Importing STL files into Vectorworks

[PVA - Admin]

STL is the standard interchange at the moment for 3D printers, with Youmagine, Thingiverse and other websites hosting primarily this format. In order to modify existing models, one needs to be able to import STL files and then export them back out again for printing.

Currently Vectorworks is unable to import STL files natively, however there is a free utility that will let you convert STLs to 3DS which Vectorworks can import:

http://kbase.vectorworks.net/questions/1265/Importing+STL+files+into+Vectorworks

[Inspectorjack]

Just got a 3D printer

Monoprice 3D Select 

I haven't done anything terribly complicated yet but I'm quite pleased with being able to import STL, edit in VW17 and export .STL and print. Blown away really. Hard to believe there isn't more traffic in the 3D printing section of this forum. 

 

[Marissa Farrell]

@actionjack

I'm glad you're finding it useful! I often model from scratch in Vectorworks to export for my printer, though I haven't gone down the import STL and modify route.

I'm also not sure why there's so little traffic for 3D print, but I'm guessing it may start to pick up now that printers are becoming more affordable.

[Ivan Hörler]

The reason there is so less traffic is that VW does not support Parametric Modeling in Time. The way VW handles sequential steps is horrible to use for 3D printing.
Changing a split line in the history of my model almost always leads to a loss of the hole model. If you don't know to keep a copy before doing dangerous steps, you loose the full model as it is mostly not reproducible if the redo History is empty.
How to know what is a dangerous step? Trial and Error.
I don't know how many hours of Work I have lost, like that...
VW is not a good partner to work below cm precision at all.
Often it just does not show dimensions right, and it flips model perspective as if it's a medical glove. I am tired of listing bugs...
IMHO, just don't start.
It's a Wonderful tool in other sections like Architecture...

Regarding STL to VW, I didn't find a workflow to use STL imports and get them somehow converted into Generic Solids until now, what makes the supplemental modeling possible.

Edited September 16 by Ivan Hörler