In the past week, I have come across several models that contain no files at all or a file that requires a specific, not free program to open.
A few of these “models” have been on MakerWorld for almost a month, and a few just showed up in the past week.
I don’t think this has ever been a requirement? Ideally people should upload a Step file version but there isn’t anything that says they can’t upload the original Solidworks or Inventor file and in some peoples cases this is a prefered format as it preserves the file tree. Have you considered asking the uploader to additionally add a Step file?
It would be nice to have a file that could actually be printed without having to purchase another program. In some cases, there are no files at all.
This past week alone, I came across 2 models where there were no files, just the MakerWord web page for the model. No files to download, not even a PDF.
Unless I’m missing something on that model’s webpage, there are no files to download.
strange that the model has likes and a boost, probably some schema for getting points, sadly
I’ve never seen a model on MW that required you to buy software to print. The ones your finding that don’t have files attached are people just uploading random pictures they find online to try and get points.
The one you linked to is a good example. That’s their only model and this is their bio:
“Hi! Super new to 3D printing. I’m currently just printing for fun, but eventually want to learn to design some models. I look forward to this new creative journey! Where will it lead? We shall see. “Creativity is intelligence having fun.” Albert Einstein”
There is another model that only provides a SolidWorks file. I tried a few “free” programs, but none could open/import the file. I would think that MakerWorld would have checks in place to make sure a model has files to download and preferably specific format files: STL, 3MF, Step, etc.
I really thought they did. Do you remember which model only had a Solidworks file?
Good example. You can report it in the shish kebab menu:
I reported the pumpkin head you encountered:
Onshape will open Solidworks files and is free. Truth be told most CAD systems will import Solidworks files as dummy solids.
If you link the model with the Solidworks file I should be able to convert it for you.
I had assumed (wrongly) that the issue you were having was there was no “additional” 3d model files added, not that there was no.3mf file included.
I tried Fusion 360 since ChatGPT said it might work. It didn’t for the file I tried.
I’ll take a look at Onshape. For some reason ChatGPT didn’t list that as a free program for Solidworks files when I searched. Stupid AI (smile).
@JonRaymond thanks for the offer to convert the file for me. When I’m looking for models, usually for my 6 grandkids, I’m looking at many, many models. The past two or so weeks were the first time I came upon models with no files and one model had a Solidworks file which I had never heard of before. I’m not really wanting that model, it just caught my attention since the webpage clearly showed no 3MF file and when I checked it only had one file: a Solidworks file.
I’m still learning 3D printing. I’ve only created a few simple geometric models.
I have joined a couple of authors/creators Patreon or MyMiniFactory paid subscriptions since I was impressed with the quality of their work. In all cases, I found their paid sites by first finding a free model on MakerWorld.com.
From an earlier post, I’m sure the authors of the “no files” models didn’t know what they were doing (kind of like me).
Since MakerWorld is becoming more picky about awarding “Boost Tokens” for people like me to give to authors, I hope they get more picky about what they let on their site. I did report one of the models a week ago, but it is still there and still has no files.
I am a relative newcomer, having only joined this year with Bambu’s anniversary sale, but I seem to get a steady drip of Boost tokens to award. IDK what the algorithm is but they’re rewarding something.
As for reporting models, probably they don’t trigger a human review until some minimum number of reports is filed. It’ll take a group effort, I think, to take them down.
I work in the web industry. We have a whole set of food names for menu icon styles: hamburger, hotdog, döner, meatballs, bento, waffle, candy box, fries, breadsticks… 
They’re used for menus where the UX designer is too lazy to figure out what to label it, and too scared to just make the options visible by default. It’s a refuge of bad design. So, of course, they’re used everywhere.
I got my first 3D printer in January of this year (2025). I had a steam of “Boost Tokens” to award until about a month ago or maybe two weeks ago. Not sure what changed. I don’t post as many pictures as I used to of the printed models in my reviews. I did “boost” lots of simple, useful models that I liked.
From personal experience, I had a model that was incredibly popular, lots of boosts, downloads and prints. It had lots of photos of the printed models.
@MakerWorld decided the profile needed to be removed. Why? Because they didn’t have photos. The model was uploaded before that requirement was announced.
Weirdly, I still get boosts for the model.
I didn’t deal with it at the time as my health was particularly bad.
I will get on to it.
The way MakerWorld decides to enforce rules retroactively is appalling.
The fact they provide no changelog is despicable.
I wonder how many other models are in this state due to the disrespectful treatment of an organisation that acts without regard to rhythm or reason.
They decided that you had to award boosts to the big users and not models you thought deserved it.
The original suggestion they made was to boost the smaller designers for models that you liked.
They whitewashed this reason when they changed the policy to give to the rich and screw the poor. They denied the original reason even existed.
Now, unless you rewarded the most popular, complicated models that may serve no benefit to you you will not be issued more boosts to reward those who provided something you liked or was genuinely useful.
I just looked at what models I’ve Boosted. Some of them have dozens of boosts, a few have hundreds, a few have single digits. I have noticed that higher rated/boosted models seem to come up higher in search results – which, if the purpose is to surface the “best” models would make sense. That’s going to result in a rich-get-richer process.
I wonder if Bambu should just ditch the Boost and points systems entirely. They’re essentially a form of compensation, which means some people are always going to abuse it. It was, I assume, useful to kick-start Makerworld as a community. But if it now creates more problems than it solve? Get rid of it.
As I said earlier, the original concept was to even out who gained points.
The bigger, established designers didn’t need help; the Boosts were to ‘boost’ the lesser-known, but useful designers’ models.
But, as always, MW decided to change this, to reward the well-rewarded and to penalise the smaller designers for not being bigger.
Then they lied about the original plan, saying the feed the rich plan was always their concept from the start.
Because they refuse to act professionally by using changelogs, they get to rewrite history. They also block the Wayback Machine from indexing the site, as they got caught in a huge “rewriting history” on terms and conditions when the evidence was found there.
I had printers since makerbot times (thingomatic… made of wood 
) so this is 15 years and there has never been a better moment to be a maker and publish your stuff than what makerworld made. I design for me, and with my very few models get a constant stream of free plastic, its awesome.
I am not gonna get a shipment of H2D daily due my points, but small makers arent being penalized. There is always gonna be people trying to game the system, like the example on this thread, but I dont see other big issues like the rest of the discussion.
You may have missed the context.
They are now, due to the change in how MW requires Boosts to be awarded by users to designers since they changed the rules.
Originally, they were favoured, now they are not.
Thus, they are now disadvantaged.
The better time was before April 2024 before the six or so reductions in points that have driven down rewards significantly. Just since January 2025, many are earning just 20% of what they did.
MW are giving more than others, but, far less than they did. Rightly or wrongly, it is not currently the best time for designers on MW, that time has long since past.
