.stl to CAD

A few issues:

1. I have found that although I can convert from a .stl extension to a .sldprt (Solidworks) file extension the parts are not editable because .stl uses a picture based mesh to create its parts. STL will convert the drawings made in any software into many triangles which cannot be edited. You will read online that it is in fact editable when converting between the two but from experience, you are pretty much redrawing the object because of all the errors that arise when converting between the two formats. Someone compared the conversion of .stl to a 3D software as putting together a shredded apple; not exactly doable.

2. According to the FOBO documentation found online, the original FOBO is 4.5" x 6" x 9.5". Assuming that those dimensions are depth, width, then height, the scan and tilt dagu kit along with the designed platform are almost perfect size. The width of the platform is approximately 3.5" wide so it is slightly (~3") thinner than FOBO's center.

3. The question posed before about Blender: How can you see where the drawings are in reference to each other? Like when Hill asked for the 2 cubes to come together at a specific corner. From what I have read this is actually not doable in Blender because it is made for what someone called "pretty pictures". This actually causes a GIANT problem for people going from a Blender .stl file into a 3D file because there are gaps and face faults in the drawing.

All of the above is from experience and if you have a way of converting between the two effectively, let me know because I want to create an assembly of FOBO with the new scan and tilt platform so that we can effectively come up with a design for his upper portion. Otherwise it is pretty much a guess and check.

With all that said, can we ask the FOBO god to send us a 3D version of the drawings not in .stl? :)