3D Printing Tech Tip: Editing Mesh STL Files Using SOLIDWORKS

[@geoper2]

Informative video but you forgot to mention one critical step, probably because you have it already set up. In order to be able to modify the mesh file you need to set up Solidworks to import it as a solid body and not as a surface body or a graphics body, which are the other two import options. One way this can be done is inside Solidworks go to System Options->Import->File Format(STL) and then choose Solid Body. Or if you want to choose every time you import an stl you can select the same options from File->Open->Mesh Files and then select options and it will actually take you to the same options as before.

[@andresvillarroel6216]

THIS

[@luukjanssens5875]

hello Andrew, great video! This works for me, but how would i be able to ''extrude cut'' a sketch like yours. I get an error when i try that. Thanks for the video!

[@tazztone]

cool. but how can i cut something from the part rather than add/fill up like in this example?

[@timothyc9965]

The file you exported has 2 polygonal faces where the slot used to be - they're not triangles anymore, they have 13 sides. Will that still be a valid STL file?