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Is it possible to export an STL file as a .dxf and keep the "z" values? I can get the file to export into CAD not problem but it becomes a flat object and loses the z values. I have tried several different output options including exporting as points, 3D faces and polylines but non hold their z values!

Any help would be appreciated. I would even be happy if I could just get the xyz file out so that I can then model it in CAD

Thanks

Iain

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    $\begingroup$ If you try to import STL back in Blender, you should have Z values back... Sorry, which CAD are you importing STL into? Are you sure is not a 2D cad, or a 2D import option? $\endgroup$
    – m.ardito
    Sep 29, 2017 at 11:00
  • $\begingroup$ Hi, Thanks for your reply. I am using full 3D BricsCAD; I have since contacted them and they say that I need to use Communicator to import the STL directly, however, it is an extra $700 for a licence! I can see the Z values in Blender; it is only when I export it as a dxf file that the z values are removed. $\endgroup$
    – Iain Fox
    Oct 2, 2017 at 8:43
  • $\begingroup$ Sorry last day I was on mobile and I misread: try to export in whatever format you need and then reimport that in blender, so you can check if is the export wrong or not... $\endgroup$
    – m.ardito
    Oct 2, 2017 at 10:36

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I would first try to export that DXF from blender (btw, which version?) and import it back again in blender, just to verify that all the 3d dimensions are respected... but in the end there could be some incompatibility between blender DXF export and Bricscad DXF import.

Adding to that, I just downloaded the BricsCAD manual (Bricscad-CmdRef.pdf), at page 624 it says it should natively import also "DAE - collada files" without the need of the "communicator".

enter image description here

Blender exports .dae too so, if DXF does not work, you could try to

  • import STL into blender
  • export DAE (collada) from blender
  • import DAE into BricsCAD

enter image description here

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