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Converting STL file to solid?

26 REPLIES 26
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Message 1 of 27
BLHDrafting
12100 Views, 26 Replies

Converting STL file to solid?

A customer has supplied me an STL file. It opens in Inventor but I can't measure it or place it into an IDW to dimension it. Anybody know how to fix fix this?

 

8-04-2013 1-03-42 PM.png

Brendan Henderson

Web www.blhdrafting.com.au
Twitter @BLHDrafting

Windows 7 x64 -64 GB Ram, Intel Xeon E5-1620 @ 3.6 GHz
ATI FirePro V7800 2 GB, 180 GB SSD & 1 TB HDD, Inv R2016 PDSU SP1 (Build 210), Vault 2016 Professional Update 1 (Build 21.1.4.0)
26 REPLIES 26
Message 2 of 27
blair
in reply to: BLHDrafting

It appears to only be a mesh item. Can you post the part.


Inventor 2020, In-Cad, Simulation Mechanical

Just insert the picture rather than attaching it as a file
Did you find this reply helpful ? If so please use the Accept as Solution or Kudos button below.
Delta Tau Chi ΔΤΧ

Message 3 of 27
BLHDrafting
in reply to: blair

Thanks Blair. Here is the STL file. I had to zip it as the Forum complains about incorrect file extensions. Really?

Brendan Henderson

Web www.blhdrafting.com.au
Twitter @BLHDrafting

Windows 7 x64 -64 GB Ram, Intel Xeon E5-1620 @ 3.6 GHz
ATI FirePro V7800 2 GB, 180 GB SSD & 1 TB HDD, Inv R2016 PDSU SP1 (Build 210), Vault 2016 Professional Update 1 (Build 21.1.4.0)
Message 4 of 27
JamesLovell
in reply to: BLHDrafting

Thought to try the mesh enabler from labs? not tried it myself but it sounds like it may work for you 🙂

 

'In addition to Catia files, Inventor 2013 can import mesh data from STL files and from JT files. The Mesh Enabler for 2013 adds the ability to post process the imported mesh data to convert the mesh features to Inventor Base features.'

 

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/inventor_mesh

 

 

Regards,

James Lovell
Windows 10 Professional (64-Bit)
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12 Core CPU
32GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3200MHz,QUADRO RTX 4000, 1TB CORSAIR MP600 GEN 4 PCIe NVMe
Product Design & Manufacturing Collection
Message 5 of 27
rdyson
in reply to: BLHDrafting

Here you go, assuming the STL was in mm's.

Fairly simple to remodel in Rhino using the mesh.



PDSU 2016
Message 6 of 27
blair
in reply to: BLHDrafting

You beat me to it, I guess that's what happens when one is on the west coast.


Inventor 2020, In-Cad, Simulation Mechanical

Just insert the picture rather than attaching it as a file
Did you find this reply helpful ? If so please use the Accept as Solution or Kudos button below.
Delta Tau Chi ΔΤΧ

Message 7 of 27
wilkhui
in reply to: BLHDrafting

Hi Brendan,

 

Did the mesh enabler plugin that James mentioned work for you?

 

Best,

Indy



Inderjeet Singh Wilkhu
Product Owner - ASM
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 8 of 27
BLHDrafting
in reply to: JamesLovell

Thanks James. That add-in worked although the output is ugly (lots of mesh faces). But at least I can measure it.

Brendan Henderson

Web www.blhdrafting.com.au
Twitter @BLHDrafting

Windows 7 x64 -64 GB Ram, Intel Xeon E5-1620 @ 3.6 GHz
ATI FirePro V7800 2 GB, 180 GB SSD & 1 TB HDD, Inv R2016 PDSU SP1 (Build 210), Vault 2016 Professional Update 1 (Build 21.1.4.0)
Message 9 of 27
BLHDrafting
in reply to: rdyson

Many thanks rdyson. Rhino did a better job than the Inventor mesh add-in, which also worked but created a lot of faces.

Brendan Henderson

Web www.blhdrafting.com.au
Twitter @BLHDrafting

Windows 7 x64 -64 GB Ram, Intel Xeon E5-1620 @ 3.6 GHz
ATI FirePro V7800 2 GB, 180 GB SSD & 1 TB HDD, Inv R2016 PDSU SP1 (Build 210), Vault 2016 Professional Update 1 (Build 21.1.4.0)
Message 10 of 27
BLHDrafting
in reply to: wilkhui

Yes Indy, it worked, although the output created a lot of faces. But as these don't appear on an IDW it's okay. Thanks.

