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Assistance for Printing Our Models

Here you will find very helpful tips and tricks for printing our models. You'll learn about important aspects to consider when printing and the information you should take into account before starting. These tips are specifically aimed at beginners in 3D printing!

In recent years, 3D printing has undergone remarkable development, revolutionizing numerous industries as well as the daily lives of people around the world. From prototype development and custom part manufacturing to art, 3D printing offers a wide range of applications.

The abundance of information and options related to 3D printers and slicer software can be overwhelming. Due to the countless approaches, we can only provide suggestions and limited assistance here.

Especially for beginners in 3D printing, the wealth of information can be daunting, which is why we are here to provide support!

If you intend to print a 3D model from us and have questions or encounter issues, please feel free to send us an email or give us a call at: phone: 0049-6471-626-9310

Topic: Model Preparation

Recommendations for Editing 3D STL Files

Why Are Some Models So Large (Simplifying Models) and
What Does High-Polygon Mean?
How Do I Prepare My Model for Printing?

- Scaling
- Aligning
- Slicing
- Creating Holes and Boolean Operations

Topic: 3D Printing and Slicer Settings

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Recommendations for Editing 3D Models (Software)

There are many programs that can serve as both small and large tools for editing 3D models!

Slicer software can also be included, which was originally developed for preparing 3D models for printing. This slicer software often offers surprisingly versatile options as 3D editing software.

In addition to the basic preparation for printing, slicers offer a wide range of additional functions. For example, there are features such as model cutting, scaling, adding elements, and performing boolean operations.

This multitude of editing tools allows users to break down models into layers, remove or add parts, and even create complex shapes.

While the slicer's main focus is on preparing for 3D printing, its adaptability demonstrates that it can also serve as a creative tool for manipulating 3D objects. Thus, the slicer proves to be an unexpected gem among 3D editing applications, especially for those who want to take advantage of the specific layer structures and settings of the 3D printing process.

For free model editing, we recommend the following simple programs:

Prusa Slicer, based on Slic3r, slicing software by Prusa Research:

This is an excellent slicer that is also highly recommended as an STL file editing program. The slicer supports a variety of functions such as scaling (enlarging and reducing), rotation, cutting, boolean operations, creating simple objects, and exporting after editing as OBJ, STL, and 3MF files.

Further information and download:

https://www.prusa3d.com/de/page/prusasl icer_424/

- Bambu Studio, based on Slic3r, Slicer software by Bambu Labs

This Slicer is also an excellent choice, serving as a highly recommended editing tool for STL files. It supports a wide range of functions including scaling (enlarging and reducing), rotation, cutting, Boolean operations, creating simple objects, and exporting edited files as OBJ, STL, and 3MF formats.

Further information and download:

https://bambulab.com/en/download/studio

- Microsoft 3D Builder
is an application software that allows users to create, edit, and view 3D models. With a user-friendly interface, users can import 3D models from various sources, including 3D scanners or pre-made models. The software offers tools for editing, scaling, rotating, and simplifying 3D objects. Additionally, users can combine models, remove or add parts, and smooth surfaces.

Further information and download:

https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/3d-builder/9WZDNCRFJ3T6?hl=de-de&gl=de

- Chitubox (SLA Printer)
Chitubox is an excellent slicer for resin (SLA) printers that is also highly recommended as editing software for STL files. The slicer supports a variety of functions such as scaling (enlarging and reducing), rotation, cutting, boolean operations, as well as hollowing out files. Additionally, it allows for exporting after editing in formats like OBJ, STL, and 3MF.

Further information and download:

https://www.chitubox.com/en/download/chitubox-free

Back to the beginning

Why are the models sometimes so large and what does 'High-Polygon' mean?

In 3D printing, 'High-Polygon' refers to models that have a high polygon count or a large number of polygons. Polygons are the basic building blocks of a 3D model, composed of vertices, edges, and faces. The more polygons a 3D model has, the more detailed and smoother it can be represented.

A High-Polygon model contains numerous polygons, resulting in higher detail accuracy and a smoother or more intricate surface. These models are generally better suited for depicting complex shapes, fine textures, and details, and they can be scaled freely (enlarged).

However, High-Polygon models also demand more computational power and storage space, both during the creation process and when rendering or slicing.

How do I prepare my model for printing?

Our 3D models, especially the figurines, are freeform models. They come in a high standard size but can be scaled for 3D printing based on their high-polygonal complexity (high resolution and polygon count of the model).

Usually, our models are already set to a standard size, but they can certainly be adjusted according to your requirements and for printing.

Simplifying the Model

Generally, our models are already provided in two sizes, either as High-Polygon or Medium-Polygon. However, it's possible that you may still want to scale down a model.

Scale the Model

Scaling 3D models refers to changing the size of a three-dimensional object. This can be done proportionally to make the model larger or smaller, and it affects the dimensions along all three axes.

Why might you need or want to scale our model?

You want to fit the model to your printer's build volume.
The model might be too delicate after printing, and there's a risk of parts breaking easily.
You want to print the model oversized and need to scale it up first, then cut it into parts.
You simply need a custom size.

Scaling is supported by all the aforementioned programs and should always be done proportionally.

Here's a short video demonstrating how to accomplish this task in Bambu Studio. As shown in the video, you can also directly input values for each axis (it's important to keep the uniform scaling option checked).

IMPORTANT!
Keep in mind that every scaling can lead to changes and possibly require adjustments to printer and layer settings, such as the perimeter settings.

Back to the beginning

Model Alignment / Rotation / Placing on Print Bed

Aligning a 3D model in the slicer refers to setting its position and orientation before preparing it for printing to achieve optimal results.

Our models are usually already aligned in a way that they can be printed immediately. However, there might be instances where you'd want to adjust this alignment, especially if you have scaled the model.

Back to the beginning

Slicing a Model

Slicing a 3D model in the slicer refers to the process of splitting the model into several parts to ensure that it can be printed on the 3D printer or to save them as individual files. This allows for a better fit, optimized print settings, and the ability to add support structures where needed.

Since all our models are designed as high-resolution polygon models, the possibility of enlarging and printing the individual parts easily arises.

Why might it be desirable that you need or want to slice our model (Several, many possibilities)?

You want to print the model larger than your build volume allows and therefore need to divide it.
You don't like how the model has been cut and want to print only a part of it.
You split the model so that you need fewer or no supports and assemble the model after printing.
You need to trim the bottom slightly as required due to print settings or modifications made (such as scaling, etc.) (e.g., the bottom is not level).
You don't like the angle of the bust and want it to be slightly steeper when standing.

As an example, we show in three videos trimming the bottom by 0.4mm, splitting the model and saving it as separate STL files, and loading the resulting individual parts and enlarging them to 120%.

Video: Trimming the bottom by 0.4mm:

2. Video: Splitting the Model into Two Parts and Saving Them as Separate STL Files

3. Video: Loading Split STL Files and Scaling to Maximum Size

Back to the beginning

How do I create holes in a model?

Sometimes it's important to incorporate holes or cutouts into a model, for example, to insert threads, attachments, or other cutouts. This can be achieved excellently using boolean operations (negative objects).

I'll demonstrate how to do this with two videos: