Any convertor for exporting STL file type to parasolid or step file

[NXsupport]

Hi All,

Iam looking for convertor to convert STL type file to Parasolid or Step format. Currently we can import the STL file type as Convergent body in NX12. But there is no way we can export this as parasolid or step format.. We want to use the solid to either develop a flat solid or do some other operations..

 

[jerry1423]

No, there is not a convertor, but you may be able to do what you need to using Convergent Modeling
[URL unfurl="true"]https://community.plm.automation.siemens.com/t5/NX-Design-Forum/Facet-body-to-Solid-Model/td-p/381844[/url]

Jerry J.
UGV5-NX11

 

[NXsupport]

Hi Jerry,

I guess we cannot convert the stl convergent body to NX sheet metal feature.. So I will not be able to flatten it out. Very sad to know even in this age, Siemens cannot have a convertor to convert STL type file/ convergent feature to more useful file type of feature like parasolid or unparameterized body on which we can run sheet metal commands..

 

[jerry1423]

Covergent modeling is still quite young, so sheet metal functions may come in the future.

Jerry J.
UGV5-NX11

 

[NXsupport]

I tried to extrude using face edges, nothing is selectable. I tried to copy or move or pull face, nothing works on convergent body .. This is such a useless thing..

 

[cowski]

STL files are the worst, avoid them whenever possible.

www.nxjournaling.com

 

[jerry1423]

A few years ago I had an STL files converted to STP, but it was quite costly. You may want to check in your area if there is such a place.

Jerry J.
UGV5-NX11

 

[Xwheelguy]

NX can't do it because STL isn't the same as typical model geometry and neither is a convergent model, that's why you can't extrude face edges because they aren't really geometric faces - they are facets, which are completely different entities to NX.

Yeah, like cowski said, avoid STL whenever possible unless you want to spend weeks reverse engineering using Fit this and that commands in NX, which can be a real treat.

Tim Flater
NX Designer
NX 11.0.1.11 MP8
GM GPDL 11-A.3.3
Win7 Enterprise x64 SP1
Intel Core i7 2.5GHz 16GB RAM
4GB NVIDIA Quadro K3100M

 

[Rob_N]

I don't know of any software that can take an STL file of a sheet metal part and convert it to a solid with sheet metal features and generate a flat pattern, automagically...

I always ask for points when tasked with reverse engineering a stamping, its easier for me to rebuild it that way. I'm not familiar with some of the functions we got when we upgraded from advdes bundle to AS/DS5051 bundle on my seat

 

[BubbaK]

There's a program here that you can use to convert a facetted body to a "regular" one.

https://community.plm.automation.si...mization-Forum/Bodies-from-facets/td-p/539688

But, in the long run, the right solution is Convergent Technology, which will allow you to include facetted faces as part of a body, and use that body anywhere in NX. This is a work-in-progress. It's not true that "nothing works" on facetted bodies. Booleans work, and so do Trim, Split, Shell, mass properties calculations, etc, etc.

 

[looslib]

Reverse engineering at its worst!
The structure of the SLA file does not lend itself to be imported as a solid model. It is a faceted representation of the CAD model for a specific purpose. Would you expect to read a CNC program into a CAD system and have it 'magically' create the solid model? Reading in SLA and NC program files for comparison to the original solid model is what the import functionality is designed for.

"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."

Ben Loosli

 

[Tingsryd]

"Very sad to know even in this age, Siemens cannot have a convertor to convert STL type file/ convergent feature to more useful file type of feature like parasolid or unparameterized body on which we can run sheet metal commands.. "

What you are asking for is not a simple translator and that is why NX does not do it nor other cad software. The software to do this can be very expensive depending on the feature set. We have one customer that supplies us STL bodies because they use a software with very good free-form design capabilities but the easiest format for them to output is STL. They used to pay for expensive translations for us but then we developed a workflow to use their STL bodies in our mold designs and, as far as manufacturing is concerned, NX is very good at 3-axis machining of STL bodies.

From what I have seen all of the simple scripts to convert STL bodies are not good at all for accurate purposes. They typically convert the STL triangular mesh into triangular planar surfaces so they lack smoothness.

If you need to convert STL bodies frequently then I recommend buying software to do it or, if you only need to do it once in a while, pay a conversion service.

NX 12.0.2