STL to 3D Printed Injection Mold | Fusion 360 Mesh

Turn your STL Mesh file into a 3D Printed Mold using Fusion 360 Mesh features. This tutorial covers how to insert mesh files, convert solid bodies to meshes, subtract or cut bodies from one another, and how to create pour spouts and registration pins before exporting for 3D printing.
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Create 3D Printable mold in Fusion 360
00:15 - Insert Mesh file in Fusion 360
02:20 - Convert Solid body (Mold Box) to a Mesh Body in Fusion 360
03:05 - Cut STL away from the body in Fusion 360
04:14 - Split STL Mesh body in Autodesk Fusion 360
05:37 - August 3D Modeling Challenge
06:00 - Direct Edit Mesh in Autodesk Fusion 360
06:24 - Fusion 360 hidden trick (check it out!)
06:43 - Create pour spout for 3D printed mold
07:38 - Rearrange parametric timeline in Fusion 360
08:42 - Tips to create 3D printable mold registration pins
09:24 - Save as Mesh in Autodesk Fusion 360 to export STL files
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Disclaimer:
This video description may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.
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#Fusion360 #ProductDesignOnline

[@ProductDesignOnline]

*Grab the demo file* : bit.ly/AmongUsSTL View 3D Modeling Challenge: bit.ly/August3DChallenge

[@Ernzt8]

This does exactly what I need, thanks!

[@maximthemagnificent]

Learned a lot this time. Thanks!

[@kevinbyerly8982]

Thanks! Your videos have helped me so much and are the best on KZbin. You get right to the point and the steps are clear. I've elevated my Fusion 360 skills tremendously thanks to you. Please keep making videos, Kevin.

[@ProductDesignOnline]

Thanks, Kevin! I appreciate your support and am glad to hear you're learning lots. Cheers! :)

[@sbc350]

How can i use a stl to cut into solids in onshape?

[@Kidney_Thief]

This tutorial really helped. Thank you

[@moisesaragon4008]

Extraordinary work.

[@hedgehogs4424]

This was, for the lack of a better word, awesome.

[@DK-Design]

I need to start doing videos like this for the modeling software I use. Not to dig on 360 I played with it a few times before. But there seems a lot of steps to accomplish this task.

[@limeracing]

Thanks! Some epoxy and silicone molds are in order now...😁 the part where you made the tapered registration pins...do you have a more detailed video on that subject? I'm trying to make a tapered revolve on an existing part and can't get it to work or mostly can't get it to combine into one component. 🤔

[@carlitosscova7451]

Great vir by the way!

[@kartekomo9510]

I tried doing the same thing with a different mesh file. Instead of using fusion 360 I used onshape. Watching the video, I realise that onshape makes things so much easier. But great tutorial!

[@modernDEsignwithFusion360]

Great Video! Thanks so much! Thanks also for briefly mentioning the importance of reducing dependencies and managing the timeline! This is probably the most important thing when working with parametric design tools!

[@nathanking2484]

Thank you. Great video!

[@ProductDesignOnline]

Thanks, Nathan! :)

[@marcosoliveira_accounts]

Muito massa! Parabéns 👏

[@antonwinter630]

good video. love to see it the end results IRL.

[@ProductDesignOnline]

Thanks! I plan to do some more in-depth mold related videos and will do one end-to-end with a final product.

[@bryanho1777]

NICE!!!!!

[@mrllblasi]

This is a great vid! Thanks so much! I’m trying to create a F360 mold of a Foo Dog mesh. The foo dog has front legs and plenty of chest overhang. Given the constraints, is creating an F360 mold box that allows easy model extraction feasible?

[@davitbigvava2441]

Who wonts more deep videos about molds??

[@danielbyers2699]

This was awesome. I would like for you to have gone through step by step how you did the registration pins as far making 4 equals ones

[@ProductDesignOnline]

Thanks, Daniel! I'll make a new/separate video on this :)

[@drakeinraven1705]

@@ProductDesignOnline I would also appreciate this please

[@jamshazam]

Hey there@@ProductDesignOnline ! Did you end up doing this? I couldn't find it on your channel!

[@gustavochoque4435]

thank you!!!!!!

[@sargentavs]

is it possible to scale the STL to take in account the shrinkage of the casted material? (for example copper, aluminum, etc) is there any functionality on F360 that auto scales the molds depending on the material you want to cast and the complexity of the shape? I can't find any info about this. Thank you, super useful video!

