STP Export: What Program exports STP files

Brian "Panda" Choi

Client I'm talking with says he requires an STP file instead of an STL file.

Do you guys know what program does that, or if Zbrush or maya can do that at all?

Brian "Panda" Choi

Okay, so from my understanding, CAD programs generally exporte STP files (or STEP files as an alternate name>

Can Maya or ZBrush export STPs at all?

monster

SketchUp has an STL plugin.

https://extensions.sketchup.com/en/content/sketchup-stl

Brian "Panda" Choi

@Monster: STP, not STL unfortunately.

huffer

Nope, STP is a CAD format, meaning geometry is created, defined, and stored with mathematical curves. You can't convert something polygonal modeled to NURBS, unless you make a nurbs patch for every polygon, but if it's for printing there are going to be loads of issues in that case. You can model with NURBS (and only NURBS) in maya and export .stp from there I think.

However, .STL is the format for printing, which is a NURBS model converted to triangles, so you end up with the same thing in the end, either from polygonal modeling or NURBS, maybe ask why .STL isn't ok, since it should be.

whyareyoumakin1

Hey Panda,
Did you ever find a solution to exporting .STP files? I'm currently in a similar predicament.
-L

Brian "Panda" Choi

No, not that I remember or know at this time, unfortunately.

musashidan

There is FreeCad: http://www.freecadweb.org/

And a walkthrough of converting .stl to .stp: http://northernhope.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/stl-to-step-with-freecad.html

janoshx

Rhino 3D opens steps and exports all sorts of formats. I use it all the time for converting files to other formats