STL Export for AutoCAD is a Stereolithography (.stl) file export plug-in for AutoCAD®. This plug-in gives AutoCAD the ability to export geometric data from AutoCAD to ASCII and Binary STL files.
AutoCAD already has a STLOUT command which exports a STL file. The STLOUT command is limited to 3D Solids which lie in positive space only (i.e. positive x, y and z). STL Export for AutoCAD extracts facet data from 3D Solids as well as 3D Face, Polygon Mesh and PolyFace Mesh objects in the active AutoCAD drawing and exports it to a STL file. These objects can lie anywhere in space. Quad faces are broken down into triangular faces and 3D Solids are tessellated into triangular faces. The level of tessellation can be controlled by adjusting the resolution slider in the STL Export for AutoCAD options dialog box. A lower resolution will yield coarse meshes (lesser faces), whereas a higher resolution will result in finer meshes (more faces).
STL Export for AutoCAD is very easy to use. Once installed, it must be loaded into the AutoCAD environment. There are simple instructions for this in the ReadMe file. Once loaded it adds new commands to AutoCAD's existing commands and a new submenu called "STLExport" to the AutoCAD menu containing these newly added commands.
The 'STLExport' menu consists of the following commands:
# STLExport - Exports an STL file
# STLExportHelp - Displays the STL Export for AutoCAD help file
# STLExportRegister - Registers your copy of STL Export for AutoCAD
# STLExportAbout - Displays the STL Export for AutoCAD About box
STL Export for AutoCAD comes with detailed documentation for each command as well as a tutorial to get you started in the shortest possible time.