Export STEP and STL

What it does

• Export STEP… exports a part as STEP for other CAD programs.
• Export STL (3D print)… exports a binary STL in mm for 3D printers and slicers.
• Assembly: Share › Export STL exports the selected parts, or all visible parts if none are selected.

Where to find it

File › Export STEP… / Export STL (3D print)…

Steps

1. Open the part (use Roll to End first if you have rolled back).
2. Choose File › Export STEP… or Export STL (3D print)….
3. Enter a file name. For STL, choose the quality in the file type field.

Try it: Earphone cable winder, ready for the 3D printer

Wrap your earphone cable around this H-shaped winder and plug the jack into the centre hole: no more knots in your bag.

1. Sketch on XY a rectangle 60 × 30 and Extrude 3 mm.
2. Right-click the top face › New Sketch on this face. Draw two 10 × 10 squares, one at each short end, 10 mm from the front edge and touching the end edge. Add a Ø6 circle in the centre (30, 15).
3. Finish Sketch, then Cut / Remove › Extrude with Through All.
4. Fillet with Radius 1.5: click the 4 outside vertical corners and the 8 vertical corners of the notches, then Done.
5. Choose File › Export STL (3D print)…. In the file type list, choose STL for 3D printing - Fine, and save cable-winder.stl.
6. Choose File › Export STEP… and save cable-winder.step for a friend who uses another CAD program.
7. Open the STL in your slicer. The size is 60 × 30 × 3 mm, already in millimetres.

Challenge: Export the same part again with Draft / small file and compare the two STL file sizes.

See also

• File types
• Export HTML