STL_Process: A .STL-based preprocessor for robot path planning in manufacturing and quality control processes

• Main Authors: Abanti Shama Afroz, Francesco Inglese, Cesare Stefanini, Mario Milazzo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2021-07-01
• Series: SoftwareX
• Subjects: Computer-aided manufacturing; Trajectory planning; Feature extraction; Human–machine interface
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352711021000650
• ISSN: 2352-7110

One of the most commonly used file formats in manufacturing industry is .STL. We developed a semi-automated C++ -based preprocessor with a command line interface and an OpenGL-based visual module to extract topological features from simplified 3D volumes presented in .STL file format. The preprocessor evaluates input 3D models in five major steps: (i) edge identification, (ii) 2D regional grouping, (iii) region characterization, (iv) 3D sub-volume extraction and (v) virtual cross-section generation. It has been designed to aid online robot programming by offering an intuitive and user-friendly system to robot operators for planning additive and subtractive mechanical operations, as well as improve non-destructive quality control activities.