# Export Failed

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/export-failed/17044>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [January 24, 2022, 9:13pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/export-failed/17044 "2022-01-24T21:13:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DragonDon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a698b9/32.png) [@DragonDon](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/DragonDon)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2022, 9:13pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/export-failed/17044/1 "2022-01-24T21:13:06Z")

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Hey All,

Ok, so I was directed to use more CAD-related files when importing(essentially) because the STL files I found kept giving me ‘mesh bodies cannot be selected’ errors. So I decided to grab a CAD file that had a .STEP extension. I imported it just fine. Looks good in the app, but I cannot export it as an STL file at all (either high quality or normal). I keep getting "Export failed. Failed to create file).

What do I need to do to STEP files to make it so that Shapr3D will export into an STL file without any issues?

This is the file I am trying to work with. [12.9 MB file on MEGA](https://mega.nz/file/n10HCIhL#3ZgHTq_qMy57wRHBrthx9BAYG5LhFl2Awr2DsX6MlCo)

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**Author:** ![Robert](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/robert/32/1329_2.png) [@Robert](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Robert)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2022, 12:28am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/export-failed/17044/2 "2022-01-25T00:28:46Z")

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Hi Don,

Probably because the surface is broken, there are holes in it,  
Very likely occurred when you added the fillets

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/5/5c9f91eedf5337a891afef187128ab41d12d4dd9.jpeg)

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/1/140dea94ad75fd00950cd35241c4567cdd68396a.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![TigerMike](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/tigermike/32/32650_2.png) [@TigerMike](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/TigerMike)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2022, 2:46am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/export-failed/17044/3 "2022-01-25T02:46:55Z")

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I took a look at your file and yes, there are holes as @Robert had stated.  
I too have come across a STEP file that, after import, I was able to work with and was unable to export and got the same error message as you did. Bottom line, the STEP file was corrupt for lack of a better word. A colleague was able to convert the broken STEP file to STL by using this free online service. Might be worth a try if you need to convert to STL.

Here it is-

> **[Convert STEP files to STL files | makexyz.com](https://www.makexyz.com/convert/step-to-stl)**
>
> makexyz’s free file converter instantly converts STEP files to STL files.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DragonDon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a698b9/32.png) [@DragonDon](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/DragonDon)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2022, 4:16am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/export-failed/17044/4 "2022-01-25T04:16:16Z")

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Hmm, thanks for the feedback. Wasn’t a file that I created but good to know about understanding how to analyze files for issues.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DragonDon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a698b9/32.png) [@DragonDon](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/DragonDon)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2022, 4:16am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/export-failed/17044/5 "2022-01-25T04:16:50Z")

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Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll see if that works.