Frequently asked questions on 3D printing and rapid prototyping

What file formats can I use to upload my 3D files to Sculpteo?

Sculpteo can handle a large number of formats. The table below summarize the features that are supported for each format.

How can I easily convert a 3D file to a format supported by your website?

We advise you to export your 3D file from your 3D software in one of the supported formats. You can also use the 3D software in free download: Meshlab

When I upload a 3D model to the site, textures and colours are sometimes missing: how can I make them appear?

When you upload your 3D file in certain formats, for instance .obj, you should include colours, textures and the 3D model in a .zip archive. To upload your 3D model to the site, you must then select the .zip file on your computer.

Why do some designs require fixing before they can be made?

When you upload a design to our gallery, you may find that some geometric issues prevent it from being built without modifications. The most common reason is that the design does not unambiguously represent a solid object. Another possibility is that some parts are too thin to be synthesized.
Many 3D software modelling tools currently available focus on creating models for rendering and animation. Most of the time, this type of software does not require the object to be solid and only represents its surface. This information is sometimes insufficient to reconstruct a solid object solely based on the 3D design.
If possible, our software tools will attempt to automatically fix the design. The design may be reviewed for correctness in the gallery at any time. However, some issues require manual editing by the designer. A quick overview of potential issues you may encounter is presented below, along with tips on how to correct them.

• Borders and holes
  
  A design may contain surfaces with borders, that do not enclose a volume. These surfaces have no thickness and therefore cannot be constructed. Sometimes, small holes prevent the surfaces from being 'watertight'.
  This issue may be fixed either by simply removing the problematic surfaces, by extruding them (via the "push/pull" or "displace" tool of your 3D modelling software), or by filling the gaps.
  

  

  
  

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• Incorrect orientation
  
  In most 3D modelling applications, surfaces are oriented to have a "heads" side and a "tails" side. When the surface is closed, this orientation is used to define the inside and outside of the enclosed volume. Sometimes, the entire surface is not oriented consistently, and does not clearly separate the inside from the outside of the object.
  Most of the time, this issue is fixed by flipping the problematic facets. However, some surfaces cannot be oriented consistently (such as the Moebius strip or the Klein bottle). To build these kinds of objects, their surface must be cut open and thickened via extrusion.
  

  

  
  

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• Singular points or edges
  
  When designing a 3D model, some operations may produce ambiguous surfaces that connect to each other on a single shared point or edge. These singularities mean you cannot determine which volumes are enclosed by those surfaces.
  This issue may be fixed by duplicating the singular points or edges until the surfaces are disconnected from each other. The duplicated points or edges may reside in the same location, but each surface must have its own copy.
  

  

What formats are accepted in the zip file for the textures?

The accepted formats are as follows: jpg, gif, png, bmp, tiff, xpm, tga, ico, wmf, pcx, xbm

My file is in .obj format: how can I make colours and textures appear?

For this particular format, you must attach, along with the .obj model, the indexation file for colours and textures (..mtl), the texture files (image formats .jpg, .png, .gif or others) and include them together in a zip archive.
It's this .zip that you have to upload to the website.
So .zip = .obj + .mtl + .jpg (or other picture formats).

How can I export a 3D file from Autocad 2010?

The recommended export format with this software is .stl.
The procedure is as follows:
- Be sure you are in "3D modelling" mode (lower right hand corner of the main window)
- Click on the "Exit" tab at the top of the main window
- Then click on the "Send to 3D print service" button
- Click on "Continue"
- Select the solids to export, then press "Enter"
- Check the preview before printing then click on "OK"
- A dialogue box will allow you to save your file in the .stl format

What is the maximum file size of a 3D file upload to sculpteo.com?

We suggest you not to exceed 50 Mb: the heavier the file, the longer the upload time.
Moreover, as the machine’s level of detail is 1/10th of a millimetre, tiny details in large files with excessive numbers of polygons will not be rendered.

How can I be sure that my 3D models are confidential and visible only by myself on pro.sculpteo.com?

pro.sculpteo.com is a website dedicated to professionals, and all your uploaded 3D models are only visible in your account, protected by a login and password.
The access is completely secured, and you can upload all your 3D models in strict confidence, to order your different objects.

Where can I get 3D files already designed?

If you haven't found what you were looking for in the Sculpteo gallery, you can still have a look in other websites that might have a 3D model adapted to your needs.

Feel free to visit:

3D Via
Google 3D Warehouse
Turbosquid
123D Autodesk
CGTrader

What is 3D printing?

3D printing is a prototyping process that makes it possible to create an actual object from a 3D file. The object is formed by applying successive layers of solid material.

