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Converting meshes to solids

CaptainBisquickCaptainBisquick OS Professional Posts: 33 ✭✭
in Community Support
Is it possible to convert a polygon mesh into a solid?

I need to use a mesh modeling program to generate my complicated hole pattern. I have to get it into my model, and I see 2 methods:
  1. Export my model as a mesh and do the boolean subtraction there.
  2. Export my hole pattern as a solid and do the boolean subtraction in OnShape.
Both options could work since the ultimate destination for my model is a 3D printing slicer. But option 1 is bad because booleans are unreliable in my mesh modeler. So, is it possible to convert my hole pattern mesh to a solid that OnShape can do a boolean subtraction with? My hole shapes are triangles, so the resulting mesh would be pretty simple, just a big grid of triangular columns.
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  • phylo_pylophylo_pylo Member Posts: 1 ✭
    Did you figure out a way to do it?
  • TizioTizio Member Posts: 3 ✭
    edited January 2019
    Years later and still no boolean for import? Is there some other way?
  • konstantin_shiriazdanovkonstantin_shiriazdanov Member Posts: 1,221 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The only software i know, which supports this kind of simultaneous usage of solids and meshes is the latest versions of NX, otherwise you have to reverse ingeneer your geometry first
  • billy2billy2 Member, OS Professional, Mentor, Developers, User Group Leader Posts: 2,157 PRO
    I do a lot with meshes and feel the only way is to convert to real geometry before using. Mesh data size is huge and you want it out of your data structure quickly. There's no datums, there's no design intent and for me it's not that accurate. It's just a reference for me.

    This is my experience, you might have a different need that invalidates my statements above.

    In my designs involving meshes, I eventually suppress them in order to speed things up. Having them be a main stream feature in a design would mean a long day at work and would take all the fun out of designing stuff. At least for me.



  • MBartlett21MBartlett21 Member, OS Professional, Developers Posts: 2,064 PRO
    @Tizio

    @billy2 went into detail about converting meshes here:
    https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/comment/48685/#Comment_48685
    mb - draftsman - also FS author: View FeatureScripts
    IR for AS/NZS 1100
  • MBartlett21MBartlett21 Member, OS Professional, Developers Posts: 2,064 PRO
    CaptainBisquick said:
    Is it possible to convert a polygon mesh into a solid?

    I need to use a mesh modeling program to generate my complicated hole pattern. I have to get it into my model, and I see 2 methods:
    1. Export my model as a mesh and do the boolean subtraction there.
    2. Export my hole pattern as a solid and do the boolean subtraction in OnShape.
    Both options could work since the ultimate destination for my model is a 3D printing slicer. But option 1 is bad because booleans are unreliable in my mesh modeler. So, is it possible to convert my hole pattern mesh to a solid that OnShape can do a boolean subtraction with? My hole shapes are triangles, so the resulting mesh would be pretty simple, just a big grid of triangular columns.
    @CaptainBisquick
    We can boolean a part and a mesh now:
    https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/comment/50058/#Comment_50058

    mb - draftsman - also FS author: View FeatureScripts
    IR for AS/NZS 1100
  • GWS50GWS50 Member Posts: 512 PRO
    CaptainBisquick said:
    Is it possible to convert a polygon mesh into a solid?

    I need to use a mesh modeling program to generate my complicated hole pattern. I have to get it into my model, and I see 2 methods:
    1. Export my model as a mesh and do the boolean subtraction there.
    2. Export my hole pattern as a solid and do the boolean subtraction in OnShape.
    Both options could work since the ultimate destination for my model is a 3D printing slicer. But option 1 is bad because booleans are unreliable in my mesh modeler. So, is it possible to convert my hole pattern mesh to a solid that OnShape can do a boolean subtraction with? My hole shapes are triangles, so the resulting mesh would be pretty simple, just a big grid of triangular columns.

    I have posted a method that I use to convert meshes to solids here

    https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/7124/converting-stl-files-into-a-model-format-that-can-be-used-in-a-sketch#latest
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