Packer settings reference

Saves and loads presets of packer settings

Use to save the current settings as a new preset, to load or overwrite the selected, existing preset, and to delete the selected preset.

The presets are stored as SETTINGS files at %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\netfabb\PackerSettings\ in their respective subfolders.

Minimizes the gap between part bounding boxes

Minimum distance between parts; applied after finding suitable positions from the specified accuracy.

Sets the granularity of checking for available build space

Range: 0.001-1000 mm

As the size decreases, the sampling resolution of the build space increases, increasing the number of locations that are evaluated for fitting parts.

Smaller values will lead to tighter packing at greater computational cost.

Allows or disallows stacking

You may wish to disallow stacking for processes that require supports.

Parts which do not fit onto the bottom plane are moved out of the platform.

Allows for some generosity in checking available build space

Range: 9 steps

The more accuracy is favored over time spent calculating, the tighter the packing.

Starts packing with a bounding box minimization in X and Y

In previous Netfabb versions, this was always performed for any permitted part rotation interval except None.

Specifies how finely parts may be rotated around the Z axis

Range: From None to 18 divisions of a full rotation

The more steps you allow, the more variations the packer tries to get a tighter fit, and the costlier the calculation.

Sets a margin at the build space's walls at X and Y, within which parts cannot be packed.

Set an offset to the platform borders, to prevent parts from touching the machine walls and melting. The distance you should set depends on both your machine and process.

Pads the voxelized parts with 0, 1, or two layers of voxels

This bulks up parts as far as the packer is concerned, closing finer contours that become intentionally ignored.

Determines the granularity of checking for available build space.

Range: 0.5-2.5 mm

As the size decreases, the sampling resolution of the build space increases, increasing the number of locations that are evaluated for fitting parts.

Smaller values will lead to tighter packing at greater computational cost.

When selected, this moves only parts you have selected.

This can be used to fill gaps between large, manually placed parts using small parts. Works best with part grouping to allow selection of multiple, associated parts at once.

Allows for some generosity in checking available build space.

Range: 9 steps

The more accuracy is favored over time spent calculating, the tighter the packing.

Determines the granularity of checking for available build space.

Range: 1-5 mm

As the size gets smaller, the sampling resolution of the build space increases, and the higher the amount of locations that are evaluated for fitting parts.

The smaller the size, the tighter the packing can be.

Specifies how finely parts may be rotated around the Z-axis.

Range: None to 18 divisions of a full rotation

The more steps you allow, the more variations the packer tries, to get a tighter fit, and the costlier the calculation.

Enables part to be turned upside down to potentially find denser packings.

Enables the part to be tilted

A tilted part may fit better and tighter in smaller spaces. However, depending on the type of machine, this could cause unwanted side effects such as needing more or different support, as well as changed alignment of material grain against the part's geometry.

When selected, this moves only parts you have selected.

This can be used to fill gaps between large, manually placed parts using small parts. Works best with part grouping to allow selection of multiple, associated parts at once.

Prevents placing parts in positions from which they cannot later be separated.

This is highly calculation-intensive. You should keep this disabled unless you really need it. When you can already tell from your parts that no interlocking is to be expected, you will not need this option.

To prevent large apertures or gaps from having smaller parts intrude or even interlock, consider adding a simple break-away structure to fill such zones.

Enables you to set a ceiling height that is artificially lower than the actual build room.

Range: Up to full build space height

Set a limit in the z-direction (from the platform top) to ensure you have enough powder above the part to support it, and to prevent quick cooling off.

Sets a margin at the build space's walls at X and Y within which parts cannot be packed.

Set an offset to the platform borders to prevent parts from touching the machine walls and melting. The distance you should set depends on both your machine and process.

Raises the part off the platform by the set amount

Applies in addition to any setting of Limit platform height. Ensure you have enough powder below the part to support it, and to prevent quick cooling off.

Depending on your selection, packs the parts more or less densely.

Select Fast to pack faster but more loosely. Select Accurate to pack the parts as densely as possible, at the cost of greater packing duration.

Sets a lower limit for part proximity

Minimum distance between parts; tested for after finding suitable positions using the performance setting.

Respects the parts' current positions instead of completely discarding it for the packing to be performed.

With this option enabled, the packing starts or continues from the current positioning. Uncheck this option if you want to start over, and also to potentially have parts rotated again. You must close the packer and relaunch it to change your selection.

Anchors selected parts so that they are left in place.

Use this option to lock one or two important pieces in the exact position you have placed them. Locked items don't move. Other items are then packed around the locked items.

Arbitrary, Around Z Axis only, No rotation

The packer may attempt to rotate parts at the start of packing, and then pack with the new orientations. Select how you want the initial rotation to occur, if at all.

Sets a ceiling height that is artificially lower than the actual buildroom's.

Range: Up to full build space height

Set a limit in the z-direction (from the platform top) that parts may not exceed. In SLS builds, this can help with getting enough powder above the topmost parts, preventing too quick a cooling-off.

Sets a margin to the buildroom's walls in X and Y

Set an offset to the platform borders, appropriate to your machine and process, to prevent parts from touching the machine walls.

Raises the part off the platform by the set amount

Lift the part above the platform to ensure you have enough powder below the part to support it and to prevent too quick a cooling off.

Packed platform height, Packed volume fraction, Elapsed time

Tells you to what height the platform has been filled. Monte Carlo works to limit the packing height.

The packing status also tells you what volume of the platform has been filled, and how long the process took.

Animates the movement of the parts as they are packed

Watch the items move into place. Packing takes longer with this option enabled.

• Start packing
• Stop packing
• Close packer

Stop packing if you are already satisfied with the result.

Restart packing if the result is unsatisfactory and you want the packer to try again.

Close packer to continue with other actions.

Increases or decreases the physics step

When selected, this moves only parts you have selected.

This can be used to fill gaps between large, manually placed parts using small parts. Works best with part grouping to allow selection of multiple, associated parts at once.

Minimizes the gap between parts

Minimum distance between parts; tested for after finding suitable positions using the performance setting.

Arbitrary, Around Z Axis only, No rotation

The packer may attempt to rotate parts at the start of packing, and then pack with the new orientations. Select how you want the initial rotation to occur, if at all.

Sets a margin at the build space's walls at X and Y, within which parts cannot be packed.

Set an offset to the platform borders, appropriate to your machine and process, to prevent parts from touching the machine walls.

Packs parts into the XY boundaries first

Use to catch any parts that may lie at least partly outside the buildroom.

• Pack platform
• Save
• Cancel

• Starts the packer
• Saves the current settings to the currently selected preset
• Leaves the packer without doing anything