Can I use a modifier to 'drill' a hole in a model.  

RE: Can I use a modifier to 'drill' a hole in a model.

Hello,

one simple way would maybe meshmixer:

RE: Can I use a modifier to 'drill' a hole in a model.

Thats first class.. Played with MeshMixer a few times and never did anything meaningful with it.. But thats exactly what I want to achieve so will play a bit more.

I have installed a few apps that support STL editing and the files I am trying to edit open in a matter of seconds and look perfect.. Where as in Sketchup they take upwards of an hour and are full of holes.. I want to explore whether there are any better ways to open the files in Sketchup so I can edit them using a tool I am farily familiar with. Or whether there is a way ot convert them to a more "friendly" format.

But using MeshMixer looks like I can DO exactly what I want.. And if I can do this, I am sure there are other functions that I have overlooked too..

So cheers for the tip

jon

RE: Can I use a modifier to 'drill' a hole in a model.

Using the Part workbench in Freecad, it's possible to 'drill' a hole in any solid piece by creating and positioning a cylinder and then doing a 'cut' operation between them.

RE: Can I use a modifier to 'drill' a hole in a model.

I use Fusion 360 for most of my work. 

This would be fairly easy task. 

RE: Can I use a modifier to 'drill' a hole in a model.

Posted by: @david-m84

I use Fusion 360 for most of my work. 

This would be fairly easy task. 

I have no doubt.. If I had my time again I would learn Fusion... But I backed the wrong horse and learned Sketchup and have regretted it since.

For what I use it for, SU is fine.. But I think Fusion would have been a better choice.. I have tried to migrate over, but every time I want to do something, I keep going back to SU as I am familiar with it.

RE: Can I use a modifier to 'drill' a hole in a model.

This is post is still the first hit for making holes in Prusa Slicer... You can drill holes using Prusa Slicer 2.6+. Right click object, add negative volume, adjust object as needed and slice. Job done!

RE: Can I use a modifier to 'drill' a hole in a model.

Super awesome and super easy inside the Prusa Slicer. Is there a way to save the STL file with the negative volume so I can share the modified version with others?

File > Export ... and there are STL options in the list.

But it's a bit trivial as a remix, perhaps comment the original instead.

Cheerio,

RE: Can I use a modifier to 'drill' a hole in a model.

Not posting as a remix, but instead just needed to add as a quick modification to a particular model to make it work properly as a game piece and wanted to post all the pieces in final form so no one would need to modify them further (not for Printables or another site that offers remixes).  When I export the GCode it's fine, but when I export the STL it doesn't save it with the negative space.

Posted by: @diem

File > Export ... and there are STL options in the list.

But it's a bit trivial as a remix, perhaps comment the original instead.

Cheerio,

RE: Can I use a modifier to 'drill' a hole in a model.

That's because at the moment modifiers only effect the slice, they do not change the underlying geometry.  A negative modifier is telling the slicer at slice time not to put filament in that area.  

If you want it as part of the actual model then you will have to use a CAD program.  It's trivial to do in a lot of software and if you intend to carry on with 3d printing then its well worth the effort to learn at least one cad package.  

There's been feature requests to make the negative modifier export when you export as stl, I think they may have added it to the 2.6 beta /rc1 but it doesn't always work.  Mainly cause doing a Boolean subtraction can be quite tricky depending on the geometry involved.  I just stick to doing it in Blender as it only takes seconds and positioning things is way way easier.

RE: Can I use a modifier to 'drill' a hole in a model.

It would be incredibly useful and time saving to be able to use a negative volume to cut.

I get the philosophy of just going to CAD to make changes, but in my case I am still learning CAD, which requires an understanding of navigating a CAD program to make modifying parts quick and simple. The programs I've tried don't immediately make sense to me because I am used to non CAD 3d programs, such as Unreal Engine, where everything sort of just makes sense to me. I will learn CAD eventually, but even after learning it, it doesn't seem like it would always be worth it to go back and forth for very simple, quick mods such as widening M3s to M4s, cutting a hole to save filament or to add a cutout shape for personal taste, or even for splitting designs and being able to add a hole on one side and a peg on the other to make putting them back together properly aligned much easier, etc. But then also being able to export that to either save progress or upload a remix.

This would also make remixing or just personal changes much more accessible to people that can't or simply don't want to take the time to learn CAD. I can't help but think there are some genius designs or modifications out there in people's minds but they are blocked because CAD isn't conducive to the way they work.

Would it be hard to add just a simple "Subtract Negative Volume", "Cut Negative Volume", or something of that sort? It seems like a feature that would help, at the very least, get people interested and dip their toes in CAD, and more practically, to make quick changes before a slice.

RE: Can I use a modifier to 'drill' a hole in a model.

 Negative volumes are available in prusa slicer 2.7.1, already,   Right click model  in 3D  editor menu, and select option

as are alignment pegs and joiners, in the cut menu

regards Joan

RE: Can I use a modifier to 'drill' a hole in a model.

Hey Joan, I appreciate the info. Unfortunately those are two ways that avoid what I am talking about. I am suggesting that bridging the gap between those two and allowing a little more freedom as a result. Right now, cut, negative volume, and connectors are so far apart from each other for being so closely related to each other. 

 For example, with adding an SVG instead of a shape, you have the context menu to be able to cut out the SVG's shape into another object. That's fantastic, that is exactly what I want to do... but with More than just SVGs. If I can cut out an SVG shape such as a logo, how come I am not allowed to cut out a basic shape like a cube or a cylinder?

RE: Can I use a modifier to 'drill' a hole in a model.

I don't understand? 

Negative Volumes

this Model is a large cube with a sphere, a cylinder and a cube, cut out with negative volumes

Joan

RE: Can I use a modifier to 'drill' a hole in a model.

He means he wants to use custom object as negative volume from another object, not just sphere, cylinder and boxes.

RE: Can I use a modifier to 'drill' a hole in a model.

I guess Joan's example wasn't specific enough but that is already a thing. You just select "Load ..." and pick your stl/3mf/etc that you want to use as the negative.

RE:

Sorry, no, I mean pre-slice. This is exactly what I want to be able to do: Add Negative Volume -> Right Click Negative Volume -> Cut Negative Volume = Negative Volume Shape is Subtracted from the original object it was used with, allowing me to export the resulting shape as an STL. <-All of this Pre-Slice.