topic Re: Modify Drawer STL in Fusion Design, Validate & Document Forum

Modify Drawer STL

3D_Ken — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 16:44:03 GMT

I have an STL file of a drawer that I need to modify to make the drawer deeper while keeping the top part unchanged. It is my understanding that the first step is to import the STL as a mesh. I have done this, but I don't know what the next step is. My only thought is converting the mesh into a body, slicing the body in two, separating the two sections and finding a way to fill in the space. Is this what I should do, or is there a better way?

STL and F3D attached.

Re: Modify Drawer STL

TrippyLighting — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 17:00:03 GMT

@3D_Ken wrote:

I have an STL file of a drawer that I need to modify ....

Bad idea!

As a beginner I would stay clear of mesh files and start going through the tutorials here to familiarize yourself with the basic functions of Fusion.

You can convert this into a solid body, and proceed as you described, but it isn't unusual for problems to occur when working with mesh files converted directly into a faceted body.

Re: Modify Drawer STL

3D_Ken — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 17:55:39 GMT

I think I know enough about Fusion to understand that this is a bad idea. What I am looking for is a direction to head in towards a good idea, or maybe just a better idea.

Re: Modify Drawer STL

TrippyLighting — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 18:13:07 GMT

"The best" idea is to model this thing from scratch with the native, parametric CAD tools in Fusion. That is also going to be a bit of work, but with teh added advantage that you'll learn how to use the tools.

The quickest solution, if it would actually work, would be to use the Prismatic conversion:

But in this case it does not convert successfully and leaves out some faces. I attempted to direct edit the mesh to correct face croups, but that only helped marginally.

That conversion is also only available for paid subscriptions.

The least favorable method is what you described. Convert directly into a faceted body. Coplanar faces can be "cleaned up" by selecting a face and hit the delete button. That will merge coplanar faces into one face. This can alter the geometry if attention isn't paid. Rounded areas will need to remain rounded.

Perhaps that is enough to allow you to modify the geometry. The attached file contains such an attempt.

Re: Modify Drawer STL

TheCADWhisperer — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 18:46:28 GMT

@3D_Ken

Are you willing to start from scratch with step-by-step instructions?

Re: Modify Drawer STL

3D_Ken — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 19:39:47 GMT

> "The best" idea is to model this thing from scratch with the native, parametric CAD tools in Fusion.

> That is also going to be a bit of work, but with the added advantage that you'll learn how to use the tools.

My best guess is that method would take me about 3 full days, and I just don't have that amount of time for this project.

> Coplanar faces can be "cleaned up" by selecting a face and hit the delete button.

>That will merge coplanar faces into one face.

This is the kind of thing I was looking for. It looks good to me.

I still don't know the best way to try to extend the depth. Any pointers would be appreciated.

Re: Modify Drawer STL

3D_Ken — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 19:51:10 GMT

@TheCADWhisperer wrote:
Are you willing to start from scratch with step-by-step instructions?

I was looking to not take up someone else's valuable time if I could muddle through on my own, but your offer seems like a really good learning experience. So, yes I'm certainly willing to start from scratch.

Re: Modify Drawer STL

TrippyLighting — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 19:56:30 GMT

@3D_Ken wrote:

@TheCADWhisperer wrote:

Are you willing to start from scratch with step-by-step instructions?

I was looking to not take up someone else's valuable time if I could muddle through on my own, but your offer seems like a really good learning experience. So, yes I'm certainly willing to start from scratch.

Uhm, really?

You just told me in the reply to my post that you don't have the time to do this 😕

Re: Modify Drawer STL

3D_Ken — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 20:35:18 GMT

@TrippyLighting wrote:
You just told me in the reply to my post that you don't have the time to do this 😕

The time was a guess based on me doing things by trial and error, and starting over a bunch of times until I got it right. It is not in my nature to ask others to spend their time if there is a way I can accomplish the task on my own. Your posts to me were very helpful and let me to believe that I could get to the end by plodding through with trial and error in less than a day. However, when @TheCADWhisperer made such a generous offer, I could not refuse, knowing that I would not be going down the wrong path over and over again.

