stla_to_tri_surface_fast

stla_to_tri_surface_fast, a MATLAB code which is a "fast" version of STLA_TO_TRI_SURFACE.

STLA_TO_TRI_SURFACE_FAST reads data from an ASCII STLA file describing a triangular mesh of a 3D surface, and converts it to a pair of arrays describing a triangular mesh or TRI_SURFACE.

An ASCII STL file contains a description of the surface of a solid that has been decomposed into triangles. The vertices of the triangles should be listed in counterclockwise order, as viewed from outside the surface. A normal vector for the triangle may also be listed.

A TRI_SURFACE or triangulated mesh surface, is described by a pair of arrays:

• a node coordinate array containing the coordinates of nodes;
• a triangle node array containing triples of the indices of the nodes used to form each triangle;

Licensing:

The computer code and data files described and made available on this web page are distributed under the MIT license

Languages:

stla_to_tri_surface_fast is available in a MATLAB version.

Related Data and Programs:

obj_to_tri_surface, a MATLAB code which reads an obj file and extracts the surface mesh data as a tri_surface dataset.

stla, a data directory which contains a description and examples of ascii stl files.

stla_display, a MATLAB code which reads an ascii stl file and displays it.

stla_io, a MATLAB code which reads or writes a ply file.

stla_to_tri_surface, a MATLAB code which reads an ascii stl file and extracts the surface mesh data as a tri_surface dataset.

tri_surface, a data directory which contains examples of tri_surface files.

tri_surface_display, a MATLAB code which displays a tri_surface dataset.

tri_surface_io, a MATLAB code which reads and writes the 3d graphics information in a tri_surface file;

tri_surface_to_stla, a MATLAB code which reads a tri_surface dataset and extracts the surface mesh data as an ascii stl file.

Author:

Bill Seufzer, NASA Langley.

Reference:

1. 3D Systems, Inc,
   Stereolithography Interface Specification,
   October 1989.

Source Code:

• stla_to_tri_surface_fast.m converts STLA data to TRI_SURFACE data, using "faster" methods.

Examples and Tests:

CUBE is a cube using 12 triangular faces and 36 nodes.

• cube.stl the ASCII STL file.
• cube_nodes.txt the TRI_SURFACE nodes file.
• cube_triangles.txt the TRI_SURFACE triangles file.
• cube.png, a PNG image of the shape;

MAGNOLIA is a magnolia blossom, using 1247 triangular faces and 3741 nodes.

• magnolia.stl, the ASCII STL file;
• magnolia_nodes.txt the TRI_SURFACE nodes file.
• magnolia_triangles.txt the TRI_SURFACE triangles file.
• magnolia.png, a PNG image of the shape;