A way towards real CAD format (no triangles)
Currently in blender, model manufacturing works nice for 3D printers but the more advanced CAM machines dont understand triangles they require Step files (and not triangle some mesh model. The common thought is that blender doesn't draw description like as the step format does.
However, when we draw using modifiers (hard surface modeling) essentially those steps are descriptive. There might be a need to add some additional modifiers raise (and rotate) surface on z axis. A new bevel option that would segementate on zoom level and would save the r distance on the model, (in the background this could be drawn by the existing bevel option for display, where the segmentation could be camera distance depending.
Generating a STEP would then be going trough the modifier list and writing each modifier handling down as a step action (as in en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_10303-21 ).
6 Comments
I don't think Blender should ever be this much like CAD- it'd be far better to improve LibreCAD or the other FLOSS CAD softwares. Then, each software could specialize in its role. My two cents.
You might want to investigate some of the Add Ons that are available to fulfil this function,
* @ammusionist * Let me know if there is an addon who can do this.
* @peter.boos * You want me to do all the work for you???? Click the link I put in my reply.
What you're really asking for,then, are parametric object primitives, similar to solid modeling primitives. This would be a whole new subsystem within Blender. It's not merely a matter of "modifiers without triangles"... most of the modifiers work directly on mesh geometry and each would have to be re-written to support solid parametric objects.
Not saying it couldn't be done. Just that it's a lot of work that would need a dedicated developer to maintain even after it's written.
* @Jason van Gumster * As a start I think of it as a new object kind (like metaballs) if the modifiers knows it working on a parametric cube, it logs step actions (while the main drawing of it all could be standard cube).
It is indeed some work, but google summer of code, could start it. It would bring Blender to other areas and wider industry usage, ea Engineers Architects Designers, besides game developers.