Making a white plastic object with the Eos machine:

Making a coloured object with the Zcorp machine:

What software should I use if I’m a beginner in 3D design?

- Google provides a free, easy to use application called Google Sketchup. This tool allows you to design everything you want in 3D, through an intuitive interface, and offers free 3D models for download.

- Wings 3D is another free 3D application; the website has a forum, which is very useful to find answers to all your questions.

- Blender is available for free, but targets a more experienced audience.

- Newcomer Sculptris works like you are sculpting directly from clay.

- Make Human is a free specialized in human body 3D designs and lets you play with all body and face details. Amazing!
(versions compatible with Sculpteo for 3D printing: "Nightly Build" or v. 0.9.1).

- GLC Player is a free application which allows you to easily view 3D models. It’s lighter than regular modelling software so comes in handy when you just need to quickly check a 3D model before uploading it to sculpteo.com (are the materials properly linked to the model ? Are the textures in the right place? Has the model changed before and after the export?). GLC Player also lets you categorize 3D models into albums (like you would with a photo album).

Can I create coloured objects?

The colour option is available with ZCorp’s ZPrinter machine.
This means you can upload 3D files with colours to our website. If this is what you want, your object can only be made from one type of material, which is a high-performance compound with the appearance of a plaster casting.
The colours are directly printed into the material.

What machines do you use to create 3D objects?

We have 2 different machines in our workshops:

• Formiga P100 by Eos
  Monochrome printing, laser system
  Available material: plastic, flexible when the object is fine, and very solid (to create a ball bearing, for instance)

  

  

• ZPrinter 650 by ZCorp
  Monochrome and colour printing
  Available material: a high-performance compound with the appearance of a plaster casting (to create interior design ornaments, for instance)

  

• Objet 3D printer
  High-performance compound 3D printing
  Then objects are coated with silver 925°/.. by using an electrolyse process. In the final stage, objects are delicately polished.

What is the maximum size of a 3D print?

The maximum size depends on the chosen machine:

• on the Formiga P100 by Eos : 7.1 in (180 mm) x 9.1 in 230 mm) x 11.8 in (300 mm)
• on the Formiga P395 by Eos : 12.1 in (308 mm) x 12.1 in (308 mm) x 23.6 in (600 mm)
• on the Formiga P730 by Eos : 26.6 in (677 mm) x 14.5 in (368 mm) x 22.2 in (565 mm)
• on the ZPrinter 650 by ZCorp : 10 in (254 mm) x 15 in (381 mm) x 8 in (203 mm)
• on the Objet for the silver material : 9.8 in (250 mm) x 9.8 in (250 mm) x 9.8 in (250 mm)

What are the materials used to print my 3D designs?

Each machine uses a different material:

• Formiga P100 by Eos
  Available material: plastic, flexible when the object is fine, and very solid (to create a ball bearing, for instance)
• Formiga P395 by Eos
  Available material: Alumide is a blend of polyamide and grey aluminium dust. Strong, slightly flexible material that can withstand some pressure when bent. The surface has a grainy, sanded appearance and is slightly porous with shiny aluminium dust on it.
• Formiga P730 by Eos
  Available material: plastic, flexible when the object is fine, and very solid (to create a ball bearing, for instance). Maximum size higher than EOS P100.
• ZPrinter 650 by ZCorp
  Available material: a high-performance compound with the appearance of a plaster casting (to create interior design ornaments, for instance)
• Objet 3D printer for the silver material
  Silver 3D Printing is a two-step process. First the models are printed layer by layer with a high-performance compound. Then objects are coated with silver 925°/.. By using an electrolyse process. In the final stage, objects are delicately polished. (for example to create jewels)

How thick are the layers of material in 3D printers?

The layers are less than 0.004 in (0.1 mm) thick. Although very fine, they are slightly perceptible to the naked eye (particularly on rounded or false-flat shapes).

How thick does my object have to be in order to be strong enough?

The minimum thickness of your object depends on the material you use.
With white plastic, a wall with a thickness of 0.03 in (0.8 mm) would be reasonably strong but flexible. Above 0.08 in (2 mm), the walls are really strong.
With coloured material, minimum wall thickness is 0.12 (3 mm) in to ensure your object is solid enough.
With silver material, minimal wall thickness is 2 mm. The model should not include holes less than 3 mm diameter. The object should not include any moving parts.
Keep these values in mind when you design and order your objects. In particular, be careful when you change the object scale.

How can I design an articulated model? What gap should I leave for my articulated models?

