Converting 3D CAD files to stl?

Is there any function in MATLAB / code on exchange that could convert a universal 3D CAD format such as .stp or .igs to .stl?

A lot of functions in MATLAB seems to only work with .stl. The problem here is that depending on the software that you use to convert your file to .stl, the output geometry (level of tessellation, surface, vertices, etc) and file size can vary a lot. So the results are not really consistent.

Answer 1

[Cris LaPierre]

I am not aware of a function for this. I have always used my CAD program to export my model to STL. Do you still have access to your CAD software to do this? There are usually options to adjust the resolution of the generated STL. Try a couple different options to find the settings that work for you.

[Pelajar UM]

Thanks. There are actually many free CAD software that can do the conversion. But if you convert the same .stp file to .stl using different software and import it into Matlab let's say for meshing, you will start to see the difference. STL format in a way is a lot like .obj. The output really depends on the parameter you use during convesion.

In Exchange, I came across FEATool which supports all common CAD format, but this is a toolbox, so I cannot really see the code:

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/63144-featool-multiphysics-matlab-fea-physics-simulation-toolbox?s_tid=srchtitle