Fusion 360, STL file, open & Insert Mesh

[downy06]

I would like to know the difference between opening an STL file using Open in fusion 360 and opening it using Insert Mesh and the difference in algorithm.

[TheCADWhisperer]

Open is simplified technique - assumes no units assignment or change in position. Opens as is.

Insert provides additional options like specifying units (scaling) and positioning.

Full disclosure: I figured this out only by observation.  I have no knowledge of the algorithms.  Once opened (or inserted) stl is stl. Faceted planar triangular mesh.  No curves. None. Well technically in mathematics a line is a special curve - lots of lines.

[jeff_strater]

There is no "algorithm" at all to either of these.  They both just read in the mesh as specified in the STL file.  The main two differences with Insert are:

• you can specify the units.  STL is a unitless format, so you have to tell Fusion how to interpret the coordinates
• as its name implies, you can insert a mesh into an existing design that already has stuff in it.  Open will create a new design that just has the mesh in it.