 

9-04-2013 7-56-18 AM.png

Brendan Henderson

Web www.blhdrafting.com.au
Twitter @BLHDrafting

Windows 7 x64 -64 GB Ram, Intel Xeon E5-1620 @ 3.6 GHz
ATI FirePro V7800 2 GB, 180 GB SSD & 1 TB HDD, Inv R2016 PDSU SP1 (Build 210), Vault 2016 Professional Update 1 (Build 21.1.4.0)
Message 11 of 27
wilkhui
in reply to: BLHDrafting

Hi Brendan,

 

Thanks for the update - the intention of the Labs plugin is to be a technology preview so if you have any feature requests or specific feedback then I'm sure the Mesh Enabler team would be happy to hear about them!

 

The links on the right of their page provide ways to get in touch:

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/inventor_mesh

 

Best wishes,

Indy



Inderjeet Singh Wilkhu
Product Owner - ASM
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 12 of 27
JDMather
in reply to: BLHDrafting


@BLHDrafting wrote:

Yes Indy, it worked, although the output created a lot of faces.

 


I didn't try on your model, but you might be able to use Delete Face with Heal option to simplify faces (especially the planar faces.  Looks like Rhino does a much better job.

It would also be nice if Inventor recognized cylindrical faces - it doesn't look like Rhino did (try measure radius).


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Message 13 of 27
BLHDrafting
in reply to: JDMather

JD, Delete Face with Heal cleaned up the large flat faces but touching any of the curves/fillets resulted in very odd and unusable results. Thanks for your input.

Brendan Henderson

Web www.blhdrafting.com.au
Twitter @BLHDrafting

Windows 7 x64 -64 GB Ram, Intel Xeon E5-1620 @ 3.6 GHz
ATI FirePro V7800 2 GB, 180 GB SSD & 1 TB HDD, Inv R2016 PDSU SP1 (Build 210), Vault 2016 Professional Update 1 (Build 21.1.4.0)
Message 14 of 27
wilkhui
in reply to: BLHDrafting

Hi Brendan,

 

Could you clarify what you mean by odd/unusable results?

 

The nature of a mesh means that this model is made of planar faces, so if you zoom in far enough you'll find that everything is actually a straight edge.

 

Hope this helps,

Indy



Inderjeet Singh Wilkhu
Product Owner - ASM
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 15 of 27
BLHDrafting
in reply to: wilkhui

Indy, if I do the Delete Face with Heal on the outward rounded corners they turn into triangules or square (see picture). Similar with trying to turn the internal holes in rounds.

 

11-04-2013 7-06-08 AM.png

Brendan Henderson

Web www.blhdrafting.com.au
Twitter @BLHDrafting

Windows 7 x64 -64 GB Ram, Intel Xeon E5-1620 @ 3.6 GHz
ATI FirePro V7800 2 GB, 180 GB SSD & 1 TB HDD, Inv R2016 PDSU SP1 (Build 210), Vault 2016 Professional Update 1 (Build 21.1.4.0)
Message 16 of 27
wilkhui
in reply to: BLHDrafting

Hi Brendan,

 

Sorry that this doesn't meet your expectations but I'd like to clarify what I meant above by 'everything is actually a straight edge'.

 

If you take a look at the snapshot below, I've zoomed in to an area of the model that looks like it may be round but this isn't the case upon inspection - you'll notice that it is a series of planar faces and this is typical of this type of file. I don't think that Delete Face can be expected to give the 'round' result you'd like to see.

 

CARRIAGE_stl_not_round.png

 

The only method that I am aware of to make features from this kind of file is to remodel, but if anyone else knows of a way to 'convert' these shapes then please share.

 

I hope this makes sense but please feel free to follow up and I'll do my best to help.

 

Thanks,

Indy



Inderjeet Singh Wilkhu
Product Owner - ASM
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 17 of 27
BLHDrafting
in reply to: wilkhui

Thanks for the explanation Indy.

Brendan Henderson

Web www.blhdrafting.com.au
Twitter @BLHDrafting

Windows 7 x64 -64 GB Ram, Intel Xeon E5-1620 @ 3.6 GHz
ATI FirePro V7800 2 GB, 180 GB SSD & 1 TB HDD, Inv R2016 PDSU SP1 (Build 210), Vault 2016 Professional Update 1 (Build 21.1.4.0)
Message 18 of 27
nenaddj69
in reply to: wilkhui

Can you explain how to use Mesh Enabler plug-inn, please? Thx.
Message 19 of 27
wilkhui
in reply to: nenaddj69

Hi nenaddj,

Paul Munford has written a detailed guide here.

You may also find the Mesh Enabler forum useful.

Hope this helps!
Indy



Inderjeet Singh Wilkhu
Product Owner - ASM
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 20 of 27
nenaddj69
in reply to: wilkhui

Thank you for detailed instructions, but I option "convert to base feature" is not available when I right click on mesh feature. I have checked my Control Panel and Mesh Enabler is properly installed. I have checked Add-inn manager, Mesh Enabler is not there. I just don't understand what is happening. Could this mesh enabler be included in next Service Pack so we don't have to go through this hassle? Thx.

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