3. Planar slicing with vertical sorting

During the print of branching shell shapes, the layers can be sorted; - following a horizontal logic, with all paths that are on the same height being adjacent. - following a vertical logic, with all paths that are on the same branch being adjacent. The vertical sorting can enable significant reduction of the interruptions of the print and the traveling of the tool from one path to the next, as it is shown in the illustration below.

../_images/03_print_organization_planar_slicing_vertical_sorting.png — *Fabrication path using horizontal sorting (left), and vertical sorting (right). The traveling paths are shown with orange lines.*

In planar slicing, horizontal ordering of paths is the default method, while in non-planar slicing vertical ordering of paths is the default method. The example below demonstrates how planar paths can be sorted in a vertical logic. Its files can be found in the folder /examples/3_planar_vertical_sorting/. Once you have run the python file to generate the results, you can visualize them by opening the grasshopper file.

import os
import logging

import compas_slicer.utilities as utils
from compas_slicer.pre_processing import move_mesh_to_point
from compas_slicer.slicers import PlanarSlicer
from compas_slicer.post_processing import generate_brim
from compas_slicer.post_processing import simplify_paths_rdp_igl
from compas_slicer.post_processing import sort_into_vertical_layers
from compas_slicer.post_processing import reorder_vertical_layers
from compas_slicer.post_processing import seams_smooth
from compas_slicer.print_organization import PlanarPrintOrganizer
from compas_slicer.print_organization import set_extruder_toggle
from compas_slicer.print_organization import add_safety_printpoints
from compas_slicer.print_organization import set_linear_velocity_constant
from compas_slicer.print_organization import set_blend_radius
from compas_slicer.utilities import save_to_json
from compas.datastructures import Mesh
from compas.geometry import Point

# ==============================================================================
# Logging
# ==============================================================================
logger = logging.getLogger('logger')
logging.basicConfig(format='%(levelname)s-%(message)s', level=logging.INFO)

# ==============================================================================
# Select location of data folder and specify model to slice
# ==============================================================================
DATA = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'data')
OUTPUT_DIR = utils.get_output_directory(DATA)  # creates 'output' folder if it doesn't already exist
MODEL = 'distorted_v_closed_mid_res.obj'


def main():
    compas_mesh = Mesh.from_obj(os.path.join(DATA, MODEL))
    move_mesh_to_point(compas_mesh, Point(0, 0, 0))

    # Slicing
    slicer = PlanarSlicer(compas_mesh, slicer_type="cgal", layer_height=5.0)
    slicer.slice_model()

    # Sorting into vertical layers and reordering
    sort_into_vertical_layers(slicer, max_paths_per_layer=25)
    reorder_vertical_layers(slicer, align_with="x_axis")

    # Post-processing
    generate_brim(slicer, layer_width=3.0, number_of_brim_offsets=5)
    simplify_paths_rdp_igl(slicer, threshold=0.7)
    seams_smooth(slicer, smooth_distance=10)
    slicer.printout_info()
    save_to_json(slicer.to_data(), OUTPUT_DIR, 'slicer_data.json')

    # PlanarPrintOrganization
    print_organizer = PlanarPrintOrganizer(slicer)
    print_organizer.create_printpoints()

    set_extruder_toggle(print_organizer, slicer)
    add_safety_printpoints(print_organizer, z_hop=10.0)
    set_linear_velocity_constant(print_organizer, v=25.0)
    set_blend_radius(print_organizer, d_fillet=10.0)

    print_organizer.printout_info()

    printpoints_data = print_organizer.output_printpoints_dict()
    utils.save_to_json(printpoints_data, OUTPUT_DIR, 'out_printpoints.json')


if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

3. Planar slicing with vertical sorting

COMPAS