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How to export to STL

35 REPLIES 35
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Message 1 of 36
dthomasson
64442 Views, 35 Replies

How to export to STL

Is it possible to export a body or component to STL?

35 REPLIES 35
Message 2 of 36
big_red_frog
in reply to: dthomasson

+1 on that question.

 

Managed a basic edit on an existing .dwg that I managed to import into a project.

 

Took a while as the behaviour of extrusion is different in sculpt to model, and I hadnt noticed I was in sculpt.

 

Next step, export to STL and check orientation ( which I believe is different in 360 than the same model in inventor fusion ) and realise I have no idea where the stl export option is...

Message 3 of 36
big_red_frog
in reply to: big_red_frog

OK, found it, to the right of the Fusion 360 banner, where it lists the hierachy of Project > Project Name > Filename | Design, when you are in the object editor, there is a small drop down arrow.

 

Click on this, and there is an export option, which has an .stl option for the file name on export.

 

What I havent worked out yet, is how to lock down which objects get exported, in my simple test, I got the lid of the box which was hidden, instead of the base of the box I was expecting.

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Message 4 of 36
big_red_frog
in reply to: big_red_frog

OK, will need help with this one.

 

I have moved the elements of the part I wanted into its own component and made it the active component, but whatever I do, when I go export as .stl, I just get the lid of my box ( which is a hidden component ), and not the body of the box.

 

How do you specificy which elements will be exported into an .stl file?

Message 5 of 36
dthomasson
in reply to: big_red_frog

Thanks for finding the Export feature.

The only way I can find to export a single component is to right-click > Save Copy As, then export from that model.

Not sure why part of your model isn't exporting though.

Message 6 of 36
big_red_frog
in reply to: dthomasson

Tried another project from scratch, all modelled within fusion 360.

 

I have multiple components, and only want to export those parts I want printed, not the parts that are modelled to aid design, and I get the wrong and consistantly same component exported, no matter how I seem to select.

 

Will try the trick of creating a new seperate file, but would really want to understand how to constrain what gets exported.

 

Thanks.

Message 7 of 36
garin
in reply to: big_red_frog

With the current build you will need to export as a new design to get a specific component to export as an STL. We are working on adding just what you described by selecting a component and exporting that specific component. We should have this available in our next update of Fusion 360. 

Message 8 of 36
big_red_frog
in reply to: garin

I managed to get some export working, by saving out the components, but the issue remains, that even with an exported component, that I cannot predict which parts of that component get exported, so in last nights efforts, I could not get a complete part exported in .stl, at least for the one case, I had one complex part exported and printed fine, but the other was not exported with all the parts.

 

I look forward to rework in this area, its desperately needed. Hoping that multiple selections of components would export them all at the time.

 

Meanwhile, I will continue to explore the workflow work arounds.

Message 9 of 36
deyop
in reply to: big_red_frog

We are working on STL export improvement currently and they should be available with the next update. Currently you will not get an STL export if the body is a TSpline. It needs to be a solid body. The update we are working on would provide a preview of the selected component content to determine if the tessellation is satisfactory and if not provides common options to improve. There is also an option that would allow you to export the entire content of the component as a single STL or to create a seperate STL for each solid body in the component. From what you have described though it sounds like you would prefer to export each solid body separately?
Message 10 of 36
big_red_frog
in reply to: deyop

Rather than exporting each element seperately, I just want to be confident that I can reliably select 1 or more components and export them predictably.

 

Having to fight with the tool to get the export I want right now, even if I break out and do a save as new component and then export from there, I am not getting any predictability or any form of WYSIWYG.

 

So a workflow where whatever I have selected compoundly with shift key depressed, or as another method, all solids that are visible, rather than hidden, are exported in the save as .stl

Message 11 of 36
deyop
in reply to: big_red_frog

Here is what we are working on for Save as STL.

 

SaveAsSTL.png

Message 12 of 36
big_red_frog
in reply to: deyop

Looks promising.

 

I have tried to further isolate my experience.

 

I have a simple solid with a half sphere and a ring below it.

 

I am pretty sure it is all solid, and these two parts are "Body1" and "Body2" in the subfolder of bodies in the main tree, but on exporting to .stl, I only get the ring component.

 

I would attach the .dwg here, but cannot work out how to specifically save the .dwg locally yet, its stuck in the cloud right now 😞

Message 13 of 36
big_red_frog
in reply to: big_red_frog

 tried creating components from bodies, but now when I export, I just get the dome and not the ring, still exploring...

Message 14 of 36
big_red_frog
in reply to: big_red_frog

did a join between the two parts, and then the export to stl has the full component.

 

I am pretty sure this is a kludge, but at least I have a way forward...

Message 15 of 36
schneik-adsk
in reply to: big_red_frog

you can export a design archive to post. see bellow...

 

ssp_temp_capture copy.png

Kevin Schneider
Message 16 of 36
big_red_frog
in reply to: schneik-adsk

I see that exports as a .f3d file, which will support the needs on this forum, but how do I export as a .dwg for compatibility with other workflows?

Message 17 of 36
mpreto
in reply to: deyop

Hi Kevin, I´m new to Fusion, and cant manage to find the drop down menu you showed us in your post. Can you pls advise?

 

Marcos

Message 18 of 36
garin
in reply to: mpreto

We made changes to the access point due to a change in the dashboard. If you select the three bars on the left side you will see various options. One of the options is to Export Archive. 

 

Screen Shot 2013-09-23 at 3.25.50 PM.png

Message 19 of 36
mknickles
in reply to: garin

Obviously Fusion360 has changed a great deal since this thread was started but I still don't see how to export multiple COMPONENTS to a single STL file.

 

I've arranged 4-5 different components into one design (a subset of many other components on the screen) and assumed I could select them and right-click then export as STL.  Not an option.  I tried creating a SELECTION SET but this doesn't have a right-click, export option either...    So, I tried creating a "RIGID GROUP" but when I do this it "explodes" my components back into the disorganzied mess they were before I used MOVE, POINT-TO-POINT, SNAP-TO to put them where I wanted them...

 

How do I group a set of components so I can export them as a single STL?

Message 20 of 36
baudot
in reply to: mknickles

Note on the current state of where to find Save as Stl:

Right-click the project name in the browser.

SaveAsStl.jpg

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