How to go from hollow stl file to solid stl file

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I am working on a project where I need to creat a mold, so that I can make a custom protection case from epoxy. When I have made the mold in fusion360 I want to print it with the 3Dprinter and create the mold. 

But in order to cut out the form of the controller out of a block of material the controller (STL-file) needs to be solid. I have tried several tutorials and I am running out of ideas the make the stl file fully solid.  So the stl-file attached is hollow on the inside, but the controller needs to be fully solid. 

Can someone help me out or give me tips, so that I can make this STL-file fully solid?

Kind regrards,

Martijn

[TheCADWhisperer]

See Attached.

Oh wait a minute.

I see what you mean.

Where did you get the file - what is the original source?

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I downloaded the stl-file from grabcad. But do you have any further ideas to make the controller completely solid? 

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I downloaded the stl-file from grabcad. But do you have any further ideas to make the controller completely solid? 

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Yes.

I would model the geometry as high-quality native geometry rather than attempt to put lipstick on someone else's  - no curves, only lines and planar faces - poor quality geometry.

This could be "fixed" in Autodesk MeshMixer, but it does not meet my basic quality expectations.

[Anonymous]

Isn't there any function in any cad software which makes the controller solid? 

[TrippyLighting]

That is usually not needed when working with native CAD geometry.

Imported, triangulated meshes are not CAD geometry.

If I look for that controller on GrabCAD I see several that are available in either a neutral CAD format (STEP, IGES) or in Solid Works format (.SLDPRT). Why did you load down a .stl ?

[Anonymous]

I just assumed it was easier this way and I totally forgot about the other files to be honest..

But this still doesn't anwser my question how I can make this controller solid instead of hollow (like seen in the picture above). I already tried to load it in as a cadfile, but I couldn't find any option or feature to fill up the hollow space inside the controller.

I need it to be fully solid, because I need to cut the form of the controller out in material, so that it creates a mould. 

[TheCADWhisperer]

@Anonymous 
If you have located a high quality file - attach it here for demonstration on how to “flood fill”.

[Anonymous]

I have this stepfile of the controller.

[TrippyLighting]

May one ask with what manufacturing method you want o create that mold and out of what material ?

Read through the thread again. So you want to 3D print the mold. OK.
How do you determine the split line(s) so you can get the part out of the mold ?

This isn't exactly trivial geometry!

[TheCADWhisperer]

Your first step will be to delete any internal components to simplify the model.

In the end - we want a "watertight" envelope.  Be careful to not delete any components that extend outside of the main body.  (There are already some gaps that will have to be patched to obtain "watertight" condition - we don't want to create any more work than necessary.)

Right away you should visually recognize that this is much better quality than the rubbish stl file.

It is so obvious to me - that I don't understand why a half dozen users post stl rubbish here every day!

Attach the new *.f3d file here once you have removed the internal components.

Can you explain how you intend to Split the mold in Fusion?

Can you explain how you intend to manufacture the mold?

Important Question - Can you explain the purpose of the mold (this might suggest further simplification of the outside as well as the inside)?

Answer - 

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@Anonymous wrote:

so that I can make a custom protection case from epoxy.

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Observation - because the design goal is a Protective Case - we can significantly simplify the external geometry.  For example, the swivel knobs can be replaced with primitive cylinders.  There will be a lot of other simplifications and patching to make.

Edit:  I see @TrippyLighting is asking the same critical questions.

[TheCADWhisperer]

@Anonymous 

Where did you go?

[TheCADWhisperer]

@Anonymous 

I am curious - why did you abandon this discussion.

I notice that this occurs quite frequently in the Fusion 360 forum.

[Anonymous]

Dear Cadwhisper,

I am definitly not abondoning this discussion, because I really appreciate the help that I am getting. But I was very occupied with my main projects and fitting everything in my work and school schedule haha.

Iam going to make the changes to the design this week and will uploade it, so that you can help me further with this.

I hope you can understand!