Kelly I had a look into whether or not Alibre could import .stl files. Not directly, but if you use this you can convert a stl file to a step file and then import that.https://github.com/slugdev/stltostp
Dave
For the most part the things I've tried to import that were derived from stl files are an absolute mess. I'm getting proficient enough at modeling, that for most of what I do, I'm just better offer making my own solid model and working from there but there are several exceptions, mostly relating to highly organic surfaces. With all the stuff out there for free import for 3D printing, it's great but I usually need to make some mods for function or so I can actually hold and machine it. The other exception is 3D scans of objects with organic highly sculpted surfaces.
Best,
Kelly
I will occasionally look at the free STL files, and other free files, but usually I'm doing original work.
What I do get is a lot of customers who had some CAD student do a 3D model for them thinking by paying that student $20 they can get a world class organic shape created for them that's absolutely perfect and will save 99.999% of the cost of having a custom mold made. Then when I look at the 3D solid model or worse, surface model it's sheer and utter unadulterated poo poo. Sometimes they'll understand simple screwed up garbage when I point out that you can't have undercuts when you're casting a hard media in a hard mold. Although, I've had it happen often enough I'm not surprised when people completely failed to understand the concept of key locking. What I get that's difficult to explain to people is a tremendous number of surfaces and solids that have all kinds of internal surfaces, intersecting surfaces, and stuff that is mathematically impossible and I don't know how a computer ever generated it, but it looks pretty.
Of course everybody's ego gets in the way and they always claim that the other guy is the one that's incompetent and doesn't know how to work with it.
