3DFlawless · Guides
Six checks that turn a rough export into a file that prints first time. Follow them before you upload, and your quote review goes faster.
The six checks
Each step takes a few minutes in your modelling software and saves a failed print.
Set your modelling software to millimetres and export the model at the exact size you want it printed. STL files carry no units, so a model exported in inches arrives 25.4 times too large. Include the intended height or dimensions in your quote request so we can confirm the scale before printing.
A printable model must be a closed solid — no holes, missing faces or flipped normals. Run your software's mesh check (Meshmixer, Blender's 3D Print Toolbox or your slicer's repair tool) and fix every error it reports. Open edges are the most common reason a file fails review.
Resin captures very fine detail, but walls and features still need enough material to survive washing, curing and handling. As a guide, keep unsupported walls at least 1 mm thick and delicate features — sword blades, prongs, antennae — thicker where they join the body. Thin parts are the most fragile point of any print.
Solid prints of large models waste resin and can trap uncured resin inside. Hollow models above roughly 50 mm to a 2–3 mm wall and add at least two drain holes so uncured resin can escape during washing. Tell us where the holes are if they are not obvious.
Our printer's build volume is 219 mm tall. Larger models need splitting into parts with keys or pegs for assembly. You can split the model yourself, or flag it in your request and we will review whether splitting is practical before quoting.
You do not need to add supports yourself — we review orientation and support placement for every file. If you have a preference (for example, keeping support marks away from a display face), note it with your upload. Pre-supported files are welcome but still go through manual review.
Common mistakes
Edges shared by more than two faces, internal walls and intersecting shells confuse the slicer. Merge or remove duplicate shells before exporting.
A miniature sculpted at 1:1 in a program defaulting to metres arrives microscopic. Always check the bounding box dimensions after export.
A hollow model with no drain hole holds liquid resin that can crack the print as it cures. Two holes, at the lowest and highest points, is the safe minimum.
A beautiful 0.2 mm detail that snaps in the wash helps no one. Thicken contact points, or let us flag them in review before you commit.
Still unsure?
Every file we receive goes through automatic checks on upload and a manual review before your order is confirmed. If something needs fixing, we tell you what and why — nothing prints until you approve the quote. If you would rather talk it through first, send us a message.
Guide FAQ
STL, OBJ or 3MF meshes, or a compatible pre-sliced GOO file, up to 200 MB per file. STL is the most common; OBJ and 3MF can carry extra information such as units and colour. GOO files need manual review.
No. The checks on upload are preliminary — they catch broken geometry, missing faces and size problems. Thin details, wall thickness and supportability still need manual review, which happens before your order is confirmed.
Minor issues can sometimes be fixed during review, and we will tell you if that is possible. Heavily broken meshes are sent back with notes so you can repair them in your own software — you know the design best.
Models over 219 mm tall need splitting. Mention it in your request and we will review the split plan as part of your no-obligation quote.