Our machines build your models layer by layer, and can therefore build any type of model, even with complex assemblies.
If you want to produce an articulated model, you just need to leave an appropriate gap between parts of your model so that separate parts are not joined during build. This lets you make pivot balls, cylindrical joints etc.
We recommend the use of white plastic to produce such items. With this material, a 0.02 in (0.5 mm) gap is advisable for the articulation to work correctly.

What is the level of detail of objects produced?

The level of detail varies with the size selected to make your object, and the material.
- With the Zcorp (coloured compound) :

Which are the technical properties of the materials?

White plastic: laser-sintered polyamide. Download the technical sheet

Black plastic: same material as for the white plastic, with the same properties, but black dyied.

Multicolored material: download the technical sheet

Silver material: silver 3D Printing is a two-step process. First the models are printed layer by layer with a high-performance compound. Then objects are coated with silver 925°/.. By using an electrolyse process. In the final stage, objects are delicately polished. Minimal wall thickness for this technology is 2 mm. The model should not include holes less than 3 mm diameter. The object should not include any moving parts. Hollow areas may keep darker reflects due to the oxydation of the silver.

What is WebGL? How to enable WebGL?

WebGL is the most recent technology for displaying 3D content on the Web. It uses the hardware graphic acceleration of your computer to render 3D models accurately and interactively. As of now, it is supported in the following browsers: Firefox 4, Chrome 9, Opera 11.5.

If you are using Firefox 4, you need recent drivers, or you may force-enable WebGL support.
If you are using Chrome and have troubles enabling WebGL, please read this page on Google forum.

You may also visit this link for troubleshooting WebGL starting problems.

How does a full color 3D printer work? Video demo.

What are the possibilities offered by the Sculpteo’s 3D viewer?

Our 3D viewer offers you a very realistic 3D object view in order to guarantee that what you see is what you buy.

Futhermore, it can be used with every standard technologies like HTML5, Flash, and JavaScript, depending on your computer configuration.

You can also embed it on your blog or website as easily as a YouTube video.

For more information, connect on our blog

Can I customise the parameters of my 3D design before ordering?

You will be given the option to customise certain parameters before confirming your order:

• choice of the material
• monochrome or colour printing
• choice of the final size of the object (in mm, cm or inch)

How is your price calculated?

Depends on several criterias which are:

• The real quantity of material used for the final objects


• The whole quantity of material used for the manufacturing process


• The time that takes the machine for the manufacturing process


• The time spent to manufacture, control the quality and pack up your order


• The material in which you want your object (white or black plastic, multicolored material)

What forms of payment do you accept?

You can pay for your order with most Credit or Debit cards or through the Paypal service.
Our payment procedure is totally secured by our specialized partner.

Is the price of my items getting lower if I hollow it out? Why do my hollow and full objects cost the same?

Unfortunately, raw material is not the only element charged in the 3D printing technology! As we want to offer a good service at a low price we planned out a price strategy that takes into account:

• The real quantity of material used for the final objects
• The whole quantity of material used for the manufacturing process
• The time that takes the machine for the manufacturing process
• The time spent to manufacture, control the quality and pack up your order

What are your shipping methods?

We use different shipping methods, depending on the country and the delivery time:
- slow delivery without follow-up, option available for Europe USA and Canada, delivery time : between 2 and 15 days (only for orders below €10 or $10).
- fast delivery by colissimo with follow-up, option only available in France, delivery time : 2 days.
- express delivery by UPS, option available for all countries, delivery time : between 1 and 2 days, depending on the country.

Do you ship world-wide?

We ship world-wide, to the location of your choice (home or office).

What is the delivery time once I have placed my order on your website?

Your items are normally shipped from 24 to 72h after your order, depending on the size of your objects. The delivery time depends on the chosen method (see the question above).
The schedule delivery date is noticed when you order online.

If your order is urgent, please let us know by email on the contact form.

We need two days more for the dyed plastic since we need to dye the object.
For the silver material, the average delivery time is 21 days after the online order.
For the figurines, the average delivery time is 30 days after the online order.

Can I paint my objects if I order them in white?

Yes, you can paint your objects. Different types of paint can be used: bi-component polyurethane, epoxy... Using a spray will make application easier.
For a raw aspect: spray paint directly.
For a smooth aspect: it’s best to apply a coat of polyurethane primer, sand the surface, then spray paint.
In both cases, the items must be clean (wash with water).

Are the materials you use suitable for engraving or tapping?

Yes, they are, as with regular polyamide.

Which sizes are available for a customized figurine; and which price?

7cm: €59.90 or 2.5 in : $74.90
10cm: €89.90 or 3.9in : $129.90
15cm: €179.90 or 5.9in: $235.90

How can I contact you if I can’t find the help I need on your website?

You can use our contact form, we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.