Orientation of exported STL files

adammhaile · ‎06-20-2021

For years, my process of exporting STL files for large 3D printed projects was to import all the parts to be printed as derived components into a secondary design and re-orient those components so that the "Top" view would correlate to the 3D printer bed. As in, if you switched to the "Bottom" view you would be looking at all the object faces I expected to be touching the printer bed. Doing things this way I could ensure that the STL files were in proper print orientation and no one printing my designs had to infer my intent.

However, since 2-3 months ago that no longer works. I can do the same thing, but when I export from that secondary design with the derived and reoriented objects they all export to the STL in their original designed orientation.

I'm running the latest version (2.0.10356 as of writing this) on Windows 10 (build 19043) and have a Pro license.

Is there something I'm just missing about how exporting to STL works now? I've looked all over and cannot find anything to the likes of "Preserve captured orientation".
This is very much a hinderance to my workflow.

lance.carocci · ‎06-25-2021

@adammhaile, would you happen to be using a different modeling orientation for each file? That is, Z-up for one, Y-up for another.

Lance Carocci
Fusion QA for UI Framework/Cloud Workflows, and fervent cat enthusiast

adammhaile · ‎06-25-2021

No, I always use the same Z-up orientation - or, specifically that the Z/up-down axis is along the path between the "Top" and "Bottom" faces.

HughesTooling · ‎06-26-2021

@adammhaile wrote:

Is there something I'm just missing about how exporting to STL works now? I've looked all over and cannot find anything to the likes of "Preserve captured orientation".
This is very much a hinderance to my workflow.

How are you positioning the parts? Are you using joints or are you using Move\Align and capture positions? I've seen some problems if a component has several translations and capture positions. Personally I'd avoid capture positions and use joints as you have more control with a joint and can do more with a single joint. Are all parts exporting incorrectly or just some? Does the source design still have a capture position pending.

Also how are you exporting, are you using Save as STL from the right click menu or Export?

Here's a quick test using some derived components positioned using joints and all seems to export correctly.

Mark Hughes
Owner, Hughes Tooling
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TheCADWhisperer · ‎06-26-2021

@adammhaile wrote:
…derived components into a secondary design and re-orient those components…

However, since 2-3 months ago that no longer works.

Attach example files here.

adammhaile · ‎06-29-2021

@HughesTooling wrote:
How are you positioning the parts? Are you using joints or are you using Move\Align and capture positions? I've seen some problems if a component has several translations and capture positions. Personally I'd avoid capture positions and use joints as you have more control with a joint and can do more with a single joint. Are all parts exporting incorrectly or just some? Does the source design still have a capture position pending.

Also how are you exporting, are you using Save as STL from the right click menu or Export?

Right after recording this I realized that the File menu export option *does* have an STL export but that's of the entire design - which is not what I wanted. The intent was to export positioned sub-components in the correct orientation. Technically I could do one new derived design per component I'd like to export but that seems tedious. And the way I show below has worked for me for a long time. As noted, the design I'm showing used that exact workflow and nothing has changed, but now the STLs are in the wrong orientation from how they were exported previously.

Hopefully that helps clarify what I'm seeing versus what I'm expected.
Thanks!

HughesTooling · ‎06-30-2021

I'm not sure if STL worked differently in the past but exports of components to STP, IGS etc. have always used the component origin not the document origin. @jeff_strater Has anything changed with how STLs are exported?

A workaround would be to Isolate the component you want to export and then right click the top node and select Save As STL. Only the visible component will be exported and it will use the document orientation.

Mark

Mark Hughes
Owner, Hughes Tooling
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adammhaile · ‎07-05-2021

@HughesTooling wrote:
I'm not sure if STL worked differently in the past but exports of components to STP, IGS etc. have always used the component origin not the document origin. @jeff_strater Has anything changed with how STLs are exported?

A workaround would be to Isolate the component you want to export and then right click the top node and select Save As STL. Only the visible component will be exported and it will use the document orientation.

Mark

I did find that exporting each to their own isolated derived design would fix the problem but that is extremely tedious. Maybe it wasn't supposed to work the way I was using it and now they've "fixed" that bug? I would love if they could make it at least an option - Yes, I can export as you suggested but that massively slows down the workflow. The way I did it before I could hammer through dozens of components in a couple of minutes.

Galaktican · ‎09-22-2022

May I make a request? I have the same need as the original poster but, I don't want to have to jump through all these hoops to do what I need. I have a design with multiple bodies but some bodies need to be printed in a different orientation. I would love the ability to select the "print bed plane" from my object in your 3D print dialog box if that makes sense.

antonkukoba · ‎08-29-2023

This problem is still repoducable. No matter which kind of export to STL you use, the model will not be exported with orientation which match the one that you see in the Fusion 360. The only exportable format that keeps the orientation properly is 3MF.

TheCADWhisperer · ‎08-29-2023

@antonkukoba

Can you File>Export your *.f3d or *.f3z file that exhibits this behavior to your local drive and then Attach it here to a Reply?

Attach the resulting *.stl file too.

kiddocteur · ‎04-09-2024

Same problem for me, this problem is only in fusion....

TheCADWhisperer · ‎04-09-2024

@kiddocteur

Can you File>Export your *.f3d file that exhibits this behavior to your local drive and then Attach it here to a Reply?

Attach the resulting *.stl file too.

Replication has always been the Gold Standard in the sciences.

antonkukoba · ‎04-10-2024

Can you install some slicer(Orca, Cura etc) and load the STL file exported from Fusion 360 and see it for youself?

TheCADWhisperer · ‎04-10-2024

@antonkukoba wrote:
Can you install some slicer(Orca, Cura etc) and load the STL file exported from Fusion 360 and see it for youself?

@antonkukoba

Yes, I can do that when I have your files to use in the diagnosis.

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