Scale of STL in the Makerbot app

pimmel · 2017-09-08T15:56:20.000Z

Hello! When I insert an STL file into my Makerbot app on my macbook pro, it comes in REALLY big compared to the virtual build plate. I am running the latest firmware on my printer (Makerbot Replicator). Any suggestions would be welcomed!

Thanks,

Pat

crychair · 2017-09-08T16:18:12.000Z

Scale the part down.

Convert it from mm to inches or vice versa.

CaptainCanardly · 2017-09-08T16:21:47.000Z

that would be a mm/inch conversion going “backwards” set scaling to mm, and that will deal with it. a lot of files haven’t been properly checked in the scaling.

shahramrobotics · 2017-09-08T16:26:55.000Z

It usually happens with mismatch units. Perhaps your STL file is in mm and MakerBot is reading it as cm or inches that makes it so large. You can fix it by changing the unit in MakerBot print or manually scale it down in MakerBot desktop to its original size.

Richard_Beck · 2017-09-08T16:41:39.000Z

Yes, you need to switch to MM before you export your STL file.

magnacarte1133 · 2017-09-08T16:49:48.000Z

ensure the proportion option is checked as well when scaling (if just scaling the entire object).

Stephen_McLean · 2017-09-08T17:09:04.000Z

When I have had this issue in the past it was because the model was scaled for inches, but the app is scaled for mm, or the other way around. I’d check that out. If you didn’t make the model, you’ll just have to scale it down in the app.

DaveDelay · 2017-09-08T17:26:31.000Z

Save the STL file in milimeters

captain · 2017-09-08T17:33:29.000Z

Hi there,

I have an idea of what happened.

If you click on the little i in a circle on the right in makerbot print, you can set the models units.

Since stls don’t natively have units assigned to them some authoring programs handle it in different ways.

all the best,

makkacom · 2017-09-08T17:39:46.000Z

change the units from millimeters to inches or the opposite.

Constantine_1 · 2017-09-08T20:22:10.000Z

What is the size do you want for your print? you can always scale it down, but figure out what is the size you want. It will big because the physical size of the item is to big on you printing surface.

D3Image · 2017-09-09T04:54:56.000Z

Sometimes I get the reverse where the item I’m inputing is way to small depending on the units (imperial or metric) that the original model is modeled from. Sometimes it may be a matter of scaling it down 1/25.4 or up by 25.4 that solves this problem.