Create a solid volume out of stl file (mesh)

[simon.schirk]

Hello, 

I downloaded a file from Thiniverse and want to adapt it to my needs. When I import the stl file it shows up as a mesh feature, and I am able to convert it into a surface body using "mesh enabler". But I can't figure out a way to convert it directly into a solid body or through the surface body into solid. The surface body is just one surface, otherwise I'd try to use function to combine two surfaces. 

It'd be great if anyone has a solution. 

Thanks

[JDMather]

Attach file here.

[simon.schirk]

Attached the File that I'm working on 

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Simon,

Inventor has very limited mesh modeling ability. Mesh geometry is mostly used as a reference to recreate brand new body geometry or to create approximated drawing views.

You may want to look into Fusion 360, which has a dedicated Mesh Design environment. There you can repair the mesh, remesh, join with converted mesh, and then convert it back to a body.

Many thanks!

[Gabriel_Watson]

The process of fixing up a mesh like this is usually as follows:

1- Import the STL file into Inventor;

2- Right-click the mesh and copy (and delete the original) mesh to a solid or surface (selecting solid will create a surface where solid creation fails);

3- Right-click and "Repair Bodies" on the new bodies created with mesh enabler;

4- Try to stitch together surfaces any way you can via the repair environment, usually by means of the Heal All, Heal, and Boundary Patch functions.

In some cases like yours, the mesh is too much trouble to fix, and you should probably attempt to recreate it in some other way. Or try a different software.

(too many free edges = your converted mesh surface has hundreds of gaps that need to be manually filled)

[JDMather]

For simple geometry like this - I would use the stl mesh only as reference in recreating native geometry from scratch.