Tinkercad Objects

[Reuquen Boyett]

Ialready have a model created and finished in tinkercad, first you need to hit the export button (first screenshot) then chose to export the file as a .OBJ or .GBL (second screenshot) so the colours will be exported too, I am using .OBJ for this though

After exporting the file click 'show in folder' (or equivalent) and move the file to somewhere where you can manage it (I put it on my desktop) make a regular file next and move both files from the .ZIP file to your regular file, there should be 2 files in the zip folder regardless of weather you exported to an OBJ or a GLB

in the second screenshot I went into file, import, OBJ (or your equivalent) and then you should be seeing something similar to the third screenshot, in the bottom corner will be your files but I've blocked it out because I have other projects that I want to keep a surprise

after importing the file it wont look like it did in tinker cad so to return it to that state find the symbol in the first screenshot that should be on the bottom right of the screen if you have selected the right file, next scroll down and find the 'normals' tab and tick the box that says 'auto smooth' and you should be left with something like the third screenshot

the 8 highlighted buttons in the first screenshot can be used to modify files, the first button selects objects, the second button isn't important for this but the third button is used to move a selected file, the fourth button is used to rotate a file and the fifth is used to change the size, this file I imported was too large and facing the wrong way so I rotated it and used the scale button while holding shift to shrink it down to the correct size

the first screenshot is highlighting a button that will appear when you select an object, this is how you can change the colours and textures of the file but this gets complicated so I will probably make another tutorial on how to use these, in the future

the second screenshot highlights 4 buttons that change the view of the selected object, if you are trying to make glass or metal textures use the third button, if you're using lights use the fourth button

the first 2 screenshots show my angling and moving the camera to better see the model, to see what the camera sees click the button that is highlighted in the third screenshot and click it again to stop the camera view

to change the settings on the light sources, select the light source you want to edit and click the green light bulb logo highlighted in the second screenshot, you can mess around with the settings like changing the colour of the light or how bright the light is with the power button, the light source I chose was a point light source but sun and spot light sources do the same thing but can also be angled

Say for example I have 2 cubes attached together on one face. I want each a different color and want to print this in Prusa. So far, I learned I would need to expert each cube separately. That is silly. There must be a better way, no?

When I import any of these files in Slicer 2.3.1 x64 on Mac OS X (in i3 MKS+ MMU2s mode), they open as a single color object. If I right click on the object name on the right side of the screen, SPLIT TO PARTS is shaded out.

Thanks for the zip file. The reason you cant split it is that Tinkercad is exporting it as a single shell. Its not 2 cubes, its one big cuboid. Both of the stl versions you included are identical. Same with the obj file. Its a single object.

I don't use Tinkercad and don't want an account so unfortunately I'm not going to be looking at the app but from a quick google search it looks like the most used option is to export separate stl files. Arranging them again in PS for almost any model except your simple demo would be a real pain in the rear. Not worth the effort. If the objects dont touch then you could export them and use other software to separate them afterwards. Something like Meshmixer or Blender. If they touch though it looks like Tinkercad just merges them and so doing that would be problematic too. Even that though seems like a lot of effort.

Would be easier to model stuff in some software that actually will export as separate shells (like Blender can) and then use the split to parts in PS which will keep the positioning and then just assign extruders to the parts as normal.

In my case, when 3D objects are imported, they lose their core patterns. Object was created in Tinkercad.

For example, if you create a transparent 3D object and import it into Cospaces, it will not be transparent.

Is there any way around this? Thank you tinkercad795591 90.8 KB

Hello Fusion360 forum,

Have worked in TinkerCAD for years but as the models became more complex TinkerCAD seemed to struggle to keep up, took an inordinately long time to render and failed returning messages like 'Node fails to load.'

So after some research (SolidWorks and Blender) a transition was made to F360. But I have years of work in TinkerCAD the results of which should be brought into F360.

I tried the Insert Mesh method which is ok for flat planes but is most difficult for even the simplest round shapes.

