Import and Edit STL Files in Fusion 360 2024

Import and Edit STL files in Fusion 360 on the free Personal Use license. Learn how to remove those mesh triangles (facets) using 3 core techniques. These Edit STL techniques range from beginner to advanced concepts, all of which are covered in this lesson.

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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Import and Edit STL files in Fusion 360
00:30 - Import STL in Fusion 360
01:25 - Convert Mesh to STL in Fusion 360
02:51 - One: Self Repair mesh facets in Fusion 360
03:40 - Two: Fix simple mesh surfaces
07:03 - Three: Fix complex mesh surfaces
10:37 - Stitch surface bodies in Fusion 360
12:08 - How to version control STL files

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[tomasnielsen]

I watch this film every time I need to do this. Fusion 360 manages to complicate the most essential things so much.
Thanks for this film!

[MikiCab]

One of the best Fusion 360 videos I have ever seen. Usually there is one step missing that prevents the student from being able to follow along without hours of frustration. Very well done. You are now my Fusion 360 tutor of choice.

[rainydaytoast]

I have been watching a few fusion 360 tutorials on and off for the last couple years as I’ve needed and I find your to be the better of them. Clear and concise! Thank you! Subbed.

[christoskaragiannis]

The amount of useful information in 14mins of video is amazing. Thank you!

[JoMiller]

This was super helpful! It really helped me get moving on editing files where I can take something "close" that someone else created and then edit it from there to fill my actual needs. AWESOME!

[apparentlywyatt]

This is the exact video I've been searching for since I started using fusion in December. Thank you!

[mrCetus]

You literally just made my day! I was really frustrated with Fusion 360 a few days ago because I wasn't able to use the prismatic method and had no idea how to clean up the mess Fusion left me with. Horrified by the choice of learning another CAD software (start from zero again - who has the time?) or paying more for a single piece of software than I paid for my laptop I had to put the project on hold for a few days.
Now this workaround seems fast and easy enough for my needs and will save me a lot of headache in the future, thank you so much!

[glittalogik]

Sharing because this might come in handy for other newbies who want to trim off parts of a complex mesh body without loads of faffing about:

- Create a new 'tool' body in the desired negative shape
- Position the tool intersecting with the unwanted bits of your converted mesh body
- Combine the two bodies using Solid > Modify > Combine > Cut
- The tool and unwanted mesh bits go bye-bye and you're left with nice smooth surfaces.

I figured this out while adding a threaded end-cap STL to my project. The walls of the cap were way too thick, so I made a hollow cylinder shell with inner diameter matching my desired outer diameter for the cap. I slid the cylinder down over the cap, did the above, and now it's perfect :) The threaded area is a maze of tiny faces that I don't want to screw up (heh) so this was a great way to fix the rest with no risk to the functional bit.

[sualpozel]

A great video for all who are on the personal license of Fusion 360 and work with mesh bodies.

[peacekper]

Thank you so much for the helpful video! I haven't touched any CAD software in about 10 years and recently got into 3d printing and these videos are awesome.

[quentinlecoq]

Clearly the best fusion video out here. Clear, concise, fast. I understood way much here than anywhere. Thanks a lot!

[malakov]

Thanks a lot for this. There are tons of videos about cleaning up STL but they are all on the paid version or a student license and sometimes fail to mention that. This video really helped me get to started.

[ColinWatters]

Great video. I've been using F360 for awhile and still learnt a few new tricks. Will have to book mark this vid.

[tinkerman]

You are my hero! This tutorial really helpful for all hobbyists of 3D printing and modeling who running personal edition of fusion360 likes me. Thx! 😎

[Block-Shock-and-Fabrication]

Thank you so much, Usually I have no problem converting a mesh from step file. But what I'm working on is more complex/weird geometry. I was missing one step that was critical to correctly converting to a solid body. Again thank you. Extremely good tutorial! Adding to playlist❤🎉

[mv_]

This is seriously the one and only video that helped me! Thank you and cheers!

[reaford]

I find your videos to be amazingly helpful. I really wish you offered some sort of "live" course. I think it would be amazing. I am a physician by training and have essentially learned Fusion360 (at least many concepts) completely from your videos.

[MikiCab]

Great video. I usually just draw everything from scratch and do the best I can. I am right in the middle of a project right now that I may try this on.

[MapleMusicFreakXD]

As a student, you might have just saved my Degree. Thank you so much!

[samanawayadatta]

This is probably the only video in the entire 3D Modelling landscape that exactly solves my problem. Very thanks, mate.