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converting to x3g

hillary hobbs

September 23, 2015 12:59

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I'm a science teacher at a private school. We purchased a Makerbot Replicator 2x this summer and I'm learning the ropes. I have assigned my students to begin creating keychains on tinkercad and tinkerplay so they gain firsthand experience creating with a 3D printer. We have run into the trouble of getting our creations converted from the formats used on here to .x3g files because that is the only type this model accepts. I have scoured the web and have only come up with two programs, Replicator G and Makerbot desktop that handle this sort of thing. However, I do not know how to convert the files using these programs. I'm not yet ready for coding so I need a little help. Can anyone here give me some advice how best to proceed?

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8 comments

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  Glenn Reimche September 23, 2015 14:51

  According to the documentation, .x3g (and the older .s3g) files are used when printing from an inserted SD Card.

  If that is your goal, then both ReplicatorG and Makerware 1.1 can be used.

  In ReplicatorG, load your model (an .stl file downloaded from Tinkercad, for example) and then simply choose the "Build to file for use with SD card" button. A dialog will come up letting you choose to export as a .x3g file.

  

  I have not looked at how Makerware will do this, but I'm sure it's similar.

   

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  Guillermo Melantoni September 23, 2015 16:18

  Glenn is right. If you open Makerbot desktop software, the output when you select a Rep 2 or 2x, it will write an x3g file, which you will save into the SD card.

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  hillary hobbs September 23, 2015 17:54

  I'm not sure how to work it on the Makerbot desktop. I have my creation in the desktop library, but I don't know how to access it to convert it. Or are you saying that Makerbot desktop will convert it automatically when I load it onto my SD card?

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  Guillermo Melantoni September 23, 2015 18:07

  Unless something has changed in latest builds, once you selected Rep 2x in Makerbot desktop, it would save the file as x3g.

   

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  Alexander Lele February 03, 2016 01:17

  It doesnt work when using makerware

   

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  Alexander Lele February 03, 2016 01:20

  MakerWare saves it as .makerbot 

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  Glenn Reimche February 03, 2016 03:40

  I don't actually use any of this software, and I'm not really sure about the various versions that exist. Are you using  MakerBot Desktop?

  According to this page:

  To save as a .makerbot file (Fifth Generation MakerBot 3D printers): Click Export Print File and then Export Now.

  To save as an X3G, S3G, or GCode file (older MakerBot 3D printers): Click Export Print File and then Export Now. 
  In the Export dialog, select the file type you want, and then name the file and save it to your computer.

   

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  Guillermo Melantoni February 03, 2016 20:01

  Makerbot desktop defaults to .makerbot. But if you have Rep2 or 2x, they support x3g. If you select one of those machines as the target, you will get the option to save as x3g.

  I just want to clarify that Tinkercad won't export those formats. You'll get an STL from us and you will import it into Makerbot software.