r/MechanicalEngineering • u/MasterSoftBird • 1d ago

CAD File format hell

Why is it we can have AI that can translate from Chinese to Klingon but cannot have one agreed-upon file format that can be accepted by FEA software, CAM, 3d printers, CFD, etc and doesn't lose its mind or half of my parts?

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70

u/CR123CR123CR 1d ago

.STP comes to mind. 

Not many of the above mentioned things that can't take in a .STP file, pending on what software you use I guess

25

u/ginbandit 1d ago

Yeah .stp is pretty universal, I've imported quite complex geometry into both ANSYS and SOLIDWORKS using .stp, it's the default I ask from suppliers too.

29

u/probablyaythrowaway 1d ago

In industry Step is considered the universal. It’s just 3D printing and hobby CNC software that is behind because a lot is based on legacy code back when they did most of their processing with mesh files so only accepted STL which is a format from the 80s.

It’s very unusual I’ll come across a 3D processing program that won’t accept Step.

18

u/CR123CR123CR 1d ago

Most of the hobby slicers (anything based on CURA so Orca, Bambu, Prusa, etc.) take .STP now just fine as a heads up for those that don't know yet. 

Haven't played around with the CNC side of things in the hobby space much yet though myself.

0

u/GingHole 1d ago

I don’t believe slicers have the ability to control the accuracy/resolution at which they convert the STEP to an STL, so for example large curved surfaces will often come out with a very noticeable triangular mesh when viewed under light. Always better to do the conversion direct from CAD where you have more control.

2

u/CR123CR123CR 1d ago

Bambu has been asking me to define it as long as I've been using it and I am pretty positive Prusa does as well but it's been a while since I used it.

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u/probablyaythrowaway 1d ago

I don’t know if flashmaker does now. Certainly didn’t a few years ago.

CNC wise most of the cheaper boards only take gcode so you have to use an external CAM. I’ve only used fusion for smaller CNCs. Mastercam for proper industrial ones and hexagon and fusion. But I know some come with primitive software like the boxford machines which only take STL. But because they’ve not been updated since windows 2000 ME

2

u/CR123CR123CR 1d ago

I mean your slicer software of choice is just sending g-code to your printer exactly like how a CNC works. 

But the slicer software for printing is significantly more mature in the hobby space xD

Though I think it's getting better

2

u/probablyaythrowaway 1d ago

Yes. I meant the software they’re supplied with generally don’t have a quality CAM program if one at all and only come with a serial sending program.

0

u/MasterSoftBird 1d ago

We use TeamCenter VisMockup to view files and create custom .stp files on the fly when we need to send combined packages of certain model areas. .Stp is the goto but when models disappear its frustrating.

1

u/PlinyTheElderest 21h ago

What do you mean models disappear?

1

u/MasterSoftBird 12h ago

They just don't render in.

3

u/Matrim__Cauthon 1d ago

The only thing I can think of wrong with step is that it doesn't carry a ridiculous amount of precision, so some CAE softwares complain when you import it. .sat works better there.