My export won't open in my slicer

You exported, you opened your slicer, and something is off: an error, an empty bed, a model the size of a speck, or a pile of overlapping parts. Here is how to diagnose it.

Symptom

• The slicer says "unsupported file" or fails to open the file.
• The file opens but the model is tiny or enormous.
• The model is on its side or floating.
• Several pieces overlap at one spot.
• The slicer reports errors, holes, or non-manifold edges.
• The export option is missing or greyed out.
• The download never arrives or arrives corrupted.

Likely causes and fixes

The format is not supported by your slicer

If one fails, try the other. STL is the safest universal choice, and 3MF is the better modern one.

Your plan does not include that format

The free trial includes STL and 3MF. STEP, GLB and OBJ come with Maker. DXF, DWG, PDF and PNG come with Pro. If an option is missing, check your plan. After the trial ends and before you subscribe, your account is read-only, but you can still download STL.

The scale is off

If the model looks 25.4 times too big or too small, a unit mismatch is the cause (millimetres versus inches). Solid Vibes works in millimetres.

• In the slicer, check the units or scale dialog when importing.
• 3MF carries units explicitly, which avoids guessing. Use it where possible.
• Confirm the size you expect by asking the agent: "What is the overall size of this piece in millimetres?"

The orientation is not what you want for printing

Solid Vibes uses Z as up, with the print bed as the XY plane at Z = 0, matching most slicers. But a model built standing on its end exports that way.

Fix: ask for a print orientation. "Rotate it to the best printing orientation and export." The Make step also suggests one.

Several pieces on top of each other

If your Thing has many pieces and you export it as a whole, the pieces may keep their assembled positions. In the slicer that appears as one overlapping blob, or a combined object you cannot print as intended.

Fix: export each piece you want to print separately, and arrange them on the bed in your slicer. Or ask the agent to lay them out:

Export the lid and the box as separate 3MF files, each in its best printing orientation.

Bought pieces (screws, boards) are not meant to be printed, so skip them.

The model is too big for your bed

The slicer shows it hanging off the bed, or refuses to slice. Check bed fit in Make, and split the part if needed. See Split a part to fit your printer.

Slicer errors about holes or thin walls

Solid Vibes exports from exact solid geometry, so it is normally clean. Slicer warnings usually mean something else:

• A feature thinner than the nozzle, which the slicer drops or marks. Thicken it. The printability check flags these.
• Two bodies touching at a single face or edge, which some slicers treat as non-manifold. Overlap them slightly, or join them.
• A very fine detail the slicer cannot resolve at your layer height.

Run the manufacturability check and fix its issues before exporting.

The download failed

• Try again, or from another browser.
• Check that a download blocker or security software is not interfering.
• Make sure you have free disk space.
• For very large files, wait for the download to finish completely before opening it.

A clean export checklist

How to avoid it

• Prefer 3MF for slicers that support it.
• Export pieces individually for printing, and keep the assembled Thing for viewing and instructions.
• Run the printability check first.
• Name your files by piece, orientation and revision, such as lid_v3_flat.3mf.
• Tag a release before you print anything important, so you can always reproduce the file.

Try it

I want to print this on a Bambu-style 256 printer. Export every piece that needs printing as its own 3MF in its best printing orientation, skip the bought pieces, and give me a list of the files with their sizes.