# STL export and 3d printing **URL:** \ **Category:** Pro\ **Tags:** mac, export, modeling\ **Created:** [September 21, 2020, 11:53am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/stl-export-and-3d-printing/136814 "2020-09-21T11:53:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Choq007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@Choq007](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Choq007)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 11:53am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/stl-export-and-3d-printing/136814/1 "2020-09-21T11:53:30Z")
Hi, I’ll start by saying that I’m a beginner and the problem is perhaps trivial so I ask for your understanding. I have an issue with exporting the fie to STL format and preparation the object to detailed printing. I made a model in SkatchUp 2018 (and I checked it with Solid Inspector2) and it looks quite well. Unfortunately after the export to STL format the solids are divided and separated: ![Zrzut ekranu 2020-09-21 o 13.43.04](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/original/3X/7/6/764a8c7d63193f2d108dd7e104c8694947b35916.png) the printing house informs me that such prepared object is not suitable for printing. What am I doing wrong? Is the problem with export or rather on the modeling level? Thank you in advance for your help ---
**Author:** ![Box](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/box/32/235164_2.png) [@Box](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Box)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 11:54am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/stl-export-and-3d-printing/136814/2 "2020-09-21T11:54:47Z")
Can you attach the .skp file for us to check. Just going on your image it looks like the Tubes don’t have any meat in the connection, there has to be something to print. Two edges coming together isn’t a connection. Also the radial lines on the side show that the face isn’t flat. ---
**Author:** ![Choq007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@Choq007](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Choq007)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 1:41pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/stl-export-and-3d-printing/136814/3 "2020-09-21T13:41:00Z")
Sure. Here is the file. [Ver2 wieczko\_scalone.skp](https://forums.sketchup.com/uploads/short-url/crYw6JfjuDrZ4RTRT8pQP9EYDP.skp) (1.3 MB) ---
**Author:** ![Cotty](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/cotty/32/251290_2.png) [@Cotty](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Cotty)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 1:43pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/stl-export-and-3d-printing/136814/4 "2020-09-21T13:43:48Z")
> [@Box](#): > > Also the radial lines on the side show that the face isn’t flat. I think it’s the triangulation of that n-gon? ---
**Author:** ![Anssi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/anssi/32/105_2.png) [@Anssi](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Anssi)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 2:42pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/stl-export-and-3d-printing/136814/5 "2020-09-21T14:42:03Z")
The “tubes” group has a missing face so it isn’t a solid. The other part has, at least, some internal faces. I don’t have Solid inspector but I doubt whether it would give the “everything is shiny” report. The STL format is a triangulated one so n-gons always get split when you convert to it. ---
**Author:** ![Box](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/box/32/235164_2.png) [@Box](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Box)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 3:08pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/stl-export-and-3d-printing/136814/6 "2020-09-21T15:08:25Z")
Normally I would show you how to fix your model, but unfortunately I have been out to dinner with drinks so best I can manage is to fix it. Actually I just redrew it correctly, it’s still not a ‘good’ model for printing but it is a printable version of what you supplied. New one closest to origin in the .skp and .stl attached also. [Ver2 wieczko\_scaloneBox.skp](https://forums.sketchup.com/uploads/short-url/4WnDXJA0IAKVKoyrz9Vf6L7tr3I.skp) (111.9 KB) [Ver2 wieczko\_scalone.stl](https://forums.sketchup.com/uploads/short-url/8DPTeguvTwA2EPvD84Xh4ZiOPz6.stl) (31.7 KB) ---
**Author:** ![Box](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/box/32/235164_2.png) [@Box](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Box)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 3:38pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/stl-export-and-3d-printing/136814/7 "2020-09-21T15:38:44Z")
This isn’t very good but it might help you understand how to fix it for yourself. I flipped it over just to make it easier to record. I also somehow managed to get the size wrong by a wall thickness, but the method is sound. ![Hinge fix](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/original/3X/7/a/7afcc3bb0a2d78570c331c7b7cef4dfba4969a5d.gif) Looks like some new limitation, the gif is small, I’ll think about it tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Choq007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@Choq007](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Choq007)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2020, 6:12am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/stl-export-and-3d-printing/136814/8 "2020-09-22T06:12:09Z")
Guys, thank you for your help and especially to you Box. Would you recommend Gents some interesting tutorial related to similar issues?