this post was submitted on 28 Nov 2025
29 points (96.8% liked)

3DPrinting

20885 readers
79 users here now

3DPrinting is a place where makers of all skill levels and walks of life can learn about and discuss 3D printing and development of 3D printed parts and devices.

The r/functionalprint community is now located at: or !functionalprint@fedia.io

There are CAD communities available at: !cad@lemmy.world or !freecad@lemmy.ml

Rules

If you need an easy way to host pictures, https://catbox.moe/ may be an option. Be ethical about what you post and donate if you are able or use this a lot. It is just an individual hosting content, not a company. The image embedding syntax for Lemmy is ![](URL)

Moderation policy: Light, mostly invisible

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
j4k3@lemmy.world
andypiper@lemmy.world
GrayBackgroundMusic@lemmy.zip
29
STL vs Modifier quality (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 month ago by Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world to c/3dprinting@lemmy.world
22 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

I'm working on some models and have found that if I add an SVG modifier, Orca slices it beautifully. But I'd rather have the SVG's "baked" in the model so it's easier for others to download and freely share the STLs and print without a 3mf.

The problem is that if I put SVG image in Fusion and then export the model, when Orca renders the G-code, the quality is poor to bad. The same SVG added in Orca looks great.

STL with decal built into the STL geometry in Orca:

STL in Orca after "Preview" so you can see the layer lines:

The same file but applying the SVG as a modifier instead of it being part of the imported STL.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I could get an STL to have the same quality as using a modifier? Or maybe a way to go backwards from gcode to STL so that I can share the higher quality version that Orca creates?

top 22 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] Nawor3565@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I know this doesn't address your question, but I wanted to kindly nudge you in the direction of uploading both the STL and 3MF. In this case it seems like the 3MF file would avoid rasterizing the SVG and allow better upscaling of the model if someone so desires (plus, personally, I find 3mf files to just be much easier to work with, and since they're almost universally supported now I don't see a reason to only distribute the inferior STL version).

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I planned to upload the 3mf too for anyone to use. I assumed that stl was the more standard file format that everyone used because it didn't contain any printer specific data. That's the only reason why I want the stl to work without anyone needing to do anything.

[–] FleetingTit@feddit.org 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

3MF is just a container file that includes 3D meshes like STL but also metadata like texture, colour, MMU information, slicer settings and much more. It is supported by basically all software in the 3D printing world.

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

The problem I've had with 3mfs is that if you don't select "import geometry only", you can get changes to a bunch of print settings that you don't want changed. And if you import geometry only then the Orca modifiers aren't imported.

I want to make the file as easy to use for others. I've seen other kit card models with decals in the STL so I know it's possible.

I've used some of the tips in this thread and it's helped my decals tremendously.

[–] stealth_cookies@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The STL export will take your nice parametric model and turn it into triangles. The software defaults of most CAD systems are terrible for this. (I'll die on the hill that STL needs to be phased out and STEP needs to become the default for precisely this reason). If you add a vector in the slicer then it has the context to be able to choose the right quality when slicing.

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Yeah I tried Step and it's a tiny bit better but still not anywhere the quality of using a SVG modifier in Orca.\

step file:

svg modifier:

[–] kbob@chaos.social 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

@Blue_Morpho (Can I reply to Lemmy from Mastodon?)

It looks like the decal is only one layer thick in the model. Try making it several layers thick. Also, if you aren't already, subtract the decal from the main body. (In Fusion, that's Combine:Cut.)

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Yeah the decal is cut out from the model and then the intersection part becomes the decal. I also tried raising it .2 from the surface because I'm using a .2 layer height. I'll try raising it higher.

I just learned there's a 3d print option in fusion so I can keep the objects set when saving as stl. I'll try that too.

[–] kbob@chaos.social 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

@Blue_Morpho I usually save as 3mf. 3mf supports objects with parts.

[–] kbob@chaos.social 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

@Blue_Morpho I usually make decals 3 layers thick. That puts some color behind the surface color, and it helps. With a layer height of 0.2, I'd extrude the decal into the object 0.6mm deep.

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Oh cool! You've done decals? Have you ever seen the same issue where Orca's SVG modifiers create perfect filament paths compared to the gcode it creates for STL/Step file geometry?

[–] kbob@chaos.social 2 points 1 month ago

@Blue_Morpho I don't use Orca; I use PrusaSlicer. I haven't really compared the two ways to decal, no. I haven't had problems with bad slicing.

You can also try exporting a .STEP file from Fusion. .STEP retains even more information about your intent than .3mf.

.stl: just triangle meshes
.3mf: triangles + assembly
.STEP: BREP (solids, faces, edges, etc.)

[–] Lautrejojo@mastodon.xyz 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

@Blue_Morpho

Can we see the whole model ?

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You want a 3mf or just more pngs?

[–] Lautrejojo@mastodon.xyz 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

@Blue_Morpho
More png :-)

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

[–] Lautrejojo@mastodon.xyz 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

@Blue_Morpho

You won't get better results unless you print the painted part flat.
Can you create a slight flat surface parallel to your printing surface at the level of the drawings?

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

It's weird that Orca can create high quality filament paths using modifiers but I can't achieve the same thing with model geometry.

I could try to delete some polygons in the middle so it's flatter. Thanks for the idea.

[–] mechanismatic@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

It looks like you're printing it with the right side of the model in the picture angled down from the left, so you're getting more layers to the left, which is giving you some unfortunate border and infill lines. Is it possible to print this all flat so it's one smooth layer? If it's the top layer, you might play with ironing as well. It's hard to tell without seeing the whole model in context though.

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago (2 children)

It's the side of a plane so there's no way to make that side flat. I already have the model split down the middle, so it prints without supports. I want it to be in a Kit Card format for ease of printing and assembly.

[–] otter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 month ago

I like your style, internet stranger. Way to keep the childhood dreams alive. 🤘🏼🥳

[–] mechanismatic@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

My natural inclination would be to make the body in a single color filament and then use a stencil to paint on the logos. It would print a lot easier and look more natural and authentic. The logos were painted on the planes historically. And if you use stencils to paint them on, the logos could be customized for individual prints.