportGenerator class provides common methods used for generating the ‘support’ structures typically used in Metal Additive Manufacturing for block polygon regions. A truss structure is generated that provides more efficient scanning of supports of exposure based processes, by minimising exposure jumps.

Attributes Summary

`gridSpacing`	The spacing of the grid truss structure within the block support
`mergeMesh`	Determines if the support truss geometry should be merged together into a connected unified mesh
`supportBorderDistance`	The offset used when generating a border or support skin for each truss slice in the support block.
`supportTeethBaseInterval`	The gap between the base of the tooth.
`supportTeethBottomLength`	The bottom span or length of the perforated support teeth
`supportTeethHeight`	The height of the perforated support teeth
`supportTeethTopLength`	The upper span or length of the perforated support teeth
`supportTeethUpperPenetration`	Vertical (\(+Z\)) penetration of the support teeth into the intersecting mesh
`supportWallThickness`
`trussAngle`	The angle (degrees) used for generating the truss structures used in the support structure
`trussWidth`	The width of a strut in the truss grid
`useLowerSupportTeeth`
`useSupportBorder`	Generates a border around each truss grid
`useSupportSkin`	Generates a truss support skin around the extruded boundary of the support
`useUpperSupportTeeth`

Methods Summary

identifySupportRegions(part, overhangAngle)

Extracts the overhang mesh and generates block regions given a part and target overhang angle.

Attributes Documentation

gridSpacing: The spacing of the grid truss structure within the block support

mergeMesh: Determines if the support truss geometry should be merged together into a connected unified mesh

supportBorderDistance: The offset used when generating a border or support skin for each truss slice in the support block.

supportTeethBaseInterval: The gap between the base of the tooth.

supportTeethBottomLength: The bottom span or length of the perforated support teeth

supportTeethHeight: The height of the perforated support teeth

supportTeethTopLength: The upper span or length of the perforated support teeth

supportTeethUpperPenetration: Vertical (\(+Z\)) penetration of the support teeth into the intersecting mesh

supportWallThickness

trussAngle: The angle (degrees) used for generating the truss structures used in the support structure

trussWidth: The width of a strut in the truss grid

useLowerSupportTeeth

useSupportBorder: Generates a border around each truss grid

useSupportSkin: Generates a truss support skin around the extruded boundary of the support

useUpperSupportTeeth

Methods Documentation

identifySupportRegions(part, overhangAngle, findSelfIntersectingSupport=True)

Extracts the overhang mesh and generates block regions given a part and target overhang angle. The algorithm uses a combination of boolean operations and ray intersection/projection to discriminate support regions. If findSelfIntersectingSupport is to set True (default), the algorithm will process and separate overhang regions that by downward projection self-intersect with the part. This provides more refined behavior than simply projected support material downwards into larger support block regions and separates an overhang surface between intersecting and non-intersecting regions.

Parameters:

part (Part) – Part for generating support structures for
overhangAngle (float) – Overhang angle (degrees)
findSelfIntersectingSupport (Optional[bool]) – Generates supports that intersect with the part

Return type:

List[GridBlockSupport]

Returns:

A list of BlockSupports