Conversion of stereolithographic model into logical subcomponents

A system comprising:

• a storage;
• and
• a processor operatively coupled to the storage, the processor execute instructions stored in the storage that when executed cause the processor to carry out a process comprising:
• receiving facet data representing a stereolithographic model, the facet data including a plurality of visible facets each representing a visible surface of the stereolithographic model;
• associating at least one of the visible facets with a component of the stereolithographic model;
• reordering a portion of the facet data each of the visible facets associated with the component is listed sequentially;
• assigning a unique identification value to the component;
• delimiting the reordered portion of the facet data with at least one of a beginning facet and an ending facet containing the unique identification value, the beginning facet and the ending facet each representing an invisible surface of the stereolithographic model, wherein the visible surface includes facets that are to be rendered or printed, and wherein the invisible surface excludes facets that are to be rendered or printed;
• and
• generating reference table data representing a mapping between the unique identification value and custom data associated with the component, wherein the custom data includes a method, operation or transformation that can be applied to a component of the stereolithographic model.

A non-transient computer program product having instructions encoded thereon that when executed by one or more processors cause a process to be carried out, the process comprising:

• receiving facet data representing a stereolithographic model, the facet data including a plurality of visible facets each representing a visible surface of the stereolithographic model;
• associating at least one of the visible facets with a component of the stereolithographic model;
• reordering a portion of the facet data such that each of the visible facets associated with the component is listed sequentially;
• assigning a unique identification value to the component;
• delimiting the reordered portion of the facet data with at least one of a beginning facet and an ending facet containing the unique identification value, the beginning facet and the ending facet each representing an invisible surface of the stereolithographic model, wherein the visible surface includes facets that are to be rendered or printed, and wherein the invisible surface excludes facets that are to be rendered or printed;
• and
• generating reference table data representing a mapping between the unique identification value and custom data associated with the component, wherein the custom data includes a method, operation or transformation that can be applied to a component of the stereolithographic model.