I’m looking for a program that would aid in converting a mesh file to a solid in “one-click” so I can manipulate it in my CAD program. I’ve looked around at QuickSurface but it seems like the workflow is only incrementally better that what I’m currently doing manually rebuilding a structure. I would like to do something more like Fusion 360 where it’s a few clicks and the software does all the heavy lifting. I hear that Siemens’ Solid Edge orAutomapki Autoconverter may do the trick. Has anyone used any one of those platforms. My only other option is to get all my mesh files ready and try to process them thru Fusion 360 in a month so I’m only paying the $85 fee.
Hi, I use Solid Edge Community Edition (which is free) and it is pretty powerful. Only downside is that you will need a beefy computer to move it.
I found long ago this free Udemy course explaining how their reverse engineering tools work:
You will only need an account to watch it. It is for a rather old version, but you can get an idea.
Sorry, I forgot my own answer…
I personally use the manual selection tools in Solid Edge to specify what is a plane, what is a cylinder… SE can do it automatically, but usually it adds lots of surfaces you are not interested in, and you end up spending more time deleting them than anything else
Checkout Instep Studio 3d. Here is the (Link Click Here) I haven’t used it a lot but it does work well and is cheap for the perpetual license which is nice since I avoid all softwares I can that have subscriptions. I use turbocad for my reverse engineering mostly and that can run with an stl or obj while making acis solids. When I use alibre design I either use Instep to convert or turbocad to make the object a solid.
I’d Like to Point out FreeCAD. Free as in Free Beer AS in Freedom.
Maybe also scriptable for your needs!
Playing with FreeCAD now. Although it’s converted the file to STEP, I still can’t edit it as a solid when I bring it into Shapr3D which I use to do all my work.
Understand that what you want to do is very difficult if not sometimes impossible with todays options. The mesh file is a zillion flat faces that make up other shapes. To simply convert to a step file only makes a solid object that has a zillion facets but still no primitive shapes like cylinders or spheres. Instep 3d can during the conversion process change some of the facet areas to actual nurbs shapes but the quality of the original mesh shape must be pretty good. There is a reason programs like quicksurface and geomagic are so spendy. The best and most common thing to do with cad and scans is to use the original scan to base a whole new model off of in your cad program. Using the scan as a reference for locations and dimensions. For example in turbocad I make the scan model into a transparent object which I then model directly in place new solids to match the shape and dimensions of the scan. I can use the scan to snap to or measure off of as a guide. This way you end up with a cad model that has all the history and nurbs shapes so it can be further edited or shared with others. So programs like instep 3d can take some surfaces or maybe all on a scan and make them into editable shapes but it isn’t always going to work like that and the results may not be what you want since the conversion process isn’t really simple. With new A.I. stuff coming out maybe it will be able to interpolate these types of problems in the future.
Yeah, that’s what I’m running into and I realize this is a big challenge. I am stuck with a ton of facets that I’d like to merge into one piece. I’m at the point of trying Fusion 360. But I think I’ll run into the same issue right?
Yes you will have the same issue in fusion. Note also that to bring the mesh models in for reverse engineering can be a challenge in another way that they have so many facets which slows down the cad programs a lot. If the model can be converted some to nurbs like with using Instep then it can be better but if using a mesh file that is simply changed to step like you had then it will still have all those facets that the program has to show or render as you manipulate it. Fusion and others are noted for needing the mesh to be simplified or decimated so there aren’t so many facets. I do this in blender since it doesn’t change the sharpness of any of the edges. Revoscan can simplify but it tends to lose details more easily then using a decimate modifier in blender. Most scans I work with need to be decimated or simplified down to around 10-15% of their original polygon count to make it very easy to work with in cad since you are trying to make a complex replacement model at same time as a mesh model is showing. If you don’t need a solid object and can work with a mesh for a model like 3d printing uses or some cam programs can use meshes for then maybe something like blender would work for you since you can manipulate the mesh directly. Or perhaps something like Rhino. I don’t know much about Rhino though other than it is aimed more towards surfacing and works better than other cad programs with that type of thing.
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Thanks, this is exactly where I’m stuck. Looking deeper, there’s a “healing” feature in Fusion 360 that seems to do what we’re talking about. But the things I’m trying to simplify are high detail items. So they contain facets that are too small to reasonably click and heal.
You have to create a Solid Out of the Mesh. Use the part Workbench in FreeCad. Saving the Mesh as STEP does nnot make sense
There are dozens of Tutorials available, e.g.
What are you trying to do with your scan after conversion? Do you need 100% reverse engineered scan to parametric CAD, or do you need a few stud, hole, or compiund curved surfaces to build off of for a new designed part? Can you share any images to help give insight? What size parts are you working with and what scanner are you using to scan said part. What accuracy are you trying for?
I’m not aware of anything that simple. The best I’ve used is QuickSurface, but that is far from one click. You still model the part, you just have an accurate sample to work from.
If you are looking to make simple mods, you can get some done with tools like meshmixer, blender, etc… Going to a CAD model is much more difficult. There are probably a couple of options in the 50k USD range, but most here aren’t going to have access to those.
I have Siemens NX and Solidworks but all needs a lot of work to create a nice file. I am more than 30 years experienced in CAD. Also licenses are expensive and mentioned earlier, a heavy PC is needed.
I had a problem with that as well, if I am understanding your need. Revo only allows point cloud non-meshed files to be imported. A step backwards from their older software which could. Go and get Cloud Compare. It is free and easy to use and works on Apple and Windows. You can donate to help them out. Easy to do in just a few steps you can convert and save from an STL mesh to PLY in point cloud format. Great software for this. I was then able to import into the Revo software. You would think Revopoint would put this back into their software. The old one was called “3Dmodelprocess” in Windows format only. I still use it to combine/merge STL files and is awesome and easy to use. Hope this helps.
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