working with .stl scans?

[moog2]

I'd like any help you can suggest, about working with scan data, the scans come as .stl, but are not really selectable or manipulative, is there any way to extract workable faces, or edges etc, or create solids from them?
Failing that could they be requested in a different file format?

 

[hudson888]

Section them

Best Regards

Hudson

www.jamb.com.au

Nil Desperandum illegitimi non carborundum

 

[JohnRBaker]

You can also try...

Edit -> Surface -> Refit Face...

...where you first construct a surface about the same size and general shape as the faceted body and then using the above function, you map it, by imposing the shape of faceted body, onto the surface.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[moog2]

Great, thanks guys,
John, I had a quick play, it seems to work easy enough, if i map my surface to the scan,will it take on the inaccuracies of the scan, if so do i just modify the settings within that command, or is there better ways of smoothing the shape?

 

[JohnRBaker]

There are options which control how precise the conversion is as well as settings with affects the smoothness of final the results. You'll will probably have to do a little 'trial & error' to see which settings works best for you.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[moog2]

would it also be possible to convert the .stl into iges using, say "rhino" (or any other 3rd party software) so i can do more with them ? any suggestions?

 

[hudson888]

I've never seen it done, but you'd like to think so I guess. Anyone who knew a way might be very welcome indeed.

The problem is that STL files occasionally LOOK good enough that you'd dearly like to believe that they could be somehow used directly. I myself have struggled with that sense of cognitive dissonance. By all means write the ER. I doubt that you'll be the first in line.

Best Regards

Hudson

www.jamb.com.au

Nil Desperandum illegitimi non carborundum