The limit: 100 MB
- File size cap
- 100 MB
- Triangle cap
- no fixed cap
- Triangles at that size
- 2.1 million
This page opens the reducer at 95 MB. Source: i.materialise and JLC3DP limits (checked 2026-09).
Why the file is over it
A structured-light scan of a 300 mm object at 0.05 mm spacing is 10 million triangles; a ZBrush sculpt at subdivision 6 is more. Nothing in those tools stops the count, and exporting the whole thing as one STL is normal. Above two million triangles the file is carrying at least four times the detail any desktop printer can use.
How to get under it
- 1Drop the STL below, up to 300 MB. The target is preset to 95 MB.
- 2Press Reduce. On a 300 MB input expect about a minute; the progress bar shows the stage.
- 3Read the result card and the repair notice; large scans usually have some non-manifold edges that were fixed.
- 4Download.
What to expect
A 300 MB scan (6.3 million triangles) to 95 MB keeps two million: on a 300 mm object that is a triangle per 0.15 mm, finer than any FDM layer. Consider 48 MB as well; the print is still identical and every service accepts it.
Other ways
MeshLab handles 300 MB files but needs a machine with memory to spare and a ratio guess. Blender's Decimate is the same. Splitting the model into parts is the other route and is required anyway if it does not fit the printer.
Questions
My file is over 300 MB. What now?
Reduce it once in Blender or MeshLab to get under 300 MB, or split it into parts, then finish here with the exact target you need.
Why does Cura hang on a 150 MB STL?
Cura keeps several copies of the mesh in memory and rebuilds them on every move. Under 100 MB it is usable; under 50 MB it is smooth.
Is quality lost going from 300 to 95 MB?
Only detail finer than about 0.15 mm on a large object, which is below what the printer lays down. The result card shows the exact triangle counts so you can judge.