![]() ![]() ![]() I guess that hand editing of the mesh is involved. Materialise claims to have conversion software called 3-matic but I have not tried it and they are foggy about downloading and using it. Rhino has an option to convert a mesh to real, smooth, curved NURBS surfaces. Mesh to Single Nurbs from Resurf converts a mesh model to one single NURBS but only for not-too-complex surfaces of course. MeshLab is great open source to repair, smooth and simplify mesh models, especially from 3D scans. Inventor has an add-in named Mesh Enabler which does the same but is limited to 5000 facets. Adding wall thickness to such a model normally fails because mesh surfaces are noisy, not smooth. That's fine if you don't mind but if you want a smooth model with less surface patches this is not the way. FreeCAD Quick Tip: Importing STEP Files and Export to STL to 3D Print 5,312 views 60 Dislike Share Save Rick Bolt 3.05K subscribers In this quick tip video, I show you how I find. It's completely identical in shape to the original. The end result is a model with just as many facets as the original model. I have no idea about FreeCad.FreeCAD works but the drawback is that the IGES- or STEP-model is still a facet model with flat, triangular, first degree NURBS surfaces. ![]() Just maybe NOT if you use the free version, which is apparently deliberately hobbled and limited (no surprise, they are not giving away the store). Any credible CAD program ought to produce a STEP file.Īnd, Fusion DOES, as I understand it. ![]() Yes, it is a "punishment export", a deliberate limit to what you can do with a file outside of the program.Ī STEP file is a very clear and accurate file format that loses nothing in the transfer other than the part history. If the only way to get a file out of Fusion or FreeCad is as an STL, then that is a restriction that is fairly unacceptable if you want real and accurate models transferred. You may get, with feature recognition, a pretty good rendition, but it will not have definite dimensions as the STEP file does. Sort of like doing a CAD model from a photo by tracing it. STL files are so different that the conversion appears to be only approximate. I regard STL files as being "on the other side of a trap door", it seems to be effectively a one-way process. While Alibre "could DO it", I was never able to get a decent part input to Alibre when starting with an STL file. And the NEED to do it that way in the first place. Of course, the basic issue is STL file conversion. At least on that I can overlay drawings and cut/extrude or even just utlimately copy. If I import a 20MB step file like the Large one are there tools within AlibreCAM (that must exist in Fusion36o I guess) to be able to 'tweak' the design to create the Small version. I've only supplied screen shots but the that's the question. My friend was able to make a small one 7MB in size. Mine as exported by either Fusion or FreeCad (I have both) came out over 20MB in size with lots of facets. Aside from the fact that the Fusion360 guy was able to create a nice step file from the stl while I couldn't. The step files appear to be one of the transfer methods of choice (IGES too) and what you get into the CAD software is one element with hundreds of edges, faces and verticies. But that's a different topic.Īnyway, my real question remains the same. The other sad thing of course is that so many people publish stl files but don't include cad portable (somewhat) stp files. That sadly vanished when it became Alibre again. Way back during the Geomagic time we could import stl files and then save them as part files. I suspect FreeCAD isn't into punishing anyone. ![]()
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