<p>Sketchup is notorious for creating non-manifold models for 3D printing. The first recommendation would be to consider using a different resource for your models. I'm not a big fan of <a href="https://www.tinkercad.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">TinkerCAD</a>, but it is similar in operation to many features of Sketchup. I've used it on a couple occasions where it was the fastest simplest way to create a particular model.</p>

<p>There are other programs that are more complex in the learning curve. <a href="http://meshmixer.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Meshmixer</a> is good for more organic shapes, although it will perform reasonably well for engineering-type models such as yours.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.blender.org/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Blender</a> is a great piece of free software with an extremely steep learning curve, but again, better suited to organics.</p>

<p>I'm quite a fan of <a href="http://www.openscad.org/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">OpenSCAD</a> which is script/text based and quite well suited to creating engineering-type models, especially if you need parametric modeling. The model you have in your pictures would be an easy build, perhaps twenty minutes creation time, a few dozen lines of text. I see two cylinders, some boolean subtraction and some radial primitives. If the code is clean (easy to do), the result is a manifold object.</p>

<p>On the even more challenging level, there are programs such as <a href="http://www.solidworks.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SolidWorks</a> but the learning curve there is steep too. In the same ballpark would be <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/overview" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Autodesk Fusion 360</a>, for which a free hobbyist version exists.</p>

<p>Of course, with all of the above, there are YouTube tutorials to assist your learning process.</p>

<p>More to the point, one can use an <a href="http://online%203d%20model%20repair%20service" rel="nofollow noreferrer">online 3D model repair service</a>. I've attempted to use a couple with mixed results.</p>

<p><a href="https://service.netfabb.com/login.php" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Netfabb</a> is a commonly recommended online repair service. I've not used that one, or if I have, the results were poor. A bad model (your example) will likely fail with most services.</p>

<p>I've used <a href="https://makeprintable.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MakePrintable</a> in the past as well. Again, a bad model will fail and Sketchup is the culprit here.</p>

<p>You can use Meshmixer in Analysis mode to find the errors and use Auto Repair All, but the results aren't going to be pretty!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-03T16:47:54.887Z
Thanks for the help! For now I think I'll use tinkerCAD, my models aren't very complex yet and I don't really have the time to dive into a complex program. I've used blender in the past for modeling faces and characters, so I'll maybe pick that up again if there is a need.
patrick jackson
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-04T11:35:42.703Z
You should look at OpenSCAD. It's a useful tool to have at your disposal.
Mick
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-05T03:09:52.817Z
@Mick alright thanks, I'll take that one into consideration too
patrick jackson
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-03T11:56:28.377Z
2017-06-03T11:56:28.377Z
fred_dot_u
<p>I'm very new to 3D printing, I purchased a Monoprice Maker Select Plus last week and I'm just getting started with printing my own models. </p>

<p>I can create fairly simple models in Sketchup without a problem, export in <code>.obj</code>, then using Slic3r, covert the STL into G-code. This method worked fairly well for some simple cubic bearing holders I was printing, however when I tried to slice a complex shape (a wheel), the slicer shows an incomplete version of the <code>.obj</code> file, missing faces and transparent from some angles. </p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/OlXqP.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/OlXqP.jpg" alt="the sketchup model"></a></p>

<p>Here is now what the wheel looked like on the slicer</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/7j1Iv.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/7j1Iv.jpg" alt="preview mode"></a></p>

<p>There is obviously something I'm doing wrong in Sketchup, maybe I have to put it through some filters in MeshLab? Or I'm not constructing the model properly?</p>

<3d-models><3d-design><software><slic3r><slicing>
Slic3r not interpreting STL correctly
patrick jackson
# Slic3r not interpreting STL correctly

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-06-03)

I'm very new to 3D printing, I purchased a Monoprice Maker Select Plus last week and I'm just getting started with printing my own models.

I can create fairly simple models in Sketchup without a problem, export in `.obj`, then using Slic3r, covert the STL into G-code. This method worked fairly well for some simple cubic bearing holders I was printing, however when I tried to slice a complex shape (a wheel), the slicer shows an incomplete version of the `.obj` file, missing faces and transparent from some angles.

[![the sketchup model](https://i.sstatic.net/OlXqP.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/OlXqP.jpg)

Here is now what the wheel looked like on the slicer

[![preview mode](https://i.sstatic.net/7j1Iv.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/7j1Iv.jpg)

There is obviously something I'm doing wrong in Sketchup, maybe I have to put it through some filters in MeshLab? Or I'm not constructing the model properly?

**Tags:** 3d-models, 3d-design, software, slic3r, slicing

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-06-03. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

Sketchup is notorious for creating non-manifold models for 3D printing. The first recommendation would be to consider using a different resource for your models. I'm not a big fan of [TinkerCAD](https://www.tinkercad.com/), but it is similar in operation to many features of Sketchup. I've used it on a couple occasions where it was the fastest simplest way to create a particular model.

There are other programs that are more complex in the learning curve. [Meshmixer](http://meshmixer.com/) is good for more organic shapes, although it will perform reasonably well for engineering-type models such as yours.

[Blender](https://www.blender.org/) is a great piece of free software with an extremely steep learning curve, but again, better suited to organics.

I'm quite a fan of [OpenSCAD](http://www.openscad.org/) which is script/text based and quite well suited to creating engineering-type models, especially if you need parametric modeling. The model you have in your pictures would be an easy build, perhaps twenty minutes creation time, a few dozen lines of text. I see two cylinders, some boolean subtraction and some radial primitives. If the code is clean (easy to do), the result is a manifold object.

On the even more challenging level, there are programs such as [SolidWorks](http://www.solidworks.com/) but the learning curve there is steep too. In the same ballpark would be [Autodesk Fusion 360](https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/overview), for which a free hobbyist version exists.

Of course, with all of the above, there are YouTube tutorials to assist your learning process.

More to the point, one can use an [online 3D model repair service](http://online%203d%20model%20repair%20service). I've attempted to use a couple with mixed results.

[Netfabb](https://service.netfabb.com/login.php) is a commonly recommended online repair service. I've not used that one, or if I have, the results were poor. A bad model (your example) will likely fail with most services.

I've used [MakePrintable](https://makeprintable.com/) in the past as well. Again, a bad model will fail and Sketchup is the culprit here.

You can use Meshmixer in Analysis mode to find the errors and use Auto Repair All, but the results aren't going to be pretty!

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the help! For now I think I'll use tinkerCAD, my models aren't very complex yet and I don't really have the time to dive into a complex program. I've used blender in the past for modeling faces and characters, so I'll maybe pick that up again if there is a need.  
> **username_2**: You should look at OpenSCAD. It's a useful tool to have at your disposal.  
> **username_0**: @Mick alright thanks, I'll take that one into consideration too  

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