Betreff: Modify Drawer STL

wersy — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 20:46:21 GMT

It is no problem to convert the drawer into a solid, divide it, move one part and fill the space in between.
But I don't think that's what you want.

Betreff: Modify Drawer STL

3D_Ken — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 21:42:32 GMT

@wersy wrote:
It is no problem to convert the drawer into a solid, divide it, move one part and fill the space in between.
But I don't think that's what you want.

It is not exactly what I wanted, but it would have been close enough if I had not had a better offer from @TheCADWhisperer .

Thank you for the example. I could not figure out the options on the Extrude until I looked at what you sent.

Re: Modify Drawer STL

TheCADWhisperer — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 12:46:42 GMT

@3D_Ken

Start a new file.

Import the stl.

Turn on the visibility of the Origin.

Using the arrows move the geometry such that the origin is approximately midpoint of the bottom horizontal line (don't worry about getting perfect - just as close as you can eyeball...

Check it from a side view (shouldn't need to move).

Select OK.

Betreff: Modify Drawer STL

TheCADWhisperer — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 12:58:35 GMT

@3D_Ken

Now start a New Sketch on the XZ plane and sketch a rectangle approximately as shown below,,,

Add a Midpoint constraint between the Origin and the bottom Horizontal line of the Rectangle.

Now dimension the height of the Rectangle...

Drag the sides of the Rectangle in - at this point will probably observe that the geometry is not centered. (ignore the lip)

Finish Sketch.

Drag the sketch on the Timeline such that it occurs in history before the imported geometry.

From the Mesh tab select Move and set to Bodies and select the Mesh Body.

Move to center in the rectangle (remember - we are moving by eye - so movement distance may be different than mine).

Betreff: Modify Drawer STL

TheCADWhisperer — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 13:04:30 GMT

@3D_Ken

Drag the sketch in the Timeline so that it is once again in History after the imported geometry.

Now Edit the sketch and enter the dimension...

You can repeat these steps to get closer if needed.

We will get a parametric model matching the original AND THEN edit the dimensions as needed.

Attach your progress file here for next set of steps.

Betreff: Modify Drawer STL

3D_Ken — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 15:01:35 GMT

Progress file attached.

"AND THEN edit the dimensions as needed."

Are you saying to edit the dimensions now, or that we will get to that later?

Betreff: Modify Drawer STL

TheCADWhisperer — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 17:11:33 GMT

@3D_Ken wrote:
Progress file attached.

"AND THEN edit the dimensions as needed."
~~Are you saying to edit the dimensions now~~, or that we will get to that later?

We will edit the dimensions later.

Let me take a look at the next steps, back in a few minutes...

Betreff: Modify Drawer STL

TheCADWhisperer — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 17:37:04 GMT

@3D_Ken

Add this 50° angle.

Finish sketch and then start a New Sketch on the YZ plane.

Sketch the rectangle approximately as shown.

Hide the Mesh Body and select p on the keyboard for Project.

Select the top horizontal line from Sketch1.

This will project the line as a point into Sketch2.

Add a Coincident Constraint between the top Horizontal line in Sketch2 and the Point projected from Sketch1.

Observe the color changes of the lines as we constraint them...

Betreff: Modify Drawer STL

TheCADWhisperer — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 17:48:37 GMT

@3D_Ken

Then add these angled lines as shown...

Now add these two Horizontal Construction lines as shown.

After adding the Constructions lines add the two angled lines on the right (be careful that they are not perpendicular).

Add Equal (=) Constraints between the top angled line on the left and right, and then between the bottom angled line on the left and right.

Attach your progress file here.

Betreff: Modify Drawer STL

3D_Ken — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 14:46:47 GMT

I would like to understand how you calculated the angles you specified.

Did you draw temporary sketch lines and measure them?

File attached.

Betreff: Modify Drawer STL

3D_Ken — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 19:37:01 GMT

Fully Constrained update.