STL & OBJ shell File conversion to a solid in Autodesk Inventor Pro 2013. This method of translation involves a bit of fluffing around lads & lad’eses but you will end up with a fantastic result. A/ First- you must have Inventor Fusion. B/ Second -you must have AutoCAD mechanical or thereof. C/ Thirdly- you must have the Inventor DWG/DXF File Wizard Import converter app which should be within Inventor pro. In this case all programs are release 2013. Step 1/ Open STL or OBJ file in Inventor Fusion. Step 2/ Save file as - from Fusion - to a (AutoCAD 2010 files(*.dwg) file. Step 3/ Close Fusion file. When prompted to (save as dwg.) say no. Step 4/ Open that saved (AutoCAD 2010 files(*.dwg) file in - AutoCAD Mechanical. Step 5/ Save File As –from AutoCAD Mechanical – to a (2013 DXF) file. Step 6/ Open the DXF file in Inventor. From this you will be prompted with the Inventor

DWG/DXF import File Wizard. Your import set up should look like this or you may alter the settings as you require. I recommend that you try first with the setup as below.

Click Next, not finish, to overview as below

After setting up your folder in the Destination Folder option, complete the above setup and click Finish.

Within the next prompt it is important that your drawing is active within wizard import view window as illustrated here below. If nothing is visible here you will end up with nothing within Inventor. Please start from the beginning with perhaps different settings in the above DWG/DXF File Wizard setup. If that doesn’t work, try a different version year for the DWG and/or DXF formats form Fusion and/or AutoCAD Mechanical to enable your file as exampled below.

Step 7/ Click Finish. Your model, still in a shell form, will appear now in your Inventor window as below.

Note: - Depending on imported file size, this may take some time to re-generate. Be patient!! In some cases it can take hours for large files. Sometimes when the file opens you may be prompted to the repair environment with hazed warnings consisting of broken segments and boundary’s etc. these repairs need to be rectified here before continuing any further. Once done with a green tick of health, you may continue. Right click on the green ticked shell logo highlighted below to expose further options.

Step8/ Right click and un-check the Translucent options as highlighted below.

Your model may now look solid, but unfortunately not yet, as it will normally be regenerated in black giving it the appearance of a solid object or base unit, even when clicked on. It will appear this way by the default.

You can check most files as to define weather they are solids or not by trying to extrude a cut section from the model.

E.g.

Select a plain on the model from which you wish to make a new sketch. Note: - If your model is unable to accept a start plain and/or a new sketch, this is the first

sign that it is not a solid. However even if you are able to select a plain as illustrated above dose not necessarily mean it is a solid either.

E.g. Start and finish a sketch on a selected plain as illustrated below as to begin an extrusion cut feature.

Note: - See below how there are no highlighted tool options available for a cut extrusion. One can only extrude another solid at this point.

Step 9/ Save this model in a deferent format again but this time as an IGES file. Right click on- Save As/Save Copy AS -as highlighted below.

Step 10/ Your options within Save Copy AS window will expand further available options when left click as highlighted below. Left click in the - IGES File (*igs;*.ige;*.iges) - option within the pop up box.

Next prompt

Step 12/ Before you click save. You may wish to call this a new as a different name other than part 1.

such as update IGES + the file name of your model. Dates and times are always a good thing as well.

Step 13/ Open the IGES file you have just previously saved back in Inventor. It will now look like this in the build tree.

Step 14/ You’re just about done. Now save your IGES file as an Inventor native ipt part file.

Open back up in Inventor and you can now manipulate the model till your heart’s content. From this example below your option for extruding cuts and solids etc. are now all fully available.

Congratulations!! You have just transformed an STL and/or OBJ file to a solid Inventor native ipt. part file.

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