stl to solid

[gary adams]

Many on the forum proberbly no this, but if you verify a part and save as an stl, then open that file in solidworks (in my case 2010) and use a function called feature recognition, it converts your stl to a solidworks part with as far as I can tell (did for first time today) all the funtionality that goes with it. I for one will find this very handy.

[John Morris]

Interesting, I have tried to send an .stl created in MC to a customer who has Solidworks and he says the file comes up invalid. I do not have solidworks but I do have the E-drawing viewer and it comes up fine.

[Guest]

I just tried it, with an imported stl Feature Recognition doesn't even go active for me.

 

I could be wrong but I believe SW HAS to have a solid body for Feature Recognition to work. Unless I am missing something else

[Joe788]

I can't get Solidworks to do anything with the stl. It sure would be handy if it could. At the very least, I'd like to add some planes and other stuff to it, but it basically just shows me the stl, with absolutely zero functionality.

[neil qwerty]

That would be something if this is true, Gary can you please recheck your procedure and confirm that this works.

 

I'm assuming you're talking about a block with some holes or pockets, no 3d surfaces.

[SydwazShawn]

neil, Nice Bike!!

[gary adams]

I will play with it today I did it for fist time yesterday and yes the part I converted was machined with 2d paths.

[gary adams]

This was my proceedure and it may have worked becuase my source stock was a solidworks part saved as stl.

1. create part in sw to be used as stock.

2. Save as stl.

3. link file as stock in mc.

4. after verify save as stl.

5. open in sw and run feature recognition.

I assume if a solid model for stock was used in mc it would work the same. I have to reconfirm this in work today, and pehaps this doesnt work with any stl, just one created this way.

[gary adams]

My part model is not as functional as a part modeled in SW, it is heavily faceted. It is easy to dimension and the appearance is better but you wouldnt call it a solid part. So I think this qualifies as a false alarm.

[neil qwerty]

Still pretty cool that you can dimension it though.

[Hitachi]

How do you get to feature recognition? I can't find it.

 

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