STEP export fails

[ksmith]

Hello,

I am a student new to Vectorworks and am trying to export a model to step so I can send it to be machined. The model renders well but when I export to .stp the resulting file seems like a collection of surfaces and not a solid.  It seems as though the problem is in parts that have 3d fillets applied. You can see the first two images seem like surfaces where the actual model in VW is a solid.  It's not a particularly complex model. I have tried numerous methods to correct by building the model different ways but always ends up with some variation of this.

 

Thanks

[PVA - Admin]

What version of Vectorworks are you working with? What software are you importing the resulting STEP file into?

[ksmith]

4 hours ago, JimW said:

What version of Vectorworks are you working with? What software are you importing the resulting STEP file into?

 

2017 Education Version. I have tried importing the .STPs into the Autocad 360 viewer, Mastercam, and back into Vectorworks and they all appear the same.

[PVA - Admin]

If you can send me the file and the export I can take a look. If you don't want to post them publicly, a direct message is fine.

[ksmith]

My mistake. I'm using 2016 education version.

 

PMed you files.  Thank you!

[Kevin McAllister]

In my experience its very likely to be the fillets causing the issue. I often see them disappear in exports to Rhino and I've also had trouble with them when exporting for 3d printing. Two different things you could try -

1. convert a copy of your object to a generic solid and export that.
2. convert a copy of your object to NURBS. It will create a group of NURBS surfaces. Select all the NURBS surfaces and run Stitch and Trim Surfaces from Model>3d Powerpack. If everything aligns as it should it will create a watertight generic solid.

Kevin

 

[PVA - Admin]

I had similar thoughts to Kevin and tried a generic solid convert and then an export, but it still seems a bit odd in STP. No issue present if I export to STL however which I'm more familiar with.

 

I'll submit the file and see if something is failing during export.

[ksmith]

generic solid convert does not work. Interestingly the convert to nurbs > Stitch and Trim Surfaces from Model results in a model that is silmilar to the .stp export.