STL files import in cm, instead of my working units

[cristiprefac]

Hi,

After the latest update, it looks like no matter what stl file I'm uploading into my account, it gets imported in cm, instead of my working units (mm), so 10 times bigger. The workaround is to create a brep after import and scale it down ten times, but it won't work with models with more than 10k polys.

Strange enough, the files uploaded prior to the current update (2.0.2016) import just fine.

[daniel_lyall]

that happened from the last update the got it correct then something when't wrong, .dxf have gone bad again as well when you bring the part in do the scale straight away it's scale to .1 and it comes good, they will fix it again.

[James.Youmatz]

Hi @cristiprefac,

Can you try this workaround instead - instead of uploading the STL file directly to your Project folder, open a blank model and then go into a Direct Modeling Environment. This can mean either create a sculpt, turn off the design history (right-click the top-level component in the browser tree and select "Do Not Capture Design History"), or Create a Base Feature. Once you are in a Direct Modeling environment, if you go the Insert Menu, you will see Insert Mesh. From here you can insert the .stl/.obj file and a dialog box will pop up asking what units your mesh in is. This should avoid the incorrect automatic conversion when uploading! Can you let me know if you see otherwise, as last time I checked this that workaround seemed to work. 

Thanks,

[cristiprefac]

Thanks,

It works as you said.

It would be nice to at least have the units option when uploading the meshes, in case they're embeded with the units info in the cloud.

[cristiprefac]

It's sad that this bug is yet to be fixed, it's been several months already. 

With the workaround you provided I need to carry my files between my 2 computers, as I'm not able to insert them from the Fusion cloud.

[daniel_lyall]

@cristiprefac use the insert menu and select mesh it works fine for me just tested with a few .stl they all came in on size  

[cristiprefac]

This is a workaround, not a solution to the original problem, which is the impossibility of importing stl's from my fusion account, not from the local computer.

[daniel_lyall]

you don't need to do it that way I get files from my network, dropbox and onedrive with the insert menu as you said your getting them off another computer, just set up dropbox or onedrive stick them in there, no fusion work around needed.

but yer it should be fixed by now insert does it why not upload 

[Anonymous]

Seems to work ! Thanks !

[Anonymous]

why is this still a problem ??

[daniel_lyall]

Use insert - insert mesh 

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@Anonymous wrote:

why is this still a problem ??

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STL is unitless.

I have not experienced this problem.

Can you zip and Attach original mesh file here that you are experiencing this issue?

[Anonymous]

Literally, any file from thingiverse... open it, convert to brep, export to cura, its cm.

Default units is mm for everything else I make ( I assume its in settings as a default )

[TrippyLighting]

So. why (excuse me) the hell do you load don a .stl from Thingyverse, convert it to a BRep just to send it to cura ?

[Anonymous]

Does it matter? It is irrelevant to the topic. Those are the reproduction steps.

[TrippyLighting]

You are correct, it does not matter to answer the original question.

At least you've done a little bit of research before posting. But it was't enough, because this question has been answered  in hundreds of threads here on the forum.

1. .stl files are unit less. If you export an .stl file in mm and import it with the units set to cm it will be 10 times bigger.

2. Fusion 360 internally works in cm.

3. The online conversion does not offer the ability to set the units.

4. When importing .stl files through Insert->Mesh menu from within Fusion 360 the UI allows to set the import units:

I am still wondering though why you are converting a .stl to a BRep.

[Anonymous]

Opening an stl , does not use online conversion, it uses local translator.

Opening a unitless format, should allow user to set the units, or use the default units, user has selected. Not some secret internal unpredictable unit.

Importing is a useable workaround, but not ideal or wanted in this case, eg. os file system integration.

I doubt there are hundeds of answers, there is literally about 6, only 2 with outdated answers. This issue has the best title and explains the problem precisely.

So again, why is this still not fixed. Bumping the translator team, can this be improved, thanks.

aside: One would open and STL and convert to brep so you can edit them. Among other things.

[TrippyLighting]

Ahh ... I  did not exactly understand how you are "opening" a .stl file. Got it!

For a CAD software I find that Insert->Mesh workflow not a workaround. Working with triangulated meshes is not Fusion 360's main purpose.

Fusion 360 is a CAD software and its main form to represent 3D geometry is BRep and NURBS. .stl is a triangulated mesh with a finite resolution and no topology. As such it is the least common denominator of all forms of 3D geometry representation.

That is also the reason I asked what you want to do with it in Fusion 360. You can safely assume that I am keenly familiar with what can be done with .stl files in Fusion 360. For many things we refer to Autodesk Meshmixer.

[Anonymous]

I will give it a try, most of the time I want to work with solid bodies and not meshes, hence the converting. 

[daniel_lyall]

It is well known by a lot of users who use .stl files (that have used fusion for some time) that import works in cm and insert you can set the units this question comes up a lot.

The answer remains the same use insert not import and you do it like what post 3 says if you want to convert the .stl or .obj.