Import a 3D geometry to sim4life

[Lirithx]

Hi, i have a 3d geometry i need to import from inventor to sim4life.

I tried to import it as a .stl file (i tried with other file types but it gives always some error), but after i import the geometry, i can't select all the subobjects in the 3d, and i can select only the entire geometry. This is a problem because i can't assign materials or other things to single components.

Do you know how to solve this issue? Thank you for your help.

[bryn]

when you write inventor, do you mean "Autodesk Inventor" or "Open Inventor"?

I guess the file is some kind of assembly, which is exported as a single STL file. STL does not support multi-part models, so you would need to export each part a separate STL file (or other format supported by Sim4Life), or you export it to a file format that supports multiple parts (ACIS .sab/.sat, STEP .step, ... VTK .vtm (multiblock)).

STL also only supports triangle surface representations, so if you had a NURBS CAD file, you loose the that by exporting to STL.

Searching for the topic I found this information for Autodesk Inventor to export as a multibody sab file:
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-convert-Inventor-Assembly-file-to-a-multi-body-part-file.html

btw. if the points in different parts aren't coincident, you may be lucky with your single STL file: try Modeling -> Mesh Tools -> Separate Meshes. This could separate disconnected parts.