How do I convert an .mb file to .stl?

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I am wondering if anyone knows how to export a Maya file mb to stl for 3D printing?

Thank you!

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous and welcome to the community!

While you can't convert a full scene (mb file) to stl, you can export as an stl!

We have an article on how to do that here!

After loading the ATFPlugin.mll in Plug in manager, you can export STL in Maya. 

 

Please let me know if this helps or if you need any more assistance!

If one or more of these posts helped answer your question, please click Accept as Solution on the posts that helped you so others in the community can find them easily.

Kudos are greatly appreciated. Everyone likes a thumbs up!

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much Sean. I will try it and let you know!
My students thank you!

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous

I just wanted to check in to see if this worked. Did the suggestion I provided yesterday work for you?

If so, please click Accept as Solution on the posts that helped you so others in the community can find them easily.

[Anonymous]

Hi Sean,

When I go to Windows/Settings/PlugIn Manager, ATFPlugIn does not come up as an option.

I am in Maya 2013

I have attached the message on my screen.

Thank you,

Effie

[sean.heasley]

Ah ok.

2013 does not have this plug in, therefore it it is possible, please upgrade to a more recent version of Maya like 2018 for example.

If that is not an option, you can download MeshMixer and export from Maya to there and convert the object(s) to STL files.

Let me know if this works for you or if you need any more information!

If one or more of these posts helped answer your question, please click Accept as Solution on the posts that helped you so others in the community can find them easily.

Kudos are greatly appreciated. Everyone likes a thumbs up!

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous

Just wanted to see how things were going. Did my suggestion to use MeshMixer help you at all?

If so, please click Accept as Solution on the posts that helped you so others in the community can find them easily.

[Anonymous]

Hello, it don't works for me in Maya 2018, my file convert to .obj, but in .stl files i tried to convert were all empty. 

Cordialy 

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous

This happened when you use MeshMixer that I showed above?

When you get a chance, can you please zip and attach the scene file here or via dropbox/google drive or another file sharing program so I can take a look at it?

[mspeer · Accepted solution]

Hi!

@Anonymous

That's a known bug in ATF for Maya 2018.

[Fovvl]

Is there a solution to it? I tried to export it via recomended plugin in maya, but the file is empty and the size is about 88kb

[mspeer]

Hi!

Currently in Maya 2018 you can only export Nurbs objects but not Polygons to STL .

There is no solution other than using a different Maya version or software.

[amir_td]

To 3D print, you need to combine it yourself before exporting. If the model is too complex, the STL output could save with bad data. Export as STEP, download Meshmatic3D, import the step into Meshmatic and optimize for 3D print. It gives STL option.