topic neatly close seam / hole after combining parts in Fusion Support Forum

neatly close seam / hole after combining parts

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 10:15:26 GMT

I have added a part to a design, for which I had to cut the original design. However, with the new part in place there is a seam / hole left over. All my attempts to close this hole end up a blobby mess.

I would preferably increase the height of the inner cylindrical mesh body up to the curved edge above and around it, but dont know what tools to use.

Re: neatly close seam / hole after combining parts

TheCADWhisperer — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 11:08:46 GMT

Attach file here.

Why work with mesh (your file might answer that question), does faceted mesh meet your quality requirements?

Re: neatly close seam / hole after combining parts

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 14:31:15 GMT

Hi thanks for your reply,

Im just getting started with fusion 360 and Im not sure what a faceted mesh is exactly, but my quality requirements are low so I bet its good enough. I used the word mesh, but I converted it to a BRep. The reason I started out with meshes was that Im editing and combining elements from different STL files. One of those stl files is not just simple geometrics so really needs to be a mesh (if i understand correctly). How do I upload my project? There seem to be no local files in fusion 360.

Re: neatly close seam / hole after combining parts

TrippyLighting — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 14:42:13 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

... that Im editing and combining elements from different STL files ...

That isn't really the domain of Fusion 360. CAD software such as Fusion 360 works with a mathematically precise and resolution free description of 3D geometry in form of BRep and NURBS.

A triangulated mesh on the other hand has a finite resolution and as opposed to a quad-mesh or BRep /NURBS has no topology It defines the least desirable input to a precise 3D design workflow.

As such Autodesk Meshmixer is likely a better choice for working with triangulated meshes as it was conceived exclusively for that purpose.

@Anonymous wrote:

... is not just simple geometrics so really needs to be a mesh (if i understand correctly)...

No, you don't understand that correctly. Most technical objects are not created using meshes but CAD software.

If you can export your design as a .f3d file and attach it to the next post that would be helpful.

Re: neatly close seam / hole after combining parts

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 15:39:26 GMT

Thanks for clarifying, im just getting started with the basics as you can tell. I have attached the file, the body this question is about is called 'full body'.

The cylindrical part at the center and the circular hole it sits in have a gap between each other. I would like to close that gap so that it is one solid part. The central cylindrical part I guess I would be able redesign so that it is no longer made of a triangulated mesh. Then I could make it to fit the hole exactly, which might get rid of the portion of the seam at which there is no difference in Z position for the two parts. But then I would not know how to shape the top edge of the new cylinder to match the Z positions of the surrounding hole.

What would you do?

Re: neatly close seam / hole after combining parts

TrippyLighting — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 15:50:52 GMT

You wound't by any chance have the unmodified version of the .stl file of the Whale ?

(zip first before attaching)

This organic for is indeed better modeled as a mesh! However, that should be a quad mesh, so a mesh that consists only of polygons with 4 edges and vertices rather than 3.

There re a number of ways to get there and as you are likely not interested in precisely reverse engineering this shape and a good approximation is likely enough, I can show you a trick or two.

I still belive that Meshmixer might be a better alternative.

Re: neatly close seam / hole after combining parts

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 16:02:35 GMT

See attachment, I got it from here: https://www.myminifactory.com/object/3d-print-cute-whale-planter-22808

The original model needed a dish under it and didnt make use of the internal space of the model. I used one of the (many) self watering pot designs for the inside.

I did try the scultping tools in meshmixer but it looked like a toddler sculpted it by hand after I was done with it.

Re: neatly close seam / hole after combining parts

TrippyLighting — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 16:54:19 GMT

Cool.

For the moment I am going to refer you to a video tutorial I created to show a few workflows to convert "organic" .stl meshes into something useable in Fusion 360.

If you still have questions I'll create a screencast with what I'd do.

Re: neatly close seam / hole after combining parts

TrippyLighting — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 17:03:40 GMT

The attached model is a result of those workflows.

Re: neatly close seam / hole after combining parts

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 19:51:56 GMT

Excellent tutorial I will definitely use that workflow from now on when importing STL files into fusion 360! That helps with the first error I made when starting this project. Then for the second problem; how can I close that seam? Is that easier once its a real BRep too?