Generation of Computational Surface Meshes
of STL Models
Daniel Rypl, Zdeněk Bittnar
Department of Structural Mechanics
Faculty of Civil Engineering
Czech Technical University in Prague
Thákurova 7, 166 29 Prague, Czech Republic
Abstract:
The stereolithography (STL) file format, developed for rapid
prototyping industry, became an attractive alternative for
surface representation in solid modeling. In this paper, an
algorithm for the surface discretization of 3D models in STL
format is presented. Initially, a boundary representation is reconstructed
from the STL file format using feature recognition. Then a smooth
surface is recovered over the original STL grid by adopting the
interpolating subdivision procedure. And finally, the recovered
surface is subjected to the triangulation accomplished using the
advancing front technique operating directly on the surface.