Hi everyone,
I’m currently working on a project for my Mercedes W202. I’ve performed a LiDAR scan of the center console to design a custom 3D-printed insert. I have the scan as an STL file, but I’m hitting a wall using Autodesk Inventor for the design process.
I want to create a perfectly fitting insert that sits inside the console. The design needs to be slightly tapered (conical) to fit the draft angles of the interior trim.
As you can imagine, the STL is just a massive "cloud" of triangles. I’m having a really hard time:
Defining reliable Work Planes: Because it’s mesh data, I can’t easily select "flat" surfaces to start my sketches.
Projecting Geometry: Trying to project scan references into a sketch to get the taper right is proving to be very tedious and imprecise.
Tapering/Lofting: Since I can't easily set up offset planes relative to the scan’s geometry, getting the conical shape to align with the actual scan is a nightmare.
My Question:
Does anyone have a "sane" workflow for handling organic/scanned mesh data in Inventor?
• Should I be converting the mesh to a Solid/Surface first (even though it's high-poly)?
• Are there specific tools or hidden features in Inventor that make "slicing" or referencing a mesh easier for creating tapered shapes?
Any tips from people who have done interior car parts via 3D scanning would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance