Before you order
Sending us a file that prints properly
Most reprints trace back to the export, not the print. Five minutes here saves a cycle. If you would rather not think about it, send whatever you have and we will tell you what needs changing before anything is charged.
Which format to send
STEP
Best.step, .stp
A proper solid model. We can measure it exactly, adjust wall thicknesses, and modify it if something needs fixing. Send this if you have it.
3MF
Very good.3mf
A modern mesh format that carries units, colours and multi-part assemblies reliably. Better than STL in every way.
STL
Fine.stl
The universal format, and the only one our estimator can measure in your browser. It is just triangles, so it cannot be meaningfully edited if something needs changing.
OBJ
Works.obj
Accepted. No advantage over 3MF for printing.
Only STL can be priced instantly. The estimator measures it in your browser, so nothing is uploaded to get a number. Other formats are measured by an engineer, who confirms the price within one business day.
Export settings, by package
Fusion 360
- 1.Right-click the body or component in the browser tree
- 2.Choose Save as Mesh
- 3.Format: STL Binary. Refinement: High
- 4.Or better: File → Export → STEP, which keeps it editable
SolidWorks
- 1.File → Save As → STL, then click Options
- 2.Resolution: Fine, or Custom with deviation 0.01 mm and angle 5°
- 3.Units: Millimeters
- 4.Or File → Save As → STEP AP214 to keep it editable
Onshape
- 1.Right-click the Part Studio tab or the part
- 2.Export → STEP for an editable model, or STL
- 3.For STL choose Binary, Fine resolution, Millimeter units
SketchUp
- 1.Install the free STL extension if you have not already
- 2.Make sure the geometry is a solid group with no stray faces
- 3.File → Export → STL, units in millimetres
- 4.Check the model is watertight before sending. SketchUp models frequently are not
Blender
- 1.Apply all modifiers before exporting
- 2.Set Scene Properties → Units → Millimeters
- 3.File → Export → STL, tick Selection Only if the scene has other objects
- 4.Run 3D Print Toolbox → Check All first to catch non-manifold edges
Tinkercad
- 1.Select the design, click Export
- 2.Choose .STL for the whole design
- 3.Tinkercad works in millimetres already, so no unit conversion needed
The five that cause most reprints
1Wrong units
A model exported in inches or centimetres arrives 25× or 10× the intended size. This is the single most common problem we see.
Fix. Export in millimetres. If unsure, tell us the intended overall length and we will check it against the file.
2Not watertight
Gaps in the surface mean the software cannot tell inside from outside, so it cannot be sliced. Common with models from SketchUp, Rhino surfaces and scanned data.
Fix. Run your package’s mesh check before exporting. We repair minor issues free as part of the review.
3Export resolution too low
A coarse export turns curves into visible flat facets, and no amount of fine printing recovers the detail once it is gone from the file.
Fix. Use Fine or High. Deviation around 0.01 mm is plenty. Extremely high settings just make a huge file with no visible benefit.
4Walls thinner than the nozzle
Anything below 0.4 mm simply will not print. Between 0.4 and 0.8 mm it prints but is fragile.
Fix. Design walls as multiples of 0.4 mm. We flag anything too thin before printing.
5Assembly exported as one file
Several parts overlapping in one STL cannot be printed separately or in different colours.
Fix. Export each part as its own file, or send a 3MF which handles multi-part assemblies properly.
We check all of this anyway
Every file gets a design-for-additive review before printing, free with every quote. If something will not work we tell you before you pay, not after. This page just means fewer round trips.
Terms like watertight and manifold unfamiliar? The glossary explains them.
You have the file. Get the price in 30 seconds.
Drop in an STL and the estimator measures it in your browser, no upload, no account, no sales call before you see a number.