topic Re: Saving multiple bodies as stl (mesh) in Fusion Support Forum

Saving multiple bodies as stl (mesh)

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 23:07:58 GMT

Hi all,

I have a student file that I'm preparing to print. There are 6 bodies of which 3 I wish to save as a single mesh (stl). I can right click the individual bodies on the left menu and save as mesh option appears for each body but how to I select all 3 bodies and save as mesh? I have tried highlighting (selecting) the 3 components but if I right click the selection Save as Mesh as not an option.

Thanks

Re: Saving multiple bodies as stl (mesh)

jeff_strater — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 23:36:16 GMT

this is a current limitation that is in the process of being fixed. Until then, the best approach is to create an empty component, and drag the 3 bodies you want to print into that, and then do Save as Mesh on the component. Once you are done, you can undo your way back to where you were before.

Re: Saving multiple bodies as stl (mesh)

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 23:45:47 GMT

Thanks Jeff Strater. Worked a treat. I can now stop pulling my hair out!

Re: Saving multiple bodies as stl (mesh)

petedXDG8M — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 04:27:06 GMT

I want to do the same thing, but am having trouble following the instructions here. I suspect it's because the bodies I want to save are already in a component, or possibly because I want to move the bodies as they exist earlier in the timeline (the marker is not at the end). The example shown here involves bodies parented by the top-level document node, not another component. I can't figure out how to get my bodies from their current component into a different one.

Can you explain how to do that?

EDIT: looks like I was right, it's because I wasn't at the end of the timeline. Would be nice to have a "copy" option for this operation. I can see why Fusion won't let the bodies be moved from a point in the timeline where they are still being used later. But it would be more convenient if I didn't have to explicitly copy the bodies first before moving them, instead having Fusion either offer to copy them or have some other mechanism to do that.

EDIT #2: playing around some more, I find that while you can't Ctrl+drag the bodies into the new component (even though the cursor object shows a "+", implying that it will in fact be doing a copy), you can copy/paste the bodies. I.e. select what you want to copy, choose "copy" from the right-click menu (or press Ctrl+C), activate the new component, select it, and choose "paste" from the right-click menu (or press Ctrl+V). That will put exact copies of the original bodies, in their state at the current timeline position from their original component, into the new component. I find this a bit undiscoverable, but it does work.

Re: Saving multiple bodies as stl (mesh)

NVNDO — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 18:21:36 GMT

Hey @jeff_strater, will this be implemented any time soon..? or rather not..?

It's 3 years ago since this "current limitation" was about to "being fixed".

I'm currently working on a project that requieres between 3-20 parts in around 70 different combinations to be exported as Mesh which will (at this very moment) take me FOREVER....

I would say, exporting several Bodies at once should have been a basic feature since day one.

Betreff: Saving multiple bodies as stl (mesh)

NVNDO — Sun, 26 Jan 2025 14:20:36 GMT

Hey everyone, could someone from Fusion please let us know how the progress on this feature is? ...because I very much need this.

Or is there any other way I can export a design (consisting of several different objects) as .STL in one go WITHOUT creating a Component?!

My problem here is, that I (at this very moment) have around 230 Objects I need to export in different combinations. creating components, importing, exporting is not a viable option as this will take me weeks. I need a solution, like being able to select "Save as mesh" when multiple objects are selected. Why does this not exist?

Thank you so much in advance..

Re: Saving multiple bodies as stl (mesh)

adwheelerphoto — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 06:56:20 GMT

Yeah, seems as though this a zero priority. A simple export batch function. Insane that this is a thing.

Re: Saving multiple bodies as stl (mesh)

NVNDO — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 07:29:10 GMT

I actually found a way.

- View only the bodies you want to export.
- Go to the top row of your project - which is followed by the dropdown menu (where you have your bodies, sketches, components etc)

- Right-click and export. Select .step file.

That way all visible bodies are exported at once. Hope that helps 😊✌🏼

Re: Saving multiple bodies as stl (mesh)

john7DGQX — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 19:26:52 GMT

Good catch. To help others going down this path I'll point out that Fusion, super confusingly, highlights ALL bodies when selecting the top-level this way to get to the "Save As Mesh..." menu item. But it does indeed only export the visible bodies.