Import STL format.

[Anonymous]

Why can't ACAD import STL format while can export it? It's very common and should be one of the simplest formats ACAD can import.

The answer I found here is quite unsatisfactory.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-forum/stl-import/m-p/7743152#M918224

Does someone know any "real" reasons?

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> The answer I found here is quite unsatisfactory.

But it's the truth.

You can always find programs which don't support one or other fileformat.

And STL is mainly an export format to send geometry in a simply way to the printer. But importing back an STL does not recognize any geometry primitves like sphere, cylinder, box, ... Having said that it is close to uneditable. It's like a one-way format ... explode all to make it simple meshes, but getting back exploded objects to make them editable is complex or unavailable.

But you always have the chance to add a comment to the product team >>>there<<<.

- alfred -

[Michiel.Valcke]

Hi,

If you want to edit .stl files I would suggest you use the following Autodesk freeware called Meshmixer.

Other than that I have nothing to add to what was already said by @Alfred.NESWADBA

[leeminardi]

It is not clear if you want to actually import an stl file into AutoCAD or just want to know why a direct importer is not part of AutoCAD.  I cannot help you with the latter question but if you have an stl file and want to make an AutoCAD solid model from it then one way is to import the stl file into 3ds Max and then export from Max to the .dwg format.  You can then open the dwg file in AutoCAD and use SURFSCULPT to make the tessellated file into a solid.

[BeKirra · Accepted solution]

I am afraid users here cannot answer your question but the AutoCAD development team from Autodesk.

IMO you may also submit an idea to this forum:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/product-design-suite-ideas/idb-p/102/tab/most-recent

Unfortunately there is no "AutoCAD Ideas" forum available.

In the meanwhile, you may consider what Lee has suggested, or open your STL file with Inventor then export it to STP format.

HTH

[Anonymous]

I am afraid users here cannot answer your question but the AutoCAD development team from Autodesk.

I think this is the most reasonable answer. Thank you!

[rhgrafix]

The problem with Meshmixer is that all the formats that it can export are formats that cannot be imported into Autocad. A lot of people seem to assume that we all have 3DS Max, Inventor or some other multi-thousand dollar program. If Autodesk has all this code, why not let us get add-ons or just pick it from the menu?

[Anonymous]

If you are trying to bring a solidworks file to autocad, you can just import it as solidwork. 

[Anonymous]

There is free software that can convert stl file to dxf.  

[Marc.FAUVE]

Yeah ! thank you Sir

[DEVR2098]

Can you import an .stl file into AutoCAD? This question is now a few years old. The accepted answer was. "It cant be done, speak to the development team". Several years later and advances in new software has brought us closer to an acceptable solution. 

1. Import Stl file into MeshLabs

2. Export to XYZ point cloud

3. Import Point Cloud into ReCap Pro

4. Export to RCP file

5. Xref import the RCP file into AutoCAD.

*Disclaimers. An stl file is a mesh which means that AutoCAD is not the best software to modify it. Fusion360 is a better place to work with it. The method above makes the stl file appear in AutoCAD in a way that the software can handle it. You can't modify it but you can use it to trace over features in creating a new AutoCad drawing or model. The image attached is of a 3d scan, imported into AutoCAD.

[jcody7997]

i got autodesk inventor 2022 for free with educational software contract privillages.

[autoid374ceb4990]

The STL format is pretty well defined.  I wrote some "C" code (ARX program) to import and export STL files, binary and ASCII, for R14 almost 20 years ago.  The STL triangles are imported as 3DFACE's. 

[pete.j.schiller]

I have found the MeshIn freeware for this. Works fine, imports not only STL but even for OBJ and 3DS files, but it is quite slow on larger STLs.

https://www.cadforum.cz/en/how-to-import-an-stl-obj-or-3ds-file-to-an-autocad-3d-model-tip14072

[autoid374ceb4990]

Just out of curiosity, how slow is quite slow?  I have a binary STL file that has 1,008,964 triangles and it takes me 130 seconds to load it, but I am using 32 bit R14.

 

[ropopoin]

Please someone can clarify this for me....but autocad use to be able to import stl long ago.....i remember as posible on older versions like acad 14, were stl were bring or opened in positive coordinates.

im wrong?

[DEVR2098]

I'm not an Autodesk rep, just a user of many years, I don't recall AutoCAD ever being able to just import an stl file natively though I have wanted to.  If I were to attempt it today, I would import it into Fusion360, convert it to a solid and then export it out as a dwg. It's not an easy process but it's doable.

[autoid374ceb4990]

R14 could not import or export STL format files.

[pendean]

---

@ropopoin wrote:

......but autocad use to be able to import stl long ago......

---

Used to or not, it's not a feature in any variant you can get your hands on today sadly. Time to find another solution

https://help.autodesk.com/view/ACD/2025/ENU/?guid=GUID-2CF5CE0F-8049-459E-86C9-1826B41957F6#:~:text=....

https://help.autodesk.com/view/ACD/2020/ENU/?guid=GUID-2CF5CE0F-8049-459E-86C9-1826B41957F6#:~:text=....

https://help.autodesk.com/view/ACD/2015/ENU/?guid=GUID-2CF5CE0F-8049-459E-86C9-1826B41957F6

https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Where-to-find-the-... 

[suraky]

ok this thread has gone 7 years without any good answers ... so here you go,  an actual way to do it that works great.   Download the free*** software AccuTrans 3D.    Load STL.   Save As DXF.  Bam.  You're done.     ***  ok, it isn't actually free,  but it is free in the same sense that WinRAR is free 🙂

I've been using AccuTrans 3D for around ten years to go the other way.   I make topographic models of engineering projects that I 3D print.   I just export the 3D faces of a TIN surface to DXF,  bring it into AccuTrans 3D and use an extrusion tool to make it into a flat bottomed closed solid,  then use Save With Options,  where I can scale it down to a printable size and save it to STL.