Best practice to send your 3D files to us

Organize and manage files

• Convert your files to STEP or STL format for export.
• When dealing with multiple parts for printing, avoid consolidating them into a single STEP or STL file; instead, ensure they are separated into individual files.
• When submitting several files for printing, compile them into a zip folder.
• Following that, assign a new name to your folder or file as… (ProjectName_Material_Color_Quantity)

3D design criteria

• Merge your objects before STL export to prevent errors.
• The model must have a minimum thickness of 1.2mm; anything less may be too fragile for our printing.
• Common defects in STL files, foundational to 3D models, may lead to rejection by printing services. Precise optimization is crucial to avoid problems like unclear exterior details and poor rendering performance in your design. To learn more (common problems 3D printing)
• If you used 3D Model software, Rhino, and SketchUp, there might be some export errors during the printing process. Here is a guide on how to export your models for 3D printing.

Export files to STL guide

Guides on exporting 3D files to STL format,

SketchUp

• To export a SketchUp model for 3D printing as an STL file, ensure it meets printing recommendations. Select File > Export > 3D Model, choose a destination, and name the file. On Windows, select “STereolithography File (.stl)” or from the Format drop-down on MacOS. Optionally, customize settings in the STL Export Options dialog and click OK. Finally, click Export to save the STL file at the specified location.

  Check out the links for more info:

• Prepare model for printing

• Export to STL

Rhino 3D

• To export or save a file in Rhino, go to File, choose Export Selected or Save As, select file type, name the file, and pick saving options like “Save small” or “Save geometry only.” “Save Textures” embeds external textures. Configure settings using “Options” if needed, and for mesh objects, adjust settings in “Polygon Mesh Objects.” This concise process allows for efficient customization of file exports in Rhino software.

  Check out the links for more info:

• Prepare model for printing

• Export to STL

Revit

• To export your Revit model to an STL file, open a 3D view, ensuring that the exported geometry aligns with the current view’s visibility and graphics settings. Navigate to the File tab, select Export, then CAD Formats, and choose STL. In the STL Export dialog, customize your options, and click Save to create the STL file. Alternatively, click Cancel to close the dialog without saving. This streamlined process allows for quick and tailored STL exports from your Revit model.

  Check out the links for more info:

• Prepare model for printing

• Export to STL

Blender

• With “Selection Only” checked, export includes only chosen objects, including instanced ones. In “Transform,” scale objects relative to the world’s origin. “Scene Unit” applies the current scene’s unit scale, and “Forward/Up Axis” aids axis conversion for rotations between applications. In “Geometry,” enabling “Apply Modifiers” ensures the export uses the evaluated mesh post-modifications.

  Check out the links for more info:

• Prepare model for printing

• Export to STL

ZBrush

• To ready your model for 3D printing, go to ZPlugin, select “3D Print Hub,” and click “Update Size Ratios.” Adjust size and export options, choose the file format (OBJ, STL, or VRML), and use links to open the model in applications like Preform for Formlabs printers. This ensures a swift and streamlined preparation for 3D printing.

• Note that exporting a ZBrush model to STL may lead to imprecise measurements.

  Check out the links for more info:

• How can I export a ZBrush model while maintaining its exact size?

• Get the model ready for printing and then export it to STL.