Question

difficult to describe or detect
(s t l )​

Answer 1

Answer:

Knowledge base

Understand and fix common STL file errors

Written by Alkaios Bournias Varotsis

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Understand and fix common STL file errors

arrow_forward Introduction

arrow_forward What happens if you 3D print a faulty STL?

arrow_forward Common STL errors

arrow_forward How to repair your STL files?

arrow_forward Rules of Thumb

Introduction

The STL file format is the most commonly used file type in 3D printing. All modern CAD (Computer Aided Design) software allows you to export their native file format into STL.

The STL file represents a 3D model by approximating its outer surfaces using multiple triangles. These triangles create a 3D network (mesh) of points, edges, and faces. This mesh defines the internal volume of the model.

A simple STL file. The triangles are visible on the wireframe view (right)

An STL file is 3D printable if each edge is connected to exactly two faces (manifold). This way the 3D model is represented accurately and without any ambiguity.

In this article, we describe the most common errors encountered while exporting an STL file for 3D printing. A detailed step-by-step article explaining how to correctly convert your 3D models into STL can be found here.

What happens if you 3D print a faulty STL?

Faulty or poorly exported STL files can lead to unexpected results: missing faces, poor resolution or other geometric inaccuracies. Also, the 3D printing service provider is more likely to decline an order with faulty STL files or increase its price, as manual labor is needed to repair them.

On 3D Hubs, we offer handy tools to help you identify errors with your STL files. You can access the Printability Analyser by clicking "View in 3D" in the checkout.

Check if your STL files are suitable for 3D printing

Upload your files here

Common STL errors

Boundary edges

Boundary edges are detected if some edges of the STL file are not connected to only one face. This essentially means that the model has holes and does not represent a closed surface.