Choose standard 3MF to keep generated lure parts together with an explicit millimeter unit and plate arrangement. Choose the STL ZIP for separate mesh files and the included build sheet. Neither is a sliced print job or an editable lure design.
What the two exports actually contain
| Property | STL ZIP | Standard 3MF |
|---|---|---|
| Units | Coordinates are generated in mm; STL has no standardized unit declaration. Import as millimeters. | The model explicitly declares millimeter as its unit. |
| Parts and copies | One binary STL per unique part. A filename suffix such as _x2 means print two copies; the mesh itself is not duplicated. | One named object per unique part, with a build item for each required copy. |
| Plate arrangement | Each file contains its part mesh. Arrange parts and make any additional copies in your slicer. | Build-item transforms arrange copies on the selected plate. Check this against your actual printer. |
| Color and material | This exporter writes geometry only, without paint, filament assignments or material profiles. | Per-part display colors and names are included. They do not assign real filament types or reproduce the painted lure surface. |
| Assembly and printing | The ZIP includes BUILD.md and, for a separate bill, a 1:1 cutting template. Read them before assembly. | The standard 3MF contains the model package. Download assembly instructions separately. One-piece exports can include PrusaSlicer pause metadata; verify it in a compatible slicer. |
| Printer settings and G-code | No printer or filament profile, temperatures, infill, supports or sliced G-code is included. Choose and verify those settings in your slicer. | |
Inspect the same crankbait in both formats
These files were generated on November 1, 2026 using the actual MakeMyLure 0.1.0 manufacturing exporters and bundled square-bill preset. The nominal body is 60 × 24 × 17 mm: hollow ASA, 1.2 mm walls, a modeled 0.15 mm epoxy coating and a separate FR-4 bill. Complete design and print inputs are in the editable JSON and manifest.
The print setup uses split halves, 0.25 mm clearance, alignment pins, a 1.0 mm through-wire, 0.16 mm layer height and a 256 mm plate. These inputs define generated geometry and instructions; they are not a printer profile.
These fixed public samples do not require an account. They are for format inspection; exporting your own design in the studio follows the normal allowance.
| Part | X × Y × Z (mm) | STL triangles | 3MF triangles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Left body half | 59.9866 × 23.9984 × 8.4994 | 14,790 | 14,806 |
| Right body half | 59.9866 × 23.9984 × 8.4994 | 14,838 | 14,846 |
| Separate bill | 15.4583 × 14.7071 × 1 | 146 | 146 |
Package inspection found three STL meshes, three 3MF model objects and three build items. The 3MF declares millimeters with no per-triangle painting. Binary STL lengths and file hashes were checked. The STL writer removes triangles with repeated corners, explaining the slightly lower STL triangle counts.
These are mesh bounding boxes after manufacturing and orientation, not nominal body dimensions. The bill includes its tab and its own plate orientation. An FR-4 bill is a separate component: use the cutting template for the intended sheet material, rather than treating a display color as a filament instruction.
This sample has not been imported into a slicer, physically printed or water-tested. File inspection does not prove printer compatibility, fit, strength, sealing or swimming action.
Standard 3MF and multi-color 3MF are different exports
The separate multi-color 3MF beta quantizes paint into 2–8 filament slots and writes per-triangle painting for supported hard or jointed body parts. It does not paint soft-bait molds or separate bills. Metallic, pearl, foil and transparency effects flatten to solid colors. Check slicer and version support; the sample above is the standard export.
Keep the design JSON as your editable source
STL and 3MF store manufacturing meshes, not the original body, bill and ballast controls. Save the design JSON before exporting. This sample JSON also records the print inputs; import it into MakeMyLure to start an editable design instead of rebuilding parameters from a mesh.
Before you print
- Import in millimeters. Compare one body half with the approximately 60 × 24 × 8.5 mm reference above before changing scale.
- Check part count, orientation and copies. Confirm which pieces are printed and which hardware or sheet components must be supplied separately.
- Select the actual printer, nozzle, material and process settings. Inspect sliced layers, cavities, overhangs and any pause instructions rather than relying on the file extension.
- After assembly and sealing, weigh the lure and check leaks, float attitude and action in a controlled water test. The exported mesh does not certify those results.
Export allowance
The 14-day trial includes one 3D-print export in total. Monthly and annual subscriptions both include 10 exports per subscription month; unused exports do not roll over. STL ZIP, standard 3MF and multi-color 3MF use the print-export allowance. Design JSON and assembly instructions do not.