STL editing.

[Tri-Polar]

Hi gents,

I apologize if this is the wrong place for this and I specify joined to ask this as well.
I have been printing other peoples designs now for some time. I'm only new and trying to learn as i go.
I have been searching google and youtube to try and point me in the direction of how to edit a STL file.
Sure i could ask someone to do it, but i want to attempt to learn to do it myself. The thing i want to do is just fill in a indentation so the face is smooth. This may be a simple task or very hard, i'm not sure.
I have attached a photo of what i am trying to fill in.
I currently have Blender, Meshmixer, Meshlab and Openscad installed, but happy to try other programs.
Is there by chance anyone can explain or point me in a direction to do this task?

Thanks in advance.

[Marm]

Not having much experience with other design suites, I can attest that you can import and edit STL's in Sketchup, with the right plugin. They do tend to import a LOT of extra geometry that makes it a pain to edit though.

I would do a google search on importing STL into your preferred editor. Other packages may handle them better than SU does.

Another option I do on occasion is to import the STL, then manually create an exact copy overlaying the original. While this can be tedious at times, it makes for cleaner geometry and therefore easier to edit.

[CSMonkey]

Locate the free version of Netfab Basic, which is STL manipulation and build processing software.

Using the edit function you can manually delete triangles which make up the detail of your hole geometry, and use the hole tool to fill the resulting hole in the flat surface.

Hope this helps,

Rich

[Roxy]

Blender does this stuff very well. Import the .STL into blender. Use the create tool to make a cube. Stretch the cube to be the right height (but more like a column). And position it where you want it. Then select the original part and the new cube part and join them. Then export to a new .STL file. And print....