How to convert STL to STEP using FreeCAD

This video explains how to convert a STL file to Step or editable 3dmodel file format using FreeCAD
Software : FreeCAD 0.18

[@Jaxakai]

Finally an actually straight forward video on how to do this. Thank you, you are a lifesaver.

[@That_Guy5575]

I cannot thank you enough for this video. A couple of things have changed with the new update of FreeCAD, but I was able to figure it out only because of your help. You saved me from going bald lol, I was so frustrated I was nearly tearing my hair out haha

[@freeenergyspace]

You're very welcome!

[@JT-91]

watch this on 1.5x times speed and thank me later

[@rhaphaelt]

You saved my life.

[@pauldanielflorea4196]

make it 2x times :D

[@reddotclips3971]

Music went from putting me to sleep to red bull real fast😮

[@adrianthomas4163]

Thanks for the video. Worked like a charm.

[@projetovizago1797]

Fantastic, solved a lot of time and wasted previous effort. Thanks a lot.

[@UzunKamis]

1. Open the STL File 2. Change Start to Part 3. Click Part>Create Shape From Mesh 4. Set Sewing Tolerence to 0.01 (in FreeCAD 19 it is minimum1.0) 5. Click Part>Refine Shape 6. Select Part>Convert to Solid 7. File>Export as .step file

[@freeenergyspace]

thanks for your short description

[@97timboi27]

I followed al the steps in the video, but after i exported it my cnc guy mentioned that my project went from 20cm to 20mm. Anyone an idea what went wrong?

[@josephsagotti8786]

@@freeenergyspace yeah thank god for him, you type slow as fuck

[@code2works]

@@nbd4130 in FreeCAD 0.21.0 the command is under the menu: Part → Create a copy → Refine Shape

[@Ace01010]

@@nbd4130In "Parts" there is tab called "Create a part" Its in the drop down.

[@investwiselyfolks7656]

thank you so much for the straight forward steps. kind of long but very straight to the point. Thank you for the know how. keep up the good job!

[@reverseengineeringnx]

Please visit my channel for more Reverse Engineering video tutorials. Keep learning!

[@GeorgeStubbs-wg6nr]

A helpful video with a few frustrating things I would like you to consider. 1. Take the time to write out on paper a script f you are going to type instructions over the video. Correct your spelling BEFORE it is typed to the screen. 2. Everyone scrubs the cursor around the screen. DON'T do that. It's very annoying. Everyone listen and stop doing that. 3. The step required to refine the shape is not very straightforward. Take a good look at the video after you are done and decide if a newbie will be able to follow. Don't assume everyone is as experienced as you are. With better instructions they will be someday. Don't give up. You are helping us learn. Thank you.

[@broderp]

I found this easy to follow. Why didn't you? I agree about the screen typing. I much prefer a clear voice over than music and waiting for the screen to show me someone typing.

[@volkansahinci3470]

dostum harikasın böyle bir converter belki 1 haftadır aradım cevabı sendeymiş tekrar teşekkürler

[@yunuskhalimov8079]

Thank you very much! Good lesson! I did it all right. I'm grateful to you.

[@freeenergyspace]

You are welcome! thanks for your support

[@reverseengineeringnx]

Please visit my channel for more Reverse Engineering video tutorials. Keep learning!

[@josephk9992]

Thank you, this was very helpful!

[@Nuttster2]

Thank you very much It's nice to see you typed it out

[@reverseengineeringnx]

Please visit my channel for more Reverse Engineering video tutorials. Keep learning!

[@stephenciaccio4886]

Brilliant!! Thanks for the tip

[@Snickers04G35]

I do wish it was a little faster pace, but great video you helped solve all of my issues!

[@AdamFraserKruck]

This was super helpful! Many thanks!!!

[@germas369]

very nice slow music and very nice slow tutorial for a relaxing afternoon. thank you. i am slow also this is perfect

[@reverseengineeringnx]

Please visit my channel for more Reverse Engineering video tutorials. Keep learning!

[@lantechbd]

Thank you very much

[@ahmedhassine2316]

Thank you!😃😃😃😃

[@christophehumblet9342]

a big thank you from france

[@freeenergyspace]

Thanks for your support

[@investwiselyfolks7656]

Thank you!

[@kiddkai]

Amazing!

[@artxa15]

Thanks, it worked :D

[@reverseengineeringnx]

Please visit my channel for more Reverse Engineering video tutorials. Keep learning!

[@tomaszm.9147]

Thank You!

[@Geohound888]

invaluable video! MVP

[@lancegrigson499]

Thanks. Covers everything I needed to make the conversion. Almost painful to watch (so slow, so many typing edits) and listen to (muzak), though.

[@freeenergyspace]

thanks for the review, we will improve it for the future videos

[@freeenergyspace]

Thanks for your review

[@user53473]

Lance you should be more grateful, it is slow??? fast forward.... dahhhh

[@junli5854]

@@freeenergyspace hi, Why did I fail at the last step of the convert to solid,can you help me ?

[@freeenergyspace]

@@junli5854 yes sure can you share me your freecad files to [e-mail]

[@sanguy123]

Thank you very much! it is very useful for me.

[@freeenergyspace]

Glad to hear that! keep supporting us

[@reverseengineeringnx]

Please visit my channel for more Reverse Engineering video tutorials. Keep learning!

[@keithbell9959]

Great stuff thank you so much

[@freeenergyspace]

Very welcome

[@reverseengineeringnx]

Please visit my channel for more Reverse Engineering video tutorials. Keep learning!

[@wenull3]

Thank u!

[@palaniselvan2434]

Good job👍

[@blowars3550]

Thanks !!

[@robxter2286]

Hello there Free Energy, when I select refine shape it throws me an error that says: Removing splitter failed How I can solve it?

[@izzahsamat]

Hello there, i wondering why at step create shape from mesh my software cannot insert 0.01 value. the smallest it can go 1?

[@freeenergyspace]

Can you able to share your model

[@sanginchoi3293]

The tolerance lower limit can be changed. Edit --> Preferences --> General --> Unit Tab --> Number of decimals 2 - change to 3 --> 0.001

[@freeenergyspace]

But it takes more cpu power that's why we used less

[@user-lx9jm1wo3h]

How do you remove the mesh once it is step? I am looking for a prismatic step like how fusion does. Is this possible with FreeCad?

[@broderp]

My question exactly. The final STEP file was not opened after it was exported, so I can't tell if the mesh has been removed or not. I also use Fusion360 and the free version can be a nightmare to remove the mesh to make a file clean for proper editing, unless you pony up for a $500 a year subscription!

[@user-lx9jm1wo3h]

@@broderp Yea Fusion 360 is a ripoff for small hobbyist. The price should be a one time payment for stand alone version rather than a subscription every month.

[@joansgf7515]

Also, how much time does it get to create the shape (when FreeCAD isn't responding.)

[@freeenergyspace]

It's depend on your pc performance

[@user-vz6gu3pb7f]

Thank you so much for the Video , it is very use full and i would like to know that after converting the solid there is black lines/mesh/net type on part how can we remove after refine mesh also it is as it is , how can we change the part as we created virginal part thank for your time and looking for positive response

[@freeenergyspace]

Hi , definitely some mesh lines will be there , as we can't completely remove those as the curves are more than mesh will also be more. Try to reduce the precision it may help. But it won't completely reduce the meshes

[@eneskacar7739]

Thank you so much. i wach video speed x1,5

[@reverseengineeringnx]

Please visit my channel for more Reverse Engineering video tutorials. Keep learning!

[@broderp]

You didn't show the final STEP file. Does this process remove all the facets on the model?

[@freeenergyspace]

No , It won't remove completely as the curves are too high facets also will be high

[@alimozaffar6884]

thanks

[@racketman2u]

The bad news is that this process isn't foolproof, sometimes the mesh gives a "shape is not a shell" error and won't convert to a solid; also version 0.18 seems to work more often than version 0.19 and 0.20 for some reason.

[@bujin5455]

It's neat how a 2 minute video turns into a 12 minute video, because people are afraid to have their voice heard.

[@Suzuki_Hiakura]

was honestly getting pissed off as the create shape from mesh did nothing when I clicked it through the toolbar and not the dropdown menu... not sure why the menu one worked without issue and the toolbar is bugged af... got it now and hopefully PCBWay gives a decent quote under a hundred dollars lol

[@joostwagelaar8837]

Thanks for not using stupid music

[@TasosX]

Very helpful video. when I export as a step file, do you know how I can reduce it in size so that I can send it by email?

[@freeenergyspace]

If meshes are reduced, file size also reduces , otherwise compress it in zip or rar file

[@TasosX]

@@freeenergyspaceOk Thank you very much.

[@annisanurusyifa2798]

my freecad is not responding when creating shapes from mesh, can you help me ?

[@freeenergyspace]

Share me the file [e-mail]

[@annisanurusyifa2798]

@@freeenergyspace I have sent it thank you very much

[@praveenb-xr]

free cad keeps crashing after clicking the Rfeine shape Any option to do the obj/ stl to stp in simple

[@freeenergyspace]

Even in Solidworks also you can try , but if the model is too complex or lot of surfaces then it can't be converted

[@praveenb-xr]

@@freeenergyspace i reduced the polycounts, but is there anything there like.. Lets say 2 object are not connceted and seperate but single mesh cant be converted?

[@fg-pro5157]

For my Part the minimum tolerance is 1 and the result is not so good, how can I modify this value?

[@AndreNguyen7]

Having the same issue.

[@freeenergyspace]

If your model is too complex with more surface it's unable to compute it properly check the error in stl files before starting the process

[@JT-91]

@@freeenergyspace i created a simple cube and still cannot get 0.01 minimum

[@tolga7437]

edit-prefences-units decimal=3

[@reverseengineeringnx]

Please visit my channel for more Reverse Engineering video tutorials. Keep learning!

[@coldbanjocustoms]

Hey awesome video. When I click OK to sew the shape freecad stops responding. Is there any fix for this?

[@freeenergyspace]

If the model is too complex( lot of curves) then you have to reduce the precision to work

[@TasosX]

@@freeenergyspace Hello friend, how to reduce the precision?

[@cmoggy]

thanks good video. Didn't work for me however. I had 600000 points as apposed to your 5700 points. I just get arotating wait icon even hours after I create the mesh. STL was created with a laser scan

[@freeenergyspace]

yes for more complex files this software cant handle it

[@suprayz5321]

when i click on Create Solid not working... :-(

[@freeenergyspace]

Some models can't be converted back to solid because of its complexity

[@shingrutashish5639]

In mine it's not converting to solid

[@CollectiveGallium]

Hi, I am not able to refine shape, can you help me

[@freeenergyspace]

Share your model to [e-mail]

[@arekx]

That converted solid was a ugly beast. Tons of triangles on arcs etc. That's a major problem with converting with all the free tools ;-(

[@devasuryas1395]

Bro my cpu performance is too low to compute my stl model. Will u help me to change it to step format and give me. It will be a big help bro. I can't afford that much cpu processing for my computer. Thanks in advance, will hoping to get your reply @Free Energy

[@freeenergyspace]

yes send me your model

[@devasuryas1395]

​@@freeenergyspace Bro I have sent my file to the email : [e-mail] Hoping for your reply, will be a big help

[@lucluong8690]

My laptop lagged when I was doing the first step. Poor it XD

[@freeenergyspace]

Complex structures need more cpu performance

[@megacup3977]

i couldnt cause shape is not a sheel what those that mean

[@gonzogorf7019]

prawdopodobnie masz jakieś dziury w siatce.

[@megacup3977]

@@gonzogorf7019 lovely thanks ive found that out but thanks

[@HT_-hk4ih]

cannot create shape of mesh to lower

[@freeenergyspace]

0.01 is the minimum

[@stefanoflamini9638]

Mi freecad 0.18 when i click on Create Solid not working... :-(

[@freeenergyspace]

share me your file [e-mail]

[@joansgf7515]

Why is it that my tolerance can't go lower than 1?

[@freeenergyspace]

If your object is too complex/more curves

[@ludwig8891]

#FreeEnergy

[@timinwsac]

I love my mute button.

[@hadihalimi1970]

simple thing 12 min :|

[@adriangibson9440]

Was hard to watch something could have been shown in 2 min at most but the slow typing killed it for time, otherwise very helpful!

[@chittychad18]

They make cheap microphones, even phones can be used. Longer video with elevator music makes this horrible to watch.

[@freeenergyspace]

will change from next time

[@mordantly]

This would be a 30 second video if you spoke English!