STL Import Conversion

[Nicolinux]

I just found out that you can drag & drop files on the project window (doh... this is not very intuitive). However I can't edit the object because conversion seems to take forever. Is this supposed to take >1hr or is there something wrong with my file?

Or is there any other format that I could add to Fusion 360 and start editing right away? All I have is the source .STL file (for now).

[le0ndre]

This is so great! I have a ton of .stl and inventor files that I would like to migrate over to Fusion as opposed to having to re-draw them in Fusion.  From what I collect this is possible so off I go to find out how!  Yippee!!!

Hope, can't have dispair without it!!

Leondre

[dekkerso]

Hello,

As a 3D printing enthousiast all files are in STL. It would be great if it was possible to assemble the imported STL files with the available joins. This would make it possible to check a (downloaded) design and make extra parts or replace the existing STL files with own parts.

I would like to assemble STL files with joints.

[martin.collberg]

I would like to be able to snap to existing vertices in the stl mesh when sketching a sketch that is going to be used for an extrude.

This could be possible already but I'm unable to find out how, anyone knows?

[colin.smith]

Hi @martin.collberg

Currently the mesh body is not recongized by the sketching tools.  I agree that this should added. 

Thanks

Colin

[PhilProcarioJr]

@martin.collberg

You can do exactly what you want as long as the file doesn't have over 10,000 faces.

Here is the process:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/design-validate-document/stl-file-import-for-sculpting-edit/td-p/5971...

[martin.collberg]

Ok, tried this just now and it works!, thanks dude. 

Somewhat non-obvious solution but I'll stick to it. What is a B-rep?

[PhilProcarioJr]

Your welcome,

This should help you understand it a little better.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_representation

Cheers

Phil

[doncorbett]

I found that you can import an STL file into Autodesk 123 Design. Convert mesh to solid. Then export 3D as SAT. Then you can open this with Fusion 360.

[rprior]

Has the STL Import capability been removed?  I can't find any reference to "Importing" a mesh anywhere in the Fusion360 menus now.

[TheCADWhisperer]

Make sure you are in the Sculpt environment.

or

create Base Feature

  Then you will see it in the Insert drop down.

[a.malcolm.stanley]

---

@doncorbett wrote:

I found that you can import an STL file into Autodesk 123 Design. Convert mesh to solid. Then export 3D as SAT. Then you can open this with Fusion 360.

---

I looked into this. 

It is true you can do this.

However, the imported artifact is in fact a triangle mesh and you can do very little with it at the present time once it is imported.

I imported a complex model in this way, it appeared in the workspace and was selectable but I could not scale it or convert it to any other format.

SAT appears to be one of many point cloud file formats; it does not appear to enable a workaround to the 'must be fewer than 10k quad faces' rule.

good find tho...

[innovatenate]

As this is such a highly viewed forum discussion, I wanted to add some references here that may be useful. 

As @jakefowler alluded to earlier in this thread, the mesh environment has arrived in Fusion 360. In the July 27, 2016 Update for Fusion 360 the new environment was released.

You may notice that in the Preview panel of Fusion 360, there is a Mesh Workspace preview.

Enabling this preview will give you access to a the Mesh environment in Fusion 360. 

Please note that this screenshot is taken while in a Direct Modeling design (no parametric timeline):

If you would like to access the Mesh environment while in a Parametric Timeline design, use the familiar Insert > Mesh command to insert a Mesh body into the design. Afterwards, you can right click on the Mesh in the Timeline and select Edit to access the Mesh Environment

One you're in this Environment, there are a bunch of tools you can use in the Modify drop down menu to edit the mesh body.

Some other cool videos involving Mesh files, Remake, and Fusion 360 that are helpful are below. I note that if you can convert a mesh to a quad OBJ file format in Autodesk Remake, you can then convert to T-Splines and then finally to B-REP geometry for some nice looking designs that you can even Mill.

Autodesk ReMake & Fusion 360 - Physical and Digital Prototyping

Autodesk Remake and Fusion360 - Improving Existing Designs

Fusion 360: STL to CNC Machining with Autodesk ReMake

I hope this helps!

[crchisholm]

I quite often edit STL files in freeCAD.  Not suggesting that you switch, but it's handy for that kind of task and pretty easy to do.

[MichaelScholtz]

I have the same feeling about it. FreeCad with STL files are so easy its seccond nature there. convert to solid and you're done.

Its the biggest disconnect between fusion360 and other cad software. because so much is around in stl and getting those into fusion360 so you can actually work with them is proving a nightmare.

Ive been trying to find a suitable export from freecad that fusion360 will bring in and recognize for CAM operations. seems like the logical workaround for now.

[x3msnake]

Does F360 already has or is planned to have a recognize features for imported STL s like in solid works?

http://www.javelin-tech.com/blog/2015/12/importing-stl-files-into-solidworks-solid-surface-model/

[bret323]

I would like to add text to the stl files I receive for printing.  Either engraved or raised, being able to add file descriptors integrated into the finished parts would be great.  For now I'm adding stick on labels after printing.

Kind regards,

Bret

[x3msnake]

What are you doing with the file, machining or 3d Printing?

take a look at this video, maybe it helps; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IE7kKxdTFY

[bret323]

The video was helpful but in my case the STL file has 80,000 facets.  Fusion 360 throws a warning, too complex, and 'aborted'.  I'm trying to take these highly faceted models, add some identifying text, then 3D print them.  One possible solution is to make the text in solid model shape then overlay the 2 STL files in Simplify 3D and print them combined.  I'll see how long this takes since my hope is to do 10 of these per day at some point.

Regards,

Bret

[x3msnake]

You probably need a Mesh Editor instead

You can lower the poly count like in this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1ZLe04X1-4

but I believe what you are trying to achieve asks for a different type of
software like 3D Studio Max, unfortunatly no fre version only trial


You can try using the free autodesk software meshmixer

Other Alternatives are
http://pixologic.com/sculptris/
http://www.wings3d.com/
https://www.blender.org/

hope this helps

Best Regards
V.