1. Export your 3D file with an optimal resolution

The roughness or the resolution of your file forms the basis of the printing quality. In most 3D modeling software, when exporting a file (for instance to STL) you will be asked to define the resolution for the export. This value is defined as the maximum distance between the original shape and the STL mesh you are exporting. We advise choosing 0.01 mm for a good export. Exporting with a tolerance smaller than 0.01 mm does not make sense because most 3D printers cannot print at this level of detail and your file will be unnecessarily large.

Picture above: The globe on the left is in its native file format from a 3D modeling software; the one in the middle is a high-resolution STL export, and the one on the right is a low-resolution STL export. 

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2. Choose the material with the printing resolution that matches your expectations

Once the file has an appropriate resolution as input for the 3D printer, there are a number of factors which will determine printing quality:

• Layer thickness of the chosen material (this corresponds to Z-axis resolution)
• Minimum detail size
• Accuracy of the chosen material

You will find this information on the Material Pages and in the Design Guidelines on our website which will enable you to make a good choice.
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