topic Re: Export to STL changes size 250125 in Fusion Design, Validate & Document Forum

Export to STL changes size 250125

pittsallen — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 21:14:03 GMT

Hello Fusion forum,

Have completed seven pointed star
SPS_250219.f3d
attached herewith.

In preparation for printing the model
is saved as an STL file for input at
the slicer.

When the F3D file is saved as an STL
file the STL model is about ten times
the size of the f3D file.

The export has been tried two ways:
1. With the model open in Fusion ver.

2.0.20981, the File icon in the banner at the
top is clicked and the 'Export'
option is chosen. In the Export
dialogue box the file type is chosen
as STL and the Export button clicked.
2.

With the model open in Fusion

the Component is right clicked
and Save as Mesh is chosen. In the
Save as Mesh dialogue box:
Preparation Type: Export
Object: 1 Selected
Format; STL (Binary)
Unit Type millimeters
are selected and OK clicked.
This results in a Save Aa
dialogue box which allows
for a filename to be chosen
and the location for the file.

Both methods result in a model that
is many times larger than the original.

How can the f3d file be saved as an STL
file without changing the size?

Thanks.

Allen Pitts

Re: Export to STL changes size 250125

jhackney1972 — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 22:00:23 GMT

You want to Save as Mesh, from the Browser, using the Body of the Component. In the video I show this and also import the STL to show it is the same size. STL is attached.

(view in My Videos)

Re: Export to STL changes size 250125

HughesTooling — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 16:36:29 GMT

EDIT. In the future can you please just paste the pictures into your message. Attached images can not be viewed with the text or 2 at a time.

@pittsallen My guess is you used Open to open the STL and Fusion will assume the file is in CM, Fusion does this for all unitless files.

If you start a new design and use Insert Mesh from the insert menu Fusion will insert the STL using the document's current units or you can override if you need to.

Here I inserted the mesh back into your file and you can see the original and mesh are the same.

Re: Export to STL changes size 250125

pittsallen — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 15:41:28 GMT

Hello Mr. Hughes,

Not sure I understand this:
...Fusion will assume the file is in CM, Fusion does this for all unless files.

So I think what we are saying is that in Fusion
- Go to the top banner and choose New Design
- Go to the Mesh tab
- Click Create
- Choose 'Insert' Mesh'
- At the 'Insert'' dialogue box navigate

to the STL file exported from the f3d file with 'Saveas Meah'
- This results in a dialogue box titled 'Insert Mesh' with
Unit type: Millimeter
Flip Up Direction
Position: center
Move to ground
Numerical inputs reset
Click OK
This results in a model which is 234,786 mm, image copied herewith below.

So I missed a step or included a step that should be omitted.

Where did I go wrong?

Thanks.

Allen Pitts

Re: Export to STL changes size 250125

HughesTooling — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 16:28:46 GMT

To me it looks like 234.786mm which I think is correct?

A quicker import is just from the Insert menu, no need to go to the mesh workspace.

Re: Export to STL changes size 250125

HughesTooling — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 16:33:42 GMT

@pittsallen wrote:

Hello Mr. Hughes,

Not sure I understand this:
...Fusion will assume the file is in CM, Fusion does this for all unless files.

Sorry, spelling mistake should have been Unitless not unless.

When you Open\Import files Fusion will import Unitless files as CM so an STL saved in mm will end up open 10x too big.