topic Re: Mesh bodies conversion problem in Fusion Support Forum

Mesh bodies conversion problem

arthur_brevet — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 12:59:26 GMT

Hello. In order to resume an accidentally interrupted (5-day) 3D print I'd like to cut my STL file into two parts to print the missing part.
As STL files are imported into Fusion 360 as mesh bodies, I first need to convert this mesh body into a solid body. The problem is that the procedure for converting to a solid body causes the software to crash every time, it freezes and stops responding.
How can I solve this problem? (360 Fusion for Personal use, Windows 10, Surface Pro4 16Go Ram) Thanks.

Re: Mesh bodies conversion problem

jhackney1972 — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 13:45:43 GMT

Please attach your STL file to a reply post.

Re: Mesh bodies conversion problem

TheCADWhisperer — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 14:41:16 GMT

@arthur_brevet

If you can’t Attach the stl file here for some reason - this is very easy to do in free Autodesk MeshMixer and does not require any conversion.

Re: Mesh bodies conversion problem

TrippyLighting — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 15:41:45 GMT

@arthur_brevet wrote:

...
As STL files are imported into Fusion 360 as mesh bodies,

True!

@arthur_brevet wrote:

... I first need to convert this mesh body into a solid body...

Not true!

Re: Mesh bodies conversion problem

arthur_brevet — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 18:30:48 GMT

File size exceed 71MB, can't attach it to a reply sorry.

Re: Mesh bodies conversion problem

arthur_brevet — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 18:34:39 GMT

Yes, I cant attach the file because it exceeds the maximum size of 71 MB. Could you please give me more details about the free app you were talking about ?

Re: Mesh bodies conversion problem

arthur_brevet — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 18:36:22 GMT

I'm a beginner, I saw on internet that I had to transform it into a solid body because I can't work on him. So what should I do ?

Re: Mesh bodies conversion problem

TrippyLighting — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 19:33:53 GMT

Share a screenshot and describe in detail how you want to split it in two. Is it a simple plane cut?
That can be done with Autodesk Meshmixer.

You could try to ZIP the file and then attach it ?

Re: Mesh bodies conversion problem

jeff_strater — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 20:38:55 GMT

"I cant attach the file because it exceeds the maximum size of 71 MB"

"The problem is that the procedure for converting to a solid body causes the software to crash every time, it freezes and stops responding"

I suspect that these two facts are highly correlated. How big is the STL? My guess is that Fusion is not actually crashing (do you see a crash dialog?), but, instead, the conversion you have requested will take a LONG time. If you let it run long enough, I'm willing to bet that it will complete. How long will depend on exactly how big the mesh is.

Whether you should convert the mesh highly depends on what you want to do with it. If you just want to print it, there is no need to convert to a solid. However, if you want to, say, make a drawing from it, you will need a solid.

Re: Mesh bodies conversion problem

arthur_brevet — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 07:51:15 GMT

Hello. Thank you for your exhaustive reply, which will help me a lot. My file weighs 142,657 Kb, which means it will probably take a long time to convert. But after several hours of waiting, the characteristic message saying that Fusion 360 is no longer responding continues to appear. Although I think you're right that the body doesn't need to be a solid to be printed, I still need to split it in two, which I can't do on a mesh body.

Re: Mesh bodies conversion problem

arthur_brevet — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 08:11:15 GMT

Hello. I wanted to use the ''split body'' function to split the volume of the mesh body in two, so I don't know if it's a simple flat cut. As for the file, I could zip it up to put it on the blog but it's not my file, and it's copyrighted so I don't think I can or should share it freely. But I've downloaded Autodesk Meshmixer and I'm going to give it a try.

Re: Mesh bodies conversion problem

HughesTooling — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 10:57:33 GMT

In Fusion create an offset plane at the height you need to split the mesh then use mesh Plane Cut to split the mesh.

Set the fill type to get a closed mesh.

Re: Mesh bodies conversion problem

HughesTooling — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 11:08:54 GMT

@arthur_brevet wrote:

Hello. I wanted to use the ''split body'' function to split the volume of the mesh body in two, so I don't know if it's a simple flat cut. As for the file, I could zip it up to put it on the blog but it's not my file, and it's copyrighted so I don't think I can or should share it freely. But I've downloaded Autodesk Meshmixer and I'm going to give it a try.

If a flat split will not work you could create a body then convert the body into a mesh and use the mesh to cut your mesh. Might still take a while to process but probably quicker then what you're seeing now.

Here I have the mesh I want to split and a mesh body I created as a cutting tool. I've set combine to keep the cutting tool and create a new component. You can then repeat using intersect If you need a component for both parts.

After cutting.

Re: Mesh bodies conversion problem

TheCADWhisperer — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 11:40:16 GMT

@arthur_brevet wrote:
I've downloaded Autodesk Meshmixer and I'm going to give it a try.

In MeshMixer go to Edit>Plane Cut

Use the arc and triad to locate the plane...

Re: Mesh bodies conversion problem

arthur_brevet — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 12:54:10 GMT

Thank you very much! I managed to cut my piece in two, using the function you recommended. Thank you so much!

Re: Mesh bodies conversion problem

arthur_brevet — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 12:55:27 GMT

Thank you very much! I managed to cut my piece in two, using the MeshMixer from Autodesk.