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35 contour of external surfaces, and connect internal structures with diferent external surfaces. AM machine vendors, such as Stratasys, also have software. The company's fused deposition modeling machines can build parts that have a self-sup- porting angle (an angle 45° or less from vertical) without support material; that is, the machine can build the letter "Y" but not the letter "T" without support material. Eliminating supports reduces the waste and associated costs of the thermoplastic material used to make the part (actually, the supports), as well as reduces build and fnishing times. After a few failed parts, designers soon recognize when to include sup- ports in their part designs. Stratasys is working with CAD companies in developing modules that analyze support requirements automatically, and propose a support structure if necessary. (Already, Stratasys's Insight pre-processing software lets designers create honeycomb-like cores that help manage the stifness-to-weight ratio of a part.) SpaceClaim from SpaceClaim Corp. ( spaceclaim.com ) is a CAD system that's very AM-aware. For starters, it can import STL fles (as well as other meshed geometry fles) and keep those fles as boundary representations (B-rep; solids). This lets users do whatever they want to the model, explains Frank DeSimone, SpaceClaim's vice president of software development, such as cut cross- sections, make measurements, and create curves. SpaceClaim ofers its STL Prep for 3D Printing module, an add-on that lets users apply basic mesh Booleans, clean up mesh bodies, create mesh bodies from solids, create ofset shells of user-specifed thickness, and repair inverted normals, intersecting facets, and other problems that cause AM failures. The module also handles build optimizations, such as shelling, which alone leads to less material usage, and therefore lower printing p By working with STL fles directly without the originating CAD system, such as to clean meshes in preparation for additive manufacturing, SpaceClaim can shorten the design-and-build cycle considerably. p SpaceClaim's STL Prep for 3D Printing module lets users work directly with STL and solids models, merging them as required, as shown here. by Lawrence S. Gould > Contributing Editor and shipping costs, and often faster print times. The module also lets users work directly with both STL and solids, so, for example, a user can merge an STL with an STL or a solid. "These are all important things preparing your geometry for actual printing," concludes DeSimone. Doing so shortens the design-and-build cycle by letting designers manipulate the STL fles directly without having to go back to the originating CAD system. 0614ADP FEATURE CAD Additive.indd 35 5/21/2014 12:50:08 PM