Transcript:
I wanted to go into more detail about how to convert a SolidWorks file to an STL file. An STL files are used for 3d printing. So I’m gonna open a SolidWorks part file that is already done. It’s already saved as a SolidWorks part file, and I’m gonna open it up now. You can see the part file, and I don’t have to line it up any special way when I make an STL file. However, it’s sitting in SolidWorks that’s fine, just go up to file and down to save as click on save as as you can see, it still says part file. Click there go up to STL. Click there now. It says STL. Now go to options now. Some people that don’t use an infinite printer like I do. You need to make sure that it’s millimeters up there on the top. So it says that and you can choose what everyone. I use the one that’s selected there and use millimeters. Make sure it’s millimeters not inch And I like to use fine, and I like to keep this box checked, and I’ll show you at the end of the video. Why I do that? It’s kind of a nice feature to use, OK? You have the settings, right, click. OK, and on my STL Parts, I like to type in 3d STL or just STL on the front. You don’t have to do this. It just makes them easier to find later. Now click. Save and you can see it created in STL file. Yes, and there you go now. You’re still in the SolidWork’s part file, so you can get out of that, and if we open up our Affinia 3d software now you’d open up your software for your printer, and if you’re using Affinia, just click on the 3d STL, and it brings the part in, and that’s it. Nice thing about Affinia is it’s this quick. All I have to do is go to print or print preview since I don’t. Have the machine on, click on your preferences. I just use the defaults Most of the time. Click OK and click, OK. Now you can walk away, you’re done. Come back later. In 1 hour and 23 minutes. And you’ll have a part and that’s why I like the Affinia printer. It’s really easy to use. Now let’s go ahead and show this again on my videos. I like to show things over and over, so we’re gonna do a different part, but we’re gonna do the same thing we open up a SolidWorks part file doesn’t matter how the part files sitting in SolidWorks you don’t have to line it up any special way. Just go right up to it. Save as file then. Save as go to! Stl, click on STL. Always check. Check your options and we want to make sure that says fine millimeters. Okay, we’re. Good, that’s your choice. I know that’s what I use. Here’s all the different things know. I’m Nathaniel. I can click inches there and it still works, but on some of these other printers, it doesn’t. So that’s the trick right there. Make sure that’s in millimeters and make sure it says fine and I’ll show you later. Why to have that checked all the time click? OK, and then once again, it’s good to get used to putting STL in front of that or a 3d STL, and it makes them stand out when you’re looking for them. And now we’ve created another STL file. You can see all the little triangles are used. Yes, that’s it now. Your stillness, all the Brooks part files. We’ll get out of there and then go ahead and start your 3d printing software. Whatever you’re using, I’m just gonna show you this again. Now if you want a sheet like I did and have just a super easy machine to use and get one of these Affinia machines with their software because it really comes down to the software. This is just so easy to use, and the nice thing is it sets up all the support material for you? I just hit the Preferences most of the time. I’ll just hit restore defaults or default hit. OK, you see down there? It gives you the layers and then up here, they’ll tell you how much material it’s gonna use and how long it’ll be you hit. Okay, and it’s done. You’re printing a lot of our machines. I see that you have to do a lot more settings. So now I am starting. I just started an assembly file in SolidWorks so I’m gonna bring in some part files. This is kind of a nice little feature here, so I brought in one part file that into a SolidWorks assembly now. I’m gonna bring in another one. Now make sure to line them up so that the parts that you want the facing down on the platform that are touching the platform are the bottom part of the platform. Make sure those are mated and matched up, so I just made it those. Yeah, and if you want to do some other meats, just that’s the important part. Make sure that those are the same height, and you’ll see. Why, in a second here this? I’m just lining these up, so they look a little nicer on the printer because what I’m gonna do is I’m going to make a single STL file that I can bring into my printer and it’ll print these at the same time and a lot of printers allow you to bring them in one at a time, but the nice thing is you if you have like 13 little parts, it’s nice to bring them in and SolidWorks and line them up all flat on the bottom edge that you’re going to put down on the platform and get them all set up and line them up and get them the way you want and then just save those as a single file, especially if you’re gonna have to print them over and over again, if there’s something you’re using in a big big assembly, so once again, we do the same thing as we’ve done before we hit save as we have that millimeters, but down here, just make sure that that is checked and what it’s going to do. It’s going to take those two parts, but it’s gonna make one. STL file there you go and it made it now. We can get out of there and we can open up our 3d printing software. We can go find that file. When it opens, you see, it brought a man now mine. Thoughta matically picks the best. What it thinks is the best place to place them down there, but you can move them around if you want to on the Affinia. But you see how it just goes so fast, so that’s it and tells you the materials, and you’re ready to go, that’s all.