Even a technically accurate 3D model can cause problems during printing if it hasn’t been properly prepared. Most delays and extra costs arise not from the printing technology itself, but from model errors that could have been spotted and fixed before the file was ever sent to production.

The most common model mistakes

• A non-watertight mesh. Holes or gaps in the surface prevent the software from correctly calculating the model’s volume and slicing it into layers.
• Overlapping or flipped normals. This can cause the slicing software to misinterpret which side of the surface is the model’s interior and which is the exterior.
• Walls that are too thin. Every technology and material has a minimum wall thickness – exceed it, and a feature may fail during printing or break in use.
• Insufficient support planning. Large overhangs without adequate support can deform or fail to print properly.
• Incorrect dimensions or scale. Wrong units (mm vs. inches) are one of the most common reasons a finished part turns out the wrong size.
• Excessive polygon count or file size. An unnecessarily dense mesh lengthens processing time and can complicate slicing.

How to avoid these mistakes

Before sending a model for printing, it’s worth checking the geometry’s integrity with dedicated software, verifying wall thickness against the chosen material and technology, and thinking ahead about the part’s orientation on the printer – this affects both the amount of support needed and the surface quality.

What we do

Once we receive your 3D model, we always check its suitability for the chosen technology before printing and, if needed, suggest fixes or optimizations – both for print reliability and for the final price. If you don’t yet have a model, or need to recreate one from an existing part, we can do that through 3D scanning.

A project tailored to you

Send us your 3D model through our order form – we’ll assess its suitability for printing and provide a quote.