I do not normally use makerworld as it requires a login to download. However i have started recently, and downloaded a few things recently, and I going to say that I will no longer download 3mf unless it’s a mutlicolour model that takes a while to paint.
Everytime I download a 3mf I need to take steps to ensure that it does not change all the printer settings. So if you are uploading models can you please provide STL if it’s a functional part? Oherwise I will not be download it unless there is no alternative.
The import thing really does need a way to prevent everything from being changed.
A couple of items are automated, but deleting all your filaments in the list in exchange for the original maker’s collection is annoying.
That said, a lot of people just don’t even use STL files anymore, and taking a minute to remap my filaments onto a makerworld model is only a mild annoyance.
I doubt this post is going to get more than a couple of people to start. Both by virtue of the fact that (making up numbers here) 1% of people on makerworld are on the forums and 1% of that group might click on this post, and the fact that it’s just inconvenient do export both filetypes.
There’s a good reason why MW uses 3MF as the default rather than STL (or STEP). With functional parts, supports, orientation, fill settings etc. all probably need setting up carefully to achieve a successful print and end result. With 3MF, you can do that. Not so much with STL.
Now I just know you’re going to come back and say that you are more than capable of setting the slicer up correctly to print whatever part we’re talking about but I suspect that 98%+ of MW users are not so who do we cater for? You or the other 98%? As you’re capable of setting the slicer up, nothing is stopping you from doing that.
If it’s such an issue to you, open the 3MF and export the STL and start from scratch. I know it’s not ideal for your use case, but it is one way around the “issue”.
Even with decorative prints (I create HueForges for example) slicer settings are extremely important. I always give people a choice and upload the 3MF and the STL but I strongly suggest that people use the 3MF. I’ve spent a long time optimising the print profiles to produce the best quality with the shortest slicing and printing time and with HueForges it’s extremely important that the colour changes take place at the correct height and that people use filament with the correct TD. Even with warnings in bold on each model I regularly get someone come along, ignore everything I’ve written and then complain when it all goes wrong.
There are some very complex functional models on other sites - machinery, RC Cars, etc - for which the STLs are pre-orientated, and all one needs to do is set walls, infill, supports off/tree/regular and maybe activate brim or arachne.
Additionally, parts designed to interface with hardware may need print calibration, or have to deal with variations in hardware. What are you going to do, provide 100 different 3mf files for all the combinations of tolerances? The user will have setup and tweak these manually.
I understand some users cannot do all the above. That’s fine.
Keep the 3mf, but add STLs.
That would only encourage people to refuse to provide STL. As I said earlier, I would rather ignore the model completely.
This is a very tedius process to implement things that 3MF files already support directly into the model. With a 3MF this is trivial.
Regarding providing 100 different 3MF files - that’s precisely what makerworld allows. Users can upload their print profiles to any maker’s listing.
In fact, for laughs I intend to put up a PPS-CF profile and photos for one of the terribly benchy models later.
Doing the extra work to add an STL just isn’t worth it for the vast majority of people to satisfy the minor annoyance of this problem. You are literally asking people to do the work you want done for you, instead of just doing it yourself.
One is supposed to print benchy in everything as part of testing. If you want “for a laugh” why not put up a PPS-CF profile for a reusable bambu spool?
If you open up BS, add any shape to the plate - so that it is not empty and them import a 3mf it will ask if you want to just import the geometry - not settings or filaments etc - then once imported delete the dummy shape.
You can then export the geometry in BS to stl if you want.
I may be missing something but the green “Download 3mf” button has a down arrow on it that has menu choices for download 3mf and download CAD/stl files among the choices.
When I go to my models where I only uploaded a 3mf, the option is still there. I haven’t tried it on my models but it prompts to download a zip file of the stl files.
Is that empty if people don’t upload the stls? I thought it would harvest the stls and let you just download them alone but haven’t tried it to know.
Well there may only be a couple of ways to go then. Bambu/MW do the magic to pull the stl files and make them available, or creators all start uploading stls.
On the second one, I can tell you right now I won’t be doing that. I used to but it apparently made it easier to have an Etsy seller take one of my designs, mod it slightly, and now sells it as their own.
I haven’t had that happen much but won’t be making it easier for others. Just my own personal choice.
If you prefer to manage raw STL files, you should also be able to export them and do whatever you want with them.
And anyway it’s like STL = TXT and 3MF = RTF so I don’t see the problem
Why not? it is a tiny extra step and it achieves exactly what you asked for, independent from the author’s upload. It doesn’t solve your issue the way you asked, but I really don’t see why that should be necessary.
I haven’t exported STLs for a long time and the effort to create one in addition, make sure it works as well as the STEP file and upload it to MW far exceeds your effort for the suggested solution.
When I print 3MFs from makerworld, I typically open them, look into the author’s modifications, then I switch to my own default profile, e.g. because I prefer certain settings like infill type and reapply the author’s modifications except for those I really don’t like.
When I upload a model to MW, I carefully check the settings based on standard profiles and create a test print exactly with the 3MF I will upload. If you want to ignore that, fine, but be sure that I put quite some thoughts into my adjustments. Probably more than you will. I think that is true for a lot of authors.
