3D Print Filament Sample Generator

Samples	Samples Box (by Zahg)

We've all encountered dozens of 3D print filament samples, but most require you to either request new ones from the creator or use a specialized commercial CAD tool to adjust the parameters and change the text.

This generator, however, is built on OpenSCAD, a completely free 'programmable' CAD tool. Now, OpenSCAD can be intimidating for most users since it involves programming your CAD model. While that's usually not how I work either, for this type of sample creation, it's the perfect approach.

Prerequisites

1. Go Installed:

Ensure you have Go installed on your machine. You can download it from the official Go website. Follow the installation instructions for your operating system.

2. OpenSCAD Installed:

The application depends on OpenSCAD to generate STL files. Make sure it is installed and accessible in your system's PATH. You can download OpenSCAD from the OpenSCAD website.

• Depending on your operating system, the installation path will vary:
  • Windows: Typically C:\Program Files\OpenSCAD\openscad.exe.
  • Linux: Can be installed via your package manager (e.g., apt, yum, etc.).
  • macOS: Installed through a direct download or Homebrew (brew install openscad).

3. CSV File:

Create a CSV file with the necessary parameters. The format of the CSV file should include the columns expected by the script, typically:

BRAND,TYPE,COLOR,TEMP_HOTEND,TEMP_BED,BRAND_SIZE,TYPE_SIZE,COLOR_SIZE

Ensure this file is placed in the same directory as the Go application or provide its path as a command-line argument.

4. Directory Structure:

The Go application will create an stl directory in the same location as the CSV file to store the generated STL files.

Running the Application

1. Build the Go Application:

• Open a terminal (or command prompt) in the directory containing generator_main.go.
• Run the following command to build the application:
  • go build -o stl_generator generator_main.go
• This will create an executable named stl_generator (or stl_generator.exe on Windows).

2. Run the Application:

• Execute the application, optionally providing a path to the CSV file:

  ./stl_generator samples.csv  # On Unix/Linux/macOS
  stl_generator.exe samples.csv  # On Windows

• If no CSV file is provided, it will default to samples.csv in the same directory.

Troubleshooting

• OpenSCAD Not Found: If you see an error about OpenSCAD not being found, ensure it is correctly installed and accessible via the command line.
• CSV Format Errors: Make sure the CSV file does not contain empty lines or improperly formatted lines, as they will be skipped.
• Permissions: Ensure you have the necessary permissions to create directories and files in the specified output location.

Ackknowledgements

This was originally a fork of Markus Krause's FilamentSamples that was written in python. I forked that repp and made significant changes to it including a complete rewrite and basic unit tests. You can find that in the legacy-python directory.

I have since rewritten that completely in Golang.

This was derived this OpenSCAD model from blazerat over at printables: https://www.printables.com/de/model/356074-filament-sample-card/files

Your Support

If you like what you see, you can leave me a like and a comment here:

https://makerworld.com/en/models/16866#profileId-24328