Tried the Send To feature in TinkerCAD sending this shape:

When the part was imported into F360 this is the result:

Have tried as exporting to Microsoft 3D Builder and back into TinkerCAD before using Send To in TinkerCAD. (By the way, exporting TinkeCAD into Microsoft 3D Builder, renaming the part, and then importing back inro TinkerCAD is a way to get of all of the history that TinkerCAD is keeping which slows down and sometimes prevents rendering.) Tried exporting as STL and OBJ files and then reimporting into TinkerCAD. Have tried other objects and when it imports into F360 it imports parts of the shape only.

So a simpler shape was tried

In TinkerCAD at Send To > Send to Fusion360 the software returns ' No compatible objects were selected for Fusion'

Is the TinkerCAD to Fusion360 Send To function defective or am I missing something?

Thanks.

Allen Pitts, Dallas TX

Could this be your issue? With this TinkerCAD design the export to Fusion 360 brings in everything except the sharp conical light. I am not versed in TinkerCAD but could the light not be a "Basic Shape"?

I recommend that you use the geometry previously created as an opportunity to learn how to create the same geometry (and master Fusion techniques).

I recommend that you Attach your first attempt to reproduce the geometry from scratch in Fusion after EACH and EVERY sketch/feature for analysis and guidance from the experts here.

From my experience, I predict that after 3 or 4 simple designs you will completely abandon any notion of using your previous geometry. All of us recognize that what we did last year, last month, heck - perhaps even yesterday - was rubbish as we progress along the learning curve.

I have this model, for instance, made in www.TinkerCad.com. It is made up of a bunch of grouped objects. I'd like to be able to back it up by saving it locally, then reimport it and ungroup those objects on the imported model. Is there any way to do this?

Also, if someone else opens up my .obj file in some other tool, like Fusion360 or Solidworks (neither of which I can use right now since I'm on Linux and don't have a license for Solidworks), will they be able to edit the individual components of my model like I did in TinkerCad to build it in the first place? (I think this is NOT possible on .stls, no?--but I don't know about .obj files).

STL and OBJ are formats that define a surface through trigons and a waveform respectively - to make the export work, TinkerCad runs a boolean union operation first. Without this, it would run into the problem of having bad surface geometry - a flaw that happens still when the boolean joining fails properly.

GLB is a container for gITF files and can store file hierarchies as well as cameras and animations. However, even if the structure would allow having all the bodies, TinkerCad does run a boolean union before it.

As a result, you'd have to physically separate parts of the item that are not to be joined from one another as in an explosion diagram. That way the boolean union would result in each part being separated and exporting as separate shells.

If you have an item from TinkerCad that has multiple separate shells, you can open the STL or OBJ in a program like Meshmixer and run a Separate Shells operation. Then you can export the parts from that program as separate files that can be imported into other CAD or 3D-Design software - or sliced directly.

If you have your parts exported and separated, it would be very beneficial to properly CAD them in a program that allows STEP files. For this you'd simply import them into a program and use the 3D Model from TinkerCad as a model to design around.

This lesson introduces the hide and lock tools. These are helper utilities that you may not find yourself using often, but are extremely helpful when you need them. Both of these tools can be used as a quick toggle to prevent unintentional edits to objects or to hide some visual clutter.

Tinkercad provides keyboard and mouse functionalities that are common across much of the software we use day to day. Familiar actions like undoing work by pressing Ctrl + z and resizing boxes by dragging their corners are present in Tinkercad.

When both objects are selected the Adjust button in the menu bar across the top of the screen becomes available. Click adjust and choose Align. The following image shows what it looks like when two objects are selected and Align has been turned on.

You can confirm that alignment is present at a later time by selecting the objects and turning on Align, then hovering over the dots. If aligned, the dots will appear red with the text "Aligned" as shown in the following two images.

To make a hole, select the object you want to be a hold, then press the Hold option in the Inspector window that appears when you select the object. You then drag the whole into the object in which you want to have a hole. The following image shows a cylinder with a cylinder hole inside.

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