Editing STL Files in Fusion 360 for 3D Printing: How to Remix Models

The workflow I use in Fusion 360 to remix STL files used in 3D printing. STL files contain a mesh representation of the model which must be converted to a boundary representation (BRep) before they can be edited with solid modeling tools. (UPDATE: See below as there was a Fusion 360 update which changed and improved this process)
Fusion 360 updated their software and improved things quite a bit! You no longer need to turn off "Capture Design History" and you also can convert meshes with larger number of vertices/triangles (though be careful as too many will take a long time). Now instead of selecting Mesh to BRep under the Solid tab/modify/Mesh/Mesh to BRep -- you can instead go directly to the "Mesh" tab, select the modify pull down, and select "convert mesh". After that the steps are the same and the history is retained so you can change things later if you need to!

[@david_j_m]

thank you for updating the process in the description

[@5t341tH]

Perfect. Exactly what I needed to do. A bigger hole for a magnet

[@droidsuchy]

Thanks for this video. It seems like Fusion 360 has change a "little" bit since this video, but I was still able to figure it out based on what you had here. I am using a handheld scanner to create STLs, so it is great to be able to take those scans, get them into Fusion 360, and then play around with them. Thanks again for explaining this!

[@shawngano]

Hi Joe - glad it helped! I saw the update notes a few weeks ago (or maybe months ago now?!?) where they were improving the mesh capabilities of Fusion360. So I suspect that is when the differences arose. I wonder if there are any easier ways to do it now. Next time I need make made a modification like this I may update the video. Using a handheld scanner sounds quite interesting. Take care!

[@FirdoussRoss]

Thanks for this Shawn!

[@shawngano]

You're welcome! Glad it was helpful.

[@MyBigThing2010]

I don't understand a thing you just said but compared to other videos I can tell that it's very good and I'm saving it

[@ChrisLeeX]

Thank you for making a tutorial! Your fusion 360 runs pretty smoothly, not sure why it lags so much for me.

[@mikegifford1]

Shawn, thanks for the video! When you go to convert a Mesh in the updated Fusion 360 you're faced with the option of Parametric or Base Feature. I'm under the impression to keep a conversion more accurate us Parametric. You also have Faceted and Prismatic options. I've struggled with these options since in many cases the number of faceted triangles are large and the conversion fails or only partially completes. Fusion gives errors and instructs you to Generate Face Groups or Direct Edit the Mesh. All this is a bit confusing and no real discussion about why and how to properly work with the tools to eventually convert the Mesh to a Solid so you can being to sketch and make modifications. I find its usually easier to just slice the Mesh and create sketch layers and create a design modeled after the Mesh as a guide. Can you shed some light on this topic and the Fusion tools behind what is being suggested to edit the Mesh by Fusion 360? Thanks.

[@KirklandShunk]

I never used Fusion 360 but I was wondering how to edit an STL like you shown. I'm making a character that I plan to turn into an articulated action figure in ZBrush for 3D Printing. If I do all the initial cuts without any tolerances for the moving parts, couldn't I export them as STLs, bring them into Fusion 360, and then add tolerances between parts by doing this method you showed? Because when I 3D Print the parts, they may be slightly too loose or tight, so I'd like to go back and make changes in Fusion 360. I'm just wondering if all of this is possible. Hopefully you reply! Awesome video too! Detailed and straightforward! Subscribed! 🙂

[@shawngano]

Yes this sounds quite possible and is probably easier than adjusting the tolerances in more sculpting tools like ZBrush. The trick would be to be sure you have some good references so you can adjust those tolerances after importing them into Fusion (like a flat surface). The only downside is that Fusion 360 does make you reduce the mesh count quite a bit -- so you probably couldn't do this for highly detailed model that needs a lot of triangles to represent.

[@brianpark3112]

Thanks for the video Shawn! I was wondering if there is a way to create a shallow hole that follows the curvature of the model.. Say, the top curved part of the helmet?

[@shawngano]

You're welcome! Yes, there are probably a couple ways to do it (I suspect this would be to add hat attachments or something). The way I would try it would be to construct a plane where you want the hole to be (there is a "Construct" button on the toolbar for doing this). The easiest would be to select the drop down from that button and choose the "Plane Tangent to Face at Point", then select the small facet on the helmet near where you want to add the hole, and also select one of the points on the edge of that facet and it should create a new construction plane. You can then make a new sketch on that plane -- draw your hole, then extrude (cut) it down as deep as you need it to be. The edge of the hole will follow the contour of the surface. If you want the hole bottom to also follow the surface shape - that would be a little tougher (let me know if that was what you were thinking instead).

[@brianpark3112]

@@shawngano Sorry I wasn't specific in the first request, I was wondering how to have the hole bottom to also follow the curved contour as well!

[@shawngano]

@@brianpark3112 No problem; whew that is much tougher (I have tried it a few times). Hmm -- how about an approach like this: Copy the model, then resize the copy a bit smaller. Then hide that model -- and sketch and extrude (cut) a hole in the first model down to at least (or below) the smaller model. Then un-hide and merge the two models. That may work-- you may also have to cut parts of the smaller/copied model before you merge them in case there are any inner areas that might get messed up by merging/combining them.

[@brianpark3112]

@@shawngano this could work!! Thanks for the tip, I'll try it out and let you know :)

[@newFaction64]

How do you do this in the newest Fusion 360? Many of these options are missing.

[@shawngano]

I tried to add the new steps to the description; to accomplish this with the more recent version of Fusion 360 try this: --- You no longer need to turn off "Capture Design History" and you also can convert meshes with larger number of vertices/triangles (though be careful as too many will take a long time). Now instead of selecting Mesh to BRep under the Solid tab/modify/Mesh/Mesh to BRep -- you can instead go directly to the "Mesh" tab, select the modify pull down, and select "convert mesh". After that the steps are the same and the history is retained so you can change things later if you need to!

[@alfredomoleiro7897]

Hi there I want to know how to split an stl model in half so I can use it for making bronze figures using sand molding. Can you show us how

[@shawngano]

I think the easiest way to do that is in your slicer. Most slicers have a cut function which you can then print both halves. If they don't have a cut feature you can also position the part so that half of it is below the bed, then it will print only the half that is above the bed. No need to modify the model for that. Otherwise, if you want to do this in Fusion 360: you could create a really thin (0.01mm) rectangle then extrude (cut) it through the entire model, that would essentially cut it in half.

[@alfredomoleiro7897]

@@shawngano thank you

[@princeofdew8980]

Hi, I come from the future. Don't bother using this overcomplicated thing, just use tinkercad and import the stl, copy and paste so you have two, then make a cube as big as the model and set it as "hole", drag it until it's overlapping just one half of one of the models. Select both the cube and the model and click "group". Boom. Then do the same with the other one but get the other half. You can export them together or just select one and click export and pick "selection" or similar and there you go. Enjoy.

[@DavidNelson42]

The reduce screen is different now. There's no "reduce target" setting or "preserve boundaries" setting

[@shawngano]

Fusion 360 updated their software and improved things quite a bit since this video! I am not quite sure about the reduce target or the perserve boundaries (that will take a bit more hunting). For the improvements / changes in general: you no longer need to turn off "Capture Design History" and you also can convert meshes with larger number of vertices/triangles (though be careful as too many will take a long time). Now instead of selecting Mesh to BRep under the Solid tab/modify/Mesh/Mesh to BRep -- you can instead go directly to the "Mesh" tab, select the modify pull down, and select "convert mesh". After that the steps are the same and the history is retained so you can change things later if you need to!

[@jpott7802]

I can't seem to find the mesh to brep option. I've scoured autodesk's unhelpful forums too...so frustrating.

[@jarredpigula6230]

I was looking for it too, I found it. They changed it on fusion 360. It's under modify in MESH. It's just called convert MESH

[@shawngano]

Hi Joshua -- as ​Jarred pointed out Fusion 360 updated their software and improved things quite a bit! You no longer need to turn off "Capture Design History" and you also can convert meshes with larger number of vertices/triangles (though be careful as too many will take a long time). Now instead of being under the Solid tab, modify, and then Mesh->Mesh to BRep -- you can instead go directly to the "Mesh" tab, select the modify pull down, and select "convert mesh". After that the steps are the same and the history is retained so you can change things later if you need to!

[@julious29]

Hi Shawn. I printed about 20 among us figurines a couple of years ago for my kids. They grew out of it and I’m wondering if I am able to sell them for $1 each at a local vendor event. I don’t plan on printing anymore for future selling. Is that ok? Thanks.

[@shawngano]

Hello! The original author/artist of this model, who goes by the user name alpokemon, whom I remixed my version from, released it with a non-commercial license. So no you are not supposed to sell prints (of any quantity). Also it really isn't a good idea to sell prints of copyrighted characters, even if they are "fan art", as the law in most places if pretty clearly in favor of the original creator. While I understand this may be a bit disappointing - but for a few bucks it just isn't worth the hassle of potentially getting into trouble and it is important to abide by the wishes of the original author so they are more willing to keep releasing their work for free.

[@julious29]

@@shawngano I understand. I figured I would ask before selling to avoid any conflicts. Thank you.

[@silverbullet6833]

none of these methods work on my version, under that menu i do not have mesh only convert and no brep option?

[@shawngano]

Fusion360 has been updated slightly after I made this video; check out the updated information in the full video description.

[@yurushii]

All I'm trying to do is scale the ball joint of the neck of one of my models and the program freezes. Can you show a tutorial on how to do it a better way without the freezing?

[@shawngano]

I suspect the freezing may have to do with the number of triangles/facets in your model. Try reducing that number down -- or try it on a computer with more RAM.

[@yurushii]

@@shawngano i tried everything. I like to remix things from thingiverse. I like to scale down ball joints from models or just edit it all together. Lately blender and fusion 360 has been acting like an ass. If someone can make a tutorial on this I would be so happy. I think I need to switch to tinkercad

[@technologytopper9202]

Can we open .obj file of tinkercad in fusion 360?

[@shawngano]

Yes, you can open or import .obj files in Fusion 360.

[@gokhanolmez729]

Hi, I want to make a mold of the STL files. But I can't make a mold when I import STL files. is there an easy way?

[@shawngano]

I haven't tried making a mold before, but I suspect you could follow something like these same steps but then use a boolean operation to subtract the mesh (after it is converted to a body/BRep) from another shape (the outside of the mold).

[@gokhanolmez729]

@@shawngano Thank you for the reply. but when I do brep, the detailed drawings break down. the surface looks distorted. I have to reduce when there's too much surface. density is decreasing. and the details are disappearing. example: thingiverse= 2578636. too many surfaces. I'm having to lower the surface density.

[@shawngano]

@@gokhanolmez729 Unfortunately that is a limitation of Fusion360. Without the original model or a STEP file that is the best you can do with STL (mesh) files. Other CAD programs may not have this limitation.

[@gokhanolmez729]

@@shawngano Which programs?

[@shawngano]

@@gokhanolmez729 Google "3D modeling software", "CAD programs", or "parametric CAD" -- there are lots of them, including FreeCAD, and SolidWorks.

[@Hotwire_RCTrix]

Say goodbye to Fusion 360. Autodesk are moving to remove hobby and education licenses. FreeCAD is the future of non commercial draftsmen and modelers.