Opening STL file as part file (as solid body)

[toycept]

Trying to open STL files as solid body parts but getting the warning about the part
having too many surfaces and it should be opened as a graphics body. I need it to
be a solid body. Anyone know of any work arounds, tricks or otherwise to get the part
to open as a solid body? Short of going back to client to ask to resend native part file.....
Seems like this happens too often.
Thanks

 

[rollupswx]

...Short of going back to client to ask to resend native part file.....

Are you familiar with stl files?
Stl files are coarsely faceted planar surfaces - generally of little use other than for reference in an MCAD software.

 

[rollupswx]

If you attach the file here - I can attempt to convert it to a solid for you.

 

[toycept]

Yes... I'm familiar with STL files. I'm aware that STL files with over 20,000 triangles causes
problems for the file to be opened as a solid body and one is left with the alternative to open
the file as a graphics body, which can't be used for very much. Thus my question if anyone knows
of any work arounds. Thanks for the interest.

 

[Updraft]

If you are trying to use the file as a solid for anything in SWX I think you will be frustrated and disappointed. The file will be huge, it will be faceted instead of the smooth faces, and you will not be able to add features to it. STL was developed for rapid prototyping and very little else can make use of it.

If you are trying to use the file in SWX then you would be so much better off asking for the file in one the following formats (in order of preference): 1. SolidWorks part file, 2. Parasolid, 3. ACIS, 4. STEP, 5. IGES. IGES, for being a "solid" file format, has far and away been the most trouble of all the above formats. You should ask for IGES ONLY if their system cannot export to any of the other formats.

- - -Updraft

 

[toycept]

thanks for the follow up. noted and agree with all your points. In the past, when I can
open the STL file as a solid body, I will then save it as a part file and have not had
issues then working on it. It's basically a dumb solid. It may take a bit longer
to work on, as the rebuilds are a bit more time consuming. The problem is, as noted,
trying to get large triangulated STL files to open as solids. Not always so lucky.
Going to the client to ask for the native part files would be great, except sometimes,
more often than not.. the files are coming from Asia... so not so easy to get the
useful files. From my original inquiry, I just wanted to explore all bases, if anyone
had some magical formula for getting the triangulation size down on the larger
STL files. But thanks for the help.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Try using Meshlab to reduce the polygon count.

http://www.shapeways.com/tutorials/polygon_reduction_with_meshlab

I have not tried this program so cannot attest to it's usefulness.

 

[toycept]

Thanks for the tip, CBL. When I have a moment, I'll test it out
and report back.

 

[toycept]

I've been trying out the Meshlab program.... since having solidworks
opening an STL file as a solid body requires the file to have less than
20,000 triangles, the Meshlab program allows you to lower the count of the
surface triangulation. I had an STL file that was 240,000 triangles. When
I tried to convert it 20,000, it didn't look so good. The geometry broke up
quite a bit. Still playing with it... but thought I'd report back on my initial
results. Thanks again to CBL for suggesting it.... maybe I just need to understand it
a bit more.

 

[rollupswx]

Can you zip and attach the file here?
I would like to see if the Autodesk Mesh Enabler will convert a file with that many triangles to a solid.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

toycept,
See if this helps ...

http://www.swtuts.com/?p=427

 

[toycept]

ah.... funny you should mention this link, CBL.
I just found this similar post from Charles Culp under this link:

https://forum.solidworks.com/thread/44730

looks like it 's the same post.... or similar....
haven't had a chance to read it in total yet...
but thanks!!

 

[MDGroup]

Another source to look into is Transmagic; a file conversion program for CAD. In theory it should be able to take in the stl file and generate a SW part file. All though I have never used it.

They offer a free trial.

http://www.transmagic.com

-Lou

 

[mjcole]

Did you try it with SurfaceBody option. In addition to the import solid body needs to try to fix up boundaries and merge the faces into a closed body which is more difficult than importing just surfaces.

"It's not the size of the Forum that matters, It's the Quality of the Posts"

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Boston, MA
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@ TrajPar - @ mcSldWrx2008
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[toycept]

Just wanted to follow up on this post. CBL, I did try out the MeshLab plug in you suggested
trying the mesh reduction feature. Seemed to work okay. I also downloaded a trial of the Geomagic
Studio program which also has a feature for mesh reduction but also has other features like
being able to open OBJ files and then save as STL files... which is what I was looking for. But
now I've also found out about this plug in called Power Surfacing which seems to allow opening
of OBJ files. The advantage of this is it's functioning within Solidworks. So that's where things
stand. The Geomagic software seems pretty robust and interesting, but the idea of learning yet another
program is less appealing than having a program that functions from right within Solidworks, (and offering
subD surfacing features)....like the power surfacing plug in.