[@riverainventions]

Thank you...

[@TechnologistAtWork]

Can we get the inverse operation of this by converting an STL to a solid that you can work with?

[@patrizioyeah7941]

BRAVO! diretto e ed esaustivo.... promosso! e mi hai risolto un mega problema!

[@ProductDesignOnline]

Prego! 😎

[@YodasUnderPants]

Is there a way to offset the cut made by the tool body to allow for silicone mould making?

[@prasadk4477]

Great video! can you help out with objects with hanging parts

[@DioZambrano]

Thanks!

[@ProductDesignOnline]

Thank you, Dio! I appreciate your support! Apologies for the delayed response :)

[@christianmontagx8461]

A better idea in a real world FDM scenario than registration pins are drilling holes for some threaded rods. With this and a few nuts it's easier to press the two halfes together with more pressure than rubberbands would do. Also it's possible to use some wet sandpaper mountet on glas to clean and even out the connecting faces betweeen the halfes to prevent leakage.

[@hillfortherstudios2757]

I have always thought that it would be baller if Fusion had a "combine cut with clearance" command, That would allow the clearance of mating parts like your tapered hex nuts to be done very easily. Thanks for the video! I will be using this to easily make moulds for my culinary customers!

[@hillfortherstudios2757]

I became a member to say thanks!

[@ProductDesignOnline]

@@hillfortherstudios2757 Thanks! I appreciate that, James! I agree with the clearance feature. I suspect that will be a thing in the future :) What kind of food molds... chocolate?

[@hillfortherstudios2757]

@@ProductDesignOnline yes. I havent started yet. I have heard that if you just directly printed them the 3d print wojod be too stiff to de mold the chocolate. Is thst true?

[@biomashed]

Hillforther Studios create a mold as he showed, then create a mold of that mold with walls, and fill with your food safe silicone to be able to make a food safe, pliable, mold that allows you to make what you need.

[@rarstorm]

@@biomashed Can you please elaborate on the creation of a mold from the mold?

[@agguilarmetalwork4494]

Hi thanks for the video, will this work on fusion 360 personal use?

[@Cami10_24]

Do you have to count the retractions in the model when you do Injection?

[@prostoposter]

Hey. Thanks for the amazing tutorials!!! I got a question.. I'm getting a permanent error on Mesh body cut, the section around 4.37.. I did the tutorial twice and still get it - it says compute failed. Is there a way around it?

[@jamesm2783]

Make a video of you pouring a mold with this design. It's a lot harder than you think. I doubt you could even demold this design.

[@ProductDesignOnline]

Hi James, I bet you're correct! This video does not cover draft angles or any aspects of mold design...simply the workflow to creating one in Fusion 360 :) I have created a number of 3D printed molds using this worfklow (up to 6 different parts). If there's enough interest, I can do more videos on this topic.

[@asadali8446]

@@ProductDesignOnline That would be great if you also show full process from Fusion360 to a injection molded part. I want to try it for making propellers for small drones.

[@ProductDesignOnline]

@@asadali8446 sounds like a fun project! I guage the interest here after the video has been up for ~ 1 week :)

[@Cornish_Co]

@@ProductDesignOnline I would also be very interested in seeing this process from start to finish.

[@johngriffin618]

@@ProductDesignOnline I'm interested as well. Plan on buying year membership for your website once I finish up my solidworks classes in school, I like fusion 360 a lot more for the type of stuff I do at home plus can't use my work license at home for solidworks.

[@danime7244]

This is really helpful but I'm stuck at the registration pins when you say repeat for the positive I can just select one face draw the pins extrude and then cut like I did with the positive in the mold box?

[@WMBayouLures]

Thanks for this video and thanks to Autodesk for making the mesh tools better and better. Quick question, after you cut out the STL from your mesh mold, could you convert the mold back to a BREP body to then use the solid tools more easily or does this lead to errors/hassle?

[@ProductDesignOnline]

Short answer - it depends. In most scenarios, yes, not a problem to convert back to Solid. If you have a very organic or complex (high mesh count) model, then it may not work :)

[@vasiliyivanovich7609]

Спасибо. Я так мучился с этим.

[@mztutto3d]

Sorry and hole for drain silicin in excess?

[@Koushakur]

If the 3mf contains units why do we still have the option to choose the unit type from the list? I've found 3mf to be more annoying than stl with no actual benefit for basic 3d printing. In cura they're always placed at the origin instead of on the build plate and multiple bodies are treated as entirely separate even if they're exported as one file, which goes entirely against why I'd export as one file to begin with. Really small file sizes though, but that's rarely an issue to begin with.

