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Hi all, how do you handle a bad stl that creates an incorrect price? I imagine let them know and they can delete and redo?

Just looking for some advice!

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@wirlybird

Is the file bad in that there are errors/it’s unprintable, or is the 3D Hubs slicer not properly calculating the volume?

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Unprintable and the file caused a very low price due to the bad file. I was able to get the CAD file and fix it and make a new STL. I was just wondering what you guys do? On this one I just ran with it since it was simple but in the future I imagine I could send them the fixed STL and have then reload to get the cost corrected.

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If I get a bad STL, I will take several screenshots of it in my slicer/3D editing software highlighting what is wrong with it. I make it explicitly clear to the customer what is wrong with it and why I can’t print it as is, to ensure there is as much transparency as possible. In your case, I also take screenshots of the sliced models before and after repairs, to use as reference as to why the price increased (i.e. “Originally, the print volume was 5 cm3 but the object is unprintable for the reason listed above. After repair, the print volume is now 35 cm3, so the price will increase to match the increase in needed material”).

I always offer to either repair the model in-house (and offer a discount if I fix it then print it) or let them choose to take the model elsewhere for repair. I do not make any adjustments to models without first consulting the customer about the issues and ensuring they are willing to pay for the modeling work; in my experience, repairing a broken model tends to be more time consuming then modeling from scratch, so it’s not uncommon that I recreate the model entirely. Regardless of what the customer chooses, I still try to guide them in the repair process so the issues are (hopefully) averted in the future.

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