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Converting STL format?

Oso3DOso3D Posts: 15,085
in The Commons

Some cool free objects are in STL format... anyone have a good way to convert to a format DS will understand?

(I have Bryce, Carrara, and Hexagon, if any of that helps)

 

Comments

  • algovincianalgovincian Posts: 2,664

    Not at a computer right now to confirm, but I *believe* Meshlab will import .stl files. It's an insanely powerful tool, though tilted away from art and towards math for sure. Other than that, I believe STL is mostly a CAD format used in fabbing, no? You might try looking for CAD applications that'll export .obj or something along those lines. Hope this helps.

    - Greg

  • Charlie JudgeCharlie Judge Posts: 13,247

    Yes. MeshLab is free and will convert stl files to obj: http://meshlab.sourceforge.net/

  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001

    Blender will do it...

  • Oso3DOso3D Posts: 15,085

    Thanks for tips, folks!

    (I find Blender impossible, but thanks anyway)

     

  • Oso3DOso3D Posts: 15,085

    Meshlabs does the trick nicely. Thanks!

    I posted about a free site of scanned objects, and it's awesome except most of them were in STL. Heh.

     

  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001
    edited May 2016

    For Blender it's usually just enough to File>Import>Stl..browse to file...then File>Export>Wavefront Obj.

    Meshlab does, on some STL items preserve materials, Blender may not.

    Post edited by mjc1016 on
  • Ken OBanionKen OBanion Posts: 1,455

    Isn't STL the file format used by the slicer for 3-D printers?

  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001

    More often than not, yes.

  • ToborTobor Posts: 2,300

    Meshlab does indeed convert STL<-->OBJ, but of course the proof is in the pudding, as they say. You have to try it to see if the model doesn't explode on you. On the whole, though, I find STL a files a bit better behaved than, say, FBX, which I nearly always have trouble converting into D|S.

    There are also some (mostly free) online converters, though the trend is OBJ-->STL, so people can convert their exported objects to their 3D printers. Just do a G search and these will pop right up. A few have file size limitations for the free service, but it sounds like you're wanting to convert fairly simple unrigged objects, and these tend to be fairly small.

  • Oso3DOso3D Posts: 15,085

    So far, so good. ;)

    Posting an example in main showme thread shortly...

     

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