# STL Exporting **URL:** \ **Category:** Modeling Questions\ **Created:** [April 27, 2022, 2:37am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/stl-exporting/19022 "2022-04-27T02:37:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nitemare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Nitemare](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Nitemare)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 2:37am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/stl-exporting/19022/1 "2022-04-27T02:37:43Z")
Okay so when I do a design that uses specific measurements, when I export as an STL the dimensions get lost. How can I correct this? Or is there a change I can make to make this work properly with the dimensions I set ---
**Author:** ![McD](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/mcd/32/15504_2.png) [@McD](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/McD)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 3:00am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/stl-exporting/19022/2 "2022-04-27T03:00:00Z")
How do you mean the dimensions are lost? I export to my slicers for 7 different 3D printers, and get outstanding dimensional results. ---
**Author:** ![Oregonerd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/oregonerd/32/8012_2.png) [@Oregonerd](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Oregonerd)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 3:29am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/stl-exporting/19022/3 "2022-04-27T03:29:37Z")
I had the same problem until I learned I must change from SAE to Metric (specifically MM) with STLs as STL files have no information about scale. Shapr wasn’t the only program to have this problem as it is a problem with STL info. I have Prusa printers and their slicer they have added the ability to change to inches and that fixes the scale perfectly so I don’t have to remember to change to MM in Shapr anymore. Look for that OR always remember to changes from inches to mm before export STL. I had to go back and change to mm so many times I rarely forget now. Good luck. PS, you can also use 3MF or Step. They include that info. STL is limited ---
**Author:** ![Oregonerd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/oregonerd/32/8012_2.png) [@Oregonerd](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Oregonerd)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 3:32am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/stl-exporting/19022/4 "2022-04-27T03:32:06Z")
7 printers… 😝 ---
**Author:** ![Laci\_K](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/laci_k/32/8196_2.png) [@Laci\_K](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Laci_K)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 7:22am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/stl-exporting/19022/5 "2022-04-27T07:22:10Z")
STL is a “faulty” format in that way, so we suggest using 3MF instead whenever it’s possible. It has the unit information, so there are no issues like this. ---
**Author:** ![Nitemare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Nitemare](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Nitemare)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 12:18pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/stl-exporting/19022/6 "2022-04-27T12:18:35Z")
so STL is geometry. not size. that would make sense. will do some work with 3MF then and it should work. Thanks guys ---
**Author:** ![Oregonerd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/oregonerd/32/8012_2.png) [@Oregonerd](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Oregonerd)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 2:37pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/stl-exporting/19022/7 "2022-04-27T14:37:14Z")
The Elephant in the room is American’s, almost exclusively, are the only ones who still use and think in inches. I was a kid in middle school when we had a serious push to go Metric and it failed. I think they said it would cost too much. But think about how much it has cost consumers. I have to carry both sets of tools. That adds weight to my service truck. And that adds cost to me in time and expense. Metric is just so much easier… Except when it comes to distributing pie? ---
**Author:** ![McD](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/mcd/32/15504_2.png) [@McD](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/McD)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 2:54pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/stl-exporting/19022/8 "2022-04-27T14:54:42Z")
And yet, miles are still used in England, Ireland, and Scotland. 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![Oregonerd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/oregonerd/32/8012_2.png) [@Oregonerd](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Oregonerd)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2022, 2:38am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/stl-exporting/19022/9 "2022-04-28T02:38:14Z")
What have the Romans ever done for us? ---
**Author:** ![TheBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@TheBum](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/TheBum)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 4:44am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/stl-exporting/19022/10 "2022-04-29T04:44:50Z")
A fellow Monty Python nerd. I love it! ---
**Author:** ![jb7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@jb7](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/jb7)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 10:46am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/stl-exporting/19022/11 "2022-04-29T10:46:00Z")
Not Ireland. Apart from a country mile, which is quite a few kilometers. ---
**Author:** ![jb7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@jb7](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/jb7)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 10:48am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/stl-exporting/19022/12 "2022-04-29T10:48:37Z")
The English have a hybrid temperature system, when it’s cold, they say it’s below 0 (centigrade), when it’s warm, they say it’s over 100. (Fahrenheit)