Turn Any 3D Model Into Plotter Line Art
Upload an STL, OBJ, or 3MF, frame it in a live 3D viewport, and export a true vector SVG with hidden-line removal — blueprint outlines, cross-hatch shading, single-line spirals, technical drawing sheets, and more.
Available in the Creator Bundle alongside pen plotting, string art, and wax seal tools. Draws directly on Bambu Lab, Prusa, Creality, and Ender printers.
How It Works
From 3D file to plotter-ready vector art in four steps — about five minutes.
Upload Your 3D Model
Drop in an STL, OBJ, PLY, GLB/glTF, or 3MF file. The model is parsed entirely in your browser — nothing is uploaded to a server