Digitized *.STL to Workable CAD File?

[chase78]

I'm going to Be getting a 3D Digitizer that will give me a dot plot in *.stl . I work In Solidworks. I'm looking for sometype of parametric program so that i can work with the digitized object in SOLIDWORK.

Any suggestions?

[ger21]

You want to turn a digitized model into a parametric model?

[Kiwi]

SOLIDWORKS 2007 will open a STL file.

[cadcam]

So is this going to basacally give you point cloud data?
If so then you will need to make splines from this data to create surface data.

SW should support this.

[cadman]

SW opens stl files. But unless you have a good graphics card and lots of memory, SW is very slow to open stl files with a large number of polygons and is prone to crashing. If you are working with a stl file that has 3D contour surfaces this is what you will have.

That said, many digitizers have plug-ins to scan and import point cloud data from within Solidworks. Maybe that is available with your device. If not, do a search on Desktop Engineering magazine's website.

www.deskeng.com

They have done many articles on digitizing and related software.

[chase78]

"You want to turn a digitized model into a parametric model?"
yes thats what i want to do.

The 3D digitizer gives a point clound. I'm Working with SolidWorks 2004 So I can open the file but it give me no dimensions of ablity to manipulate it.


I know programs like Rapidform will get the job done but I don't that kind of money.

[ger21]

I don't believe there's a cheap or easy way to do it.

[Kiwi]

A program MeshToSolid is a Plug-In for IntelliCAD. $195 USD
Each MeshToSolid license comes with a free commercial license of IntelliCAD worth 250 USD.

http://www.sycode.com/products/mesh_to_solid/index.htm

When opened as STL and saved as SAT this can be opened with BobCAD-CAM, measured and tool paths generated.

[cadcam]

Well in that case I can cut an STL in Mastercam under that thought.
I think he needs to see if it will output say Ascii formate so you get the point data and build from there.

[Tony the Ferret]

Think you need to look at re-eng from Cimatron, it has the ability to read in an STL file, trim and cut it with surfaces & planes, then add it to a surface or solid model.

Downside of any STL files, they will never be a parametric entity, because it was created with fixed points from an external source. Of course you may be able to pull or push the points to alter the shape, but this is not parametrics. You need to remember what a parametric entity consists of, for example a simple line.
The creating software knows the co-ordinates of the start and end in XYZ and of course the vector. if this entity is used for any other construction or part of another entity, the software knows everything about it.

Between parametric modelers, eg SW & Cimatron, there will never be the ability to parametricly alter an entity, because there is a different type of HISTORY.
End of lesson 101

[DareBee]

SolidWorks has an ADD-IN called "scan to 3D". It is specifically made for turning an .stl point cloud into a solid.
It comes packaged with SolidWorks Premium and I would imagine you could purchase it as a stand alone add-in.
Contact your reseller.
If you have any way of scanning as an .stl solid SW opens that without any additional operations.