Using the 3D Warehouse to get an STL File

If you have or use a 3D printer, you know that STL is the format read by nearly all commercial and personal 3D printers these days. In this previous post, I wrote about the SketchUp STL extension, which you can use to generate an STL file from your SketchUp model.

This post shows another way to generate an STL file, which doesn’t require adding any extensions. You do it using SketchUp’s 3D Warehouse.

Upload Your Model

As as example, I want to 3D print this SketchUp model of a little house:

SketchUp STL model 3D Warehouse 3DWH_STL1

When the model is ready, choose File / 3D Warehouse / Share Model. Give your model a name, and set its privacy to “Public” – otherwise you can’t get your STL. (As you’ll see below, you don’t have to keep it public once you have what you need.) And most importantly: Check the box at the bottom for “I want this to be 3D printable.”

SketchUp STL model 3D Warehouse 3DWH_STL2

This STL service is courtesy of Materialise, a 3D printing software company. Among other things, they offer a service where you can send them your STL file and get a printed model sent to you.

Download the STL

Once your model is uploaded, you’ll need to access the 3D Warehouse from your web browser, because when you access the Warehouse from within SketchUp, all you can get is the model’s SKP file.  Sign in at the top right corner, and under your user name, click the “My 3D Warehouse” link.

SketchUp STL model 3D Warehouse 3DWH_STL3

Find your just-uploaded model and click its thumbnail.

SketchUp STL model 3D Warehouse 3DWH_STL4

 

On the model’s details page, click the “Download” link at the top right. One of the format options is STL. Click to download and you’re all set.

SketchUp STL model 3D Warehouse 3DWH_STL5

 

At this point, if you don’t want your model public anymore, you click the “Delete” button at the top right to remove it altogether, or click “Edit” if you want to change settings.

SketchUp STL model 3D Warehouse 3DWH_STL6

If you edit settings, you can switch your model to “Private.”

SketchUp STL model 3D Warehouse 3DWH_STL7

Note that if your model isn’t perfectly printable, Materialise may take a little longer to create your STL file. They’ll try their best to fix any problems, such as erasing small holes, flipping around any “inside out” faces, deleting interior faces. I tried this on some simple examples, and got perfect results. But I can’t guarantee your super curvy complex models will turn out as well.

I’ll have more to come soon on 3D print-ability, also called watertightness or manifold, in upcoming posts.

 

About Bonnie Roskes

Bonnie Roskes has been writing tutorial-style projects on 3D modeling software, primarily SketchUp, since 2001. Her website, www.3dvinci.net offers a wide variety of learning materials for all ages, from kids in grade school through design professionals. Her materials cover general 3D design, 3D printing, geometry, interior design, geo-modeling, and more, and future books are in the works. Read more about Bonnie.

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