The software is cross platform and can be installed on Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux systems.Add Answer here

The software will never modify your original STL files. All transformations and manipulations are done in memory. If you want to save the modified model as a new STL file you can always use the File > Export menu option.Add Answer here

If you’re running into slicing errors or your G-Code previews don’t look correct, the first place to look is the original 3D model itself. Use the repair menu to look for any non-manifold segments or look at your model with a wireframe view to ensure there isn’t anything fishy going on with the triangles that define the part. For more information, please see our Identifying and Repairing Common Mesh Errors tutorial.

For extremely large models, the G-Code preview may have several million movements to render! If you have limited hardware this could be an issue. We provide 2 methods for previewing your G-Code instructions to alleviate this problem. The High Detail option creates the most realistic looking previews, but can be fairly memory intensive for large models. The Low Detail option has a significantly reduced memory footprint that may be useful if your computer was running out of memory or crashing with large G-Code previews. You can change this setting by going to Tools > Options (or Simplify3D > Preferences on a Mac) prior to previewing the file.

Factory files are the method used by Simplify3D to package everything you need to re-create your current session. We save the 3D models, placement details, manually placed support material, and build operations all to a single file. And better yet, we use a great compression method to save space on your hard drive! A .factory file is a great way to share builds between people who have similar printers. You could even save an entire project with several models, multiple build platters, and different slicing settings all to a single location. Imagine handing someone a single file that contained everything needed to print a complete Reprap Mendel kit!

If you’re lucky enough to have multiple extruders on your machine, our software can help you make the most of them! We support as many extruders as you want and you can easily use different extruders for the outline, infill, or support structures. Try printing your support structures in a dissolvable material like PVA or use a second extruder with a larger nozzle to print part interiors quicker than ever!Add Answer here

Double click on your process and choose “Select Models”. Simply click and highlight the models you want to slice with the current process or choose Select All to choose all currently imported models. Pro tip: If you add your process AFTER you have already imported all of your 3D models, the process will automatically apply to all of the visible models on the virtual build table.Add Answer here

You can slice as many models as you want using the software! Just import all of the models you want to slice onto the virtual build table and then position them as you wish. Pro tip: Use the “Arrange” button to automatically center and position all of your imported models for printing.Add Answer here

The software is setup to accomodate as many different configurations as possible. You can modify these settings by going to Tools > Options (or Simplify3D > Preferences on a Mac). Flip the directions of the 3 coordinate axes until the virtual build table matches the setup your machine is using. If you notice that your models are flipped and are printing in reverse, it is likely that you need to update these settings.Add Answer here

First, ensure that the model you want to use is selected. You can do this by clicking it on the screen. The model should change color to indicate that it is selected. Once you have selected the model, simply Ctrl-left-click (or Command-left-click on a Mac) and drag to move the model on the virtual build table. Use Ctrl-right-click (or Command-right-click) to scale the model by moving the mouse up and down. You can also rotate the model using Alt-left-click and dragging side to side. Pro tip: Double click on a model to open its custom positioning window if you want to enter exact numerical values.

First, ensure that the model you want to use is selected. You can do this by clicking it on the screen. The model should change color to indicate that it is selected. Once you have selected the model, simply Ctrl-left-click (or Command-left-click on a Mac) and drag to move the model on the virtual build table. Use Ctrl-right-click (or Command-right-click) to scale the model by moving the mouse up and down. You can also rotate the model using Alt-left-click and dragging side to side. Pro tip: Double click on a model to open its custom positioning window if you want to enter exact numerical values.

Yes. The software supports Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems.

Rotate the scene using your left mouse button. Panning is performed using the right mouse button. Zooming is controlled using the mouse scroll wheel (or two-finger gestures if your device supports it). For those without a mouse wheel or multi-touch support, you can also zoom using Shift-Left-Click. Pro tip: Use the middle mouse button to snap back to the default view.

The software currently supports the 2 most common 3D printing file formats: STL and OBJ files. STL is the most common (and recommended) while OBJ is used more for graphic design. Thingiverse typically uses .stl files and virtually every CAD program is capable of outputting to this format (although some packages such as Google Sketchup may require an additional plugin).

If you see this message on Mac OS X 10.8+, simply right-click on the installer and choose Open. At that point, you will be asked if you still want to open the installer even though it is from an unidentified developer. Click Open and you can proceed with the installation as normal.