Introducing the Eden 3-D Printing System
3–4
DOC-00500 Rev. F
STL Files
STL
is
short
for
Standard
Triangulation
Language
.
This
language
views
any
object
as
a
collection
of
surfaces,
and
describes
each
surface
of
the
object
as
a
collection
of
triangles.
For
example,
a
square
can
be
described
as
two
triangles;
a
cube
(six
squares)
as
12
triangles.
Curved
surfaces
need
more
triangles
to
describe
them.
The
higher
the
tolerance
(for
smooth
surfaces),
the
more
triangles
are
needed.
The
result
is
that
high
‐
quality
object
descriptions
mean
very
heavy
files.
Most
CAD
software
can
export
STL
files.
The
Eden
system
utilizes
these
files
for
building
models
(rapid
prototyping),
and
also
for
directly
making
molds
for
mass
‐
producing
items.
STL
files
are
ASCII
(text)
files.
The
content
of
each
file
begins
with
“solid”
and
ends
with
“end
‐
solid”
(both
lower
case).
Between
these
keywords
is
a
list
of
the
triangles
that
describes
the
faces
of
the
solid
model.
Each
triangle
defines
a
single
normal
vector
directed
away
from
the
solid’s
surface,
followed
by
its
X
‐
Y
‐
Z
coordinates.
These
are
expressed
as
Cartesian
coordinates
and
are
floating
‐
point
values.
The
coordinates
of
all
triangles
should
be
positive
and
should
fall
within
the
volume
of
the
model.
SLC Files
SLC
is
short
for
Stereo
‐
Lithography
Contour
.
SLC
files
describe
two
‐
dimensional
contours
of
the
three
‐
dimensional
models.
These
contour
lines
are
polylines.
SLC
files
are
ASCII
(text)
files
that
save
models
as
a
series
of
slices.
This
means
that
models
based
on
SLC
files
cannot
be
orientated;
only
their
scale
(size)
and
position
on
the
build
tray
can
be
controlled.
For
this
reason,
the
model’s
orientation
must
be
suitable
for
production
before
it
is
saved
as
an
SLC
file.
Because
of
the
nature
of
SLC
files,
the
appearance
of
models
in
Objet
Studio
may
be
different
than
the
solid
‐
object
images
displayed
from
STL
files.
Printing Materials
Materials
used
for
printing
models
with
Eden
printers
are
made
of
resins,
which
are
composed
of
reactive
monomers
and
oligomers.
Care
must
be
taken
when
storing
and
handling
them,
both
to
protect
operators
and
the
environment,
and
to
ensure
their
effectiveness.
Signs
of
premature
polymerization
in
material
cartridges
may
include
bulging,
leaking,
the
emission
of
heat,
and
unusual
odor.
Exposure
to
heat
can
cause
resin
to
gel
in
the
cartridge.
To
prevent
this,
observe
the
following
guidelines
when
handling
and
storing
Eden
modeling
and
support
materials.
