AlignScan / Guides / Align for 3D printing
Guide
Align a 3D scan for 3D printing
A scan that is square to the axes is easier to place, easier to cut along a plane, and predictable in a slicer. It also makes the floor, the surface that touches the build plate, a deliberate choice instead of an accident.
Choose the floor deliberately
For most prints the largest flat face should rest on the bed. In AlignScan's Manual tab, click that face and snap it to −Z (floor). The face's outward normal points down, which puts it on the build plate. Then add a second reference to fix the spin if you care about the footprint orientation.
Checklist
- Z-up export. Slicers use Z-up.
- Sit on the floor. Enable "Sit on the floor" so the lowest point is at Z = 0.
- Units. STL has none; slicers assume millimetres. If your part looks tiny or huge, scale it in the slicer.
- Watertight. A scan is a surface, not a solid. Slicers need a closed mesh, so repair holes in a mesh tool first.
- Overhangs. Orientation drives supports and strength; rotate in 90° steps and compare.
Skip the manual work: drop your scan into AlignScan. It runs in your browser and the file is never uploaded.
Open the aligner →Don't have a printer?
Marketplaces for print services let you upload the aligned file and compare quotes by material and location.
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