If you've ever tried to bring a company logo or custom icon into the physical world, you know the struggle. Opening Blender, importing an SVG, converting curves to mesh, extruding, fixing topology... it's a headache.
Vextrude solves this by automating the entire process. Here is your step-by-step guide to going from a flat vector to a tangible plastic part.
Step 1: Prepare Your SVG
-->Garbage in, garbage out. For the best 3D print, your SVG needs to be "solid".
- Close your paths: Ensure all shapes are closed loops.
- Avoid strokes: Convert all strokes to paths/outlines in Illustrator or Inkscape. Vextrude extrudes fills, not lines.
- Remove overlapping shapes: Use the "Union" or "Combine" tool to merge overlapping geometry into a single clean shape.
Step 2: Upload to Vextrude
Navigate to the Vextrude SVG Converter.
Simply drag and drop your `.svg` file onto the upload zone, or click to browse. You can also paste raw SVG code directly if you're a developer. The engine will instantly parse the vector data and generate a 3D mesh.
Step 3: Adjust Depth and Bevels
-->💡 Pro Tip: Bevels matter!
Adding a slight bevel (0.5 - 1.0) catches the light and makes your print look much more professional than sharp 90-degree edges.
Use the sidebar controls to tweak your model:
- Extrusion (Depth): Determines how thick the object is. For keychains, 3mm-5mm is usually sufficient.
- Scale: Resize the model to fit your print bed.
Step 4: Export as STL
-->Once you're happy with the preview, look for the export bar at the bottom of the screen.
Click the button. Your browser will download a binary STL file ready for slicing.
Import this file into Cura, PrusaSlicer, or Bambu Studio, slice it, and start printing!