# 3D printing STL export issues

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/3d-printing-stl-export-issues/17498>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [February 17, 2022, 8:51pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/3d-printing-stl-export-issues/17498 "2022-02-17T20:51:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

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**Author:** ![KPeter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/kpeter/32/7644_2.png) [@KPeter](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/KPeter)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 9:36am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/3d-printing-stl-export-issues/17498/2 "2022-02-18T09:36:10Z")

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Hello,

STL files do not have a dimension stored in them, it may happen that the slicer expects different units. Let me share [an article](https://support.shapr3d.com/hc/en-us/articles/115001796029-Why-did-my-STL-file-change-units-#:~:text=STL%20files%20only%20contain%20numbers,units%2C%20are%20exported%20and%20saved.) and an older forum post about this case, I hope you will find them helpful:

> [@Problem outputting to stl for 3D printer](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/problem-outputting-to-stl-for-3d-printer/11885):
>
> I created a 3D object and exported it to stl, when I open it in the Gcode converter, the program shows the object but when I select preview it only has few items on the screen. Not sure what I am doing wrong. I have a regular membership, so I can’t export the Shapr3d file. Attached is a picture of the file.

In the meantime, if you are exporting files for 3D printing, please use 3MF format. It has fewer possible file issues and can store important data like measurement units while STL transfers only the geometry in a quite old format.

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