[@AnneTitter]

Awesome!! I’ve been trying to figure out an easier way to make molds of some 3d prints to be used for epoxy resin casting! It’s like you read my mind! Now, just need to find the vid for wrapping an svg or dxf around a cylinder to create texture rollers to use with polymer clay! You are frelling AWESOME!

[@TheShadesOfBlack]

I’m sure you can do this in fusion however I don’t know how. But Blender has a shrink wrap modifier that you can use to stick an svg to a cylinder.

[@TheLoyano]

Awesome video, but I'm stuck, can't see the direct edit icon? Im using the free version. any help ... thanks

[@FrIeD_ToEnAiLs]

Is there a video on how to create complex models seen in a movie? I.e. the orb in guardians of the galaxy

[@BellyUpFish]

What would be the odds you could do a video on how to do a mold for use as a compression mold, for use with "forged" carbon?

[@tegmentoo]

why are u use specialy mesh tab ?. it is possible also solid tab you did.

[@rodnamba]

Hi! Thanks for video! It’s amazing! Please, I scan my smartphone, it’s possible use this mesh to use for negative, to draw a case?? Thanks

[@ProductDesignOnline]

It will depend on the mesh file, but if it's fully closed (no holes or errors) then it can be used!

[@rodnamba]

@@ProductDesignOnline thanks for reply!!!!!

[@InitialPC]

I tried testing with a bionicle mask and the problem is the concave shape when you cut it down the middle its just two circles in the mold because it assumes the molds are flat surfaces rather than one half extending into the other

[@MrTomac4]

Why did you do the mold in mesh vs a solid body?

[@tooncobbaut2770]

i did it once ther way you did it and the second time my 'direct edit' is jjust gone. away from anywhere i could look

[@mrphysics2625]

i do not recommend 3MF unless theres a fix for it because for some reason every arc my 3D printer slicer has to interpret ends up interpreting it with half of the points needed to make an accurate arc. So arcs come out as a multiple pointed polygon that almost looks like a circle but doesnt. I havent found a fix to this yet :(

[@jcv71]

I do all this and the Mold Box can't be selected as Target Body, I can select my mesh as Tool Body but I can't select the Mold Box as Target Body.

[@delanopissoort7960]

thx but how do i make it from a spoon with a curve? its thin and thez face of the mold need to follow the face of the spoon. thx

[@ProductDesignOnline]

You will need to create a surface plane (surface extrude) from the centerline of the spoon. Then use that surface as your parting line.

[@banjohero8352]

Is it possible to convert the molds back to a solid to machine from aluminum?

[@ProductDesignOnline]

Yep! You can use the Convert Mesh feature. I have a few videos on it: Mesh to Solid: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qoeqpXpjis-fj8k Import and Edit STL: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZaweaSXbrWrpJo

[@DarkKingSolaris2011]

Can you show step by step on how to make registration marks like you did everything else?

[@ProductDesignOnline]

I'll make a new/separate video on this :)

[@DarkKingSolaris2011]

@@ProductDesignOnline thank u very much. I followed this video for about an hr when making my own mold of a kyber crystal, and was totally lost when it came to the registration marks. This will be a great help. Thanx again!

[@Marwa-gt7ho]

thanks for the tutorial. but im stuck at the registration pins. A bit more detail would have been nice

[@ProductDesignOnline]

Hi Marcel - appreciate your feedback! I plan to cover that as a separate/full-on video. Been working on some examples.

[@Marwa-gt7ho]

@@ProductDesignOnline thanks looking forward to that. I figured it out after a bit of trial and error but still looking forward to a more in depth look 👍🏼

[@usonthegwaii]

@@ProductDesignOnline Hi! I cant seem to find the video showing how to do registration pins. could you link it here?

[@tweeleaf]

A mold us

[@tylersutton2216]

stop

[@tweeleaf]

@@tylersutton2216 no

[@justin-wb3xb]

I also made it like this, but it didn't work, and there was a problem with the style.

[@jbergene]

in my fusion 360, Direct Edit in mesh is not there. I have a full version student license.

[@TheLoyano]

Hey ! Same thing is happening to me! How do u fixed it ? Thx

[@jbergene]

@@TheLoyano i didnt..

[@anshhseksaria5547]

To the channel owner: Pls make a video on how to make the coil springs stretch and compress

[@Cornish_Co]

PSA: Everyone should use metric for your designs.

[@IronMan-yg4qw]

why should everyone use metric? we use inches in the united states of america!! greatest country on earth!!! :)

[@Cornish_Co]

@@IronMan-yg4qw I couldn't agree more with that last part of your statement! As an American in my 30's, I learned the Metric system and Imperial measurements in school. I use metric for everything I design because it's easier and is universally recognized by software. If you export a model from F360 in Imperial units and open it with 3D slicer software, the scale will be off. I do however have an exception to my rule. When I design anything I'm going to build out of lumber I use Imperial units.

[@Globean]

@@IronMan-yg4qw too proud

[@danballarin]

@@IronMan-yg4qw not in important things like science! The creation of the imperial system lacked foresight and we use it only because we can't break a bad habit. AND, our country strips us of our saved wealth if we get seriously sick and we also pay more taxes for bombs than we do for our education systems....

[@IronMan-yg4qw]

@@danballarin agreed

[@brennenherbruck8740]

I think more emphasis should be put on converting the imported stl to a solid (stl->obj->t-splines/solud), then working with JUST solids from there on. Maintaing mesh models is a pain and not really what Fusion 360 shines at (you loose many nice features)

[@ProductDesignOnline]

Appreciate your input, Brennen! I agree that solid has many advantages. I may not have elaborated enough that this was supposed to show this new worfklow now that the new mesh tools are available. (I have a few old videos on the solid mold workflows).

[@murray2225]

STL to 3D Printed Die Cast........fixed it.

[@luisibarra3220]

mold looking a lil’ sussy

[@ausilliam]

Sussy Baka

[@ausilliam]

Fortnite Balls

[@Damjes]

I don't see point of using mesh. Why not doing the same using solids?

[@ProductDesignOnline]

You would have to convert your mesh to a solid, which means you're going to loose a lot of the quality if it's a high facet count/organic/complicated mesh. It's also likely that it may crash/hang up F360 if you go to cut a complex converted solid from another solid. The new mesh tools are a game change here as you can now work with the mesh instead of being forced to convert the mesh.

[@theofficialczex1708]

Amogus.

[@tylersutton2216]

sus

[@kirkpennock2997]

Thanks for this, but at the end you gloss over the fact you need alighnment pins and you need to be a solid for that. I just did everything as a solid and it worked. Why go to mesh?

[@taylorjarvis8930]

did you have a complex part such as the among us character? they are typically easier to work with as a mesh while more simple parts can be worked with as a solid

[@taylorjarvis8930]

you would also have to convert the beginning mesh to a solid anyways

[@silas5730]

sus :(

[@eldreamlatino758]

Sus

[@llemn5118]

sus

[@jacobm2625]

MOLD SUS

[@IronMan-yg4qw]

u didnt show how to make the negative registration holes in the other half of the mold!

[@ProductDesignOnline]

I mentioned it was the same workflow as cutting the mold cavity. Use Combine Cut to remove the opposite side (using the copied body so the clearance is factored in)

[@IronMan-yg4qw]

@@ProductDesignOnline ya but mentioning something is not quite the same as showing something. :( thx for the video tho. i got the mold made :) you didnt mention the time required to print it. is unexpectedly long time!! :(

[@pandar9501]

amogus

[@petcrab7026]

Amogus

[@Deses]

Oh no, not amogus.

[@mudnir265]

SuS

[@hardcoremodeling5331]

sus tutorial

[@sharkgamer1687]

Why do I find this suspicious

[@wlyiu4057]

A 3d printed injection mold? A plastic injection mold made of plastic? I find that suspicious.

[@ProductDesignOnline]

inception :)

[@sAINT898]

Well this didn't work for shit.

[@ProductDesignOnline]

What part of the workflow didn't work?

[@Prof.Polymath]

This has got to be one of the most complicated ways of doing this I’ve seen 🫠

[@ProductDesignOnline]

Creating a mesh mold is (unfortunately) the only way for high-poly count models that can't be converted in F360.

[@Prof.Polymath]

@@ProductDesignOnline no doubt, I just hate watching things like this, following everything frame by frame and then still getting error messages 🤯 not great with fusion so just trying to learn it more. Thanks for your help, you explain everything well. 👍🏼

[@visualizersmusic]

Sus

[@carlitosscova7451]

Amogus

[@sylvester4207]

sus

[@juandavidlaverde2368]

Sus

[@herumitto]

Sus