STL Text Lab

Upload any STL, project text through the model or align it to a surface normal, inspect the result, then export printable geometry.

3D Home ↗ v47 · Workshop link

Scene

1 · Model

Load the object first, confirm its physical size, then orient the model only if needed. Text has its own independent transform.

Upload any STL No STL loaded. Upload an STL model to begin.

Remember uploaded STL in this browser

No saved STL yet. Saved uploads stay in this browser.

Model scale STL is unitless. This app treats 1 source unit as 1 mm before this scale.

Model orientation

The STL is shown in its native orientation. Rotate it only when you want to change the model itself; text placement is controlled separately.

Model X°

Model Y°

Model Z°

Place lowest point on print bed

2 · Text

Choose the wording and typography here. Placement on the STL happens in the next step.

Font preset

Loading Hack Nerd Font…

Missing-glyph fallback · Nerd first Characters missing from the selected face are tried in this Nerd Font first, then Symbols Nerd Font Mono, then Noto Sans Symbols 2 only as a final Unicode safety net.

Custom TTF / OTF / WOFF Optional. Presets load lazily only when selected; custom fonts use the same Nerd-first fallback chain.

Text object

A plain line is one legend. Spaces split a line into 2–3 independent legends on the same model: ! 1. Use [raw]Space Bar[/raw] when a literal space belongs to one legend. Review All can assign a built-in font per text item; it writes a portable prefix such as [font=monocraft] ! 1. The picker inserts the selected Nerd glyph or Lucide icon at the text cursor.

Multi-part text layout

Part gap mm

Text rotation Z°

Rotation applies to the complete legend set on each model after multi-legend layout.

Size & fit Set the intended text size and its fit envelope.

Font size mm

Curve quality

Max width mm

Max height mm

Shrink oversized text to fit Follow actual model surface

Surface samples per axis Ray-samples the upright source model under the text before making the cutter.

Stroke Adjust the font outline itself before the cutter is made.

Text weight / embolden mm

0 mm preserves the font’s native stroke. Positive grows the outline; negative thins it.

Weight corner style Round is the best general default; use Miter when you want deliberately sharp corners.

3 · Place

Use the gizmo in the viewport first. Move, rotate, and scale are preserved exactly when released; the values below add precision adjustments.

Placement mode Keep the text where you place it; projected modes show each glyph's landing point and surface normal.

Projected Project each glyph back along its own Z axis and show where it lands. Surface normal Project each glyph, then align each letter to its own surface normal. Free 3D Use the exact text frame and transform controls without surface alignment.

Text X°

Text Y°

Text Z°

Default text basis: Z (blue) 180° + Y (green) 180°. The numbers are exact degrees in the model frame; rotation order is X → Y → Z (Three.js XYZ). Press Q, then use a button/chord assigned by the selected navigation scheme to move text without orbiting; for SolidWorks/Fusion this includes MMB with its modifiers.

Direct transform Move 0, 0, 0 mm · Rotate 0°, 0°, 0° · Scale 1, 1, 1

Position & size Use the viewport gizmo for normal work. These values are for exact positioning and fine adjustment.

X mm

Y mm

Z mm

Uniform scale

Shape & surface Stretch the text or move its plane relative to the sampled surface.

Scale X

Scale Y

Surface offset mm (signed)

4 · Make

Engrave / inlay The current geometry workflow cuts a matching socket from the model and creates the fitted text body. Export them together as 3MF or as separate STLs.

Advanced geometry

Text depth Sets the exact inward Boolean depth. Overshoot only clears the surface.

Text depth mm

Cutter overshoot mm

The cutter uses the sampled physical surface as its origin. Negative offset recesses the text face; positive offset is clipped at the physical surface. Text depth stays fixed from the offset face; overshoot only clears outside it.

Boolean kernel: loading Manifold WASM + self-test…

Ready. Load an STL; Hack Nerd Font + symbol fallback load automatically.

Build diagnostics

No build diagnostics yet.

Interaction diagnostics

Start capture, reproduce the zoom/rotate lock-up, then stop and copy or download the log. It records input state and camera values, not STL contents.

Capture is off. Click Start capture, reproduce the problem, then stop and copy or download the log.

Separate-STL registration

Add shared bed-registration witness to separate STLs

Witness size mm

Witness height mm

The same tiny one-layer box is added at world origin to both separate STLs. Grouped 3MF remains the recommended export.

Reusable recipe

Save every reusable setting as a Kubernetes-style recipe. Recipes never include an STL, filename, or model identity; load one, then choose any STL.

Load recipe

More ▴

drag view · click face / corner

SolidWorks MMB Orbit · Ctrl+MMB Pan · Shift+MMB Zoom · Wheel Zoom

Ready Builds run in a background worker. Form controls stay live.

0% AUTO OFF

Recipe Reusable settings only. No STL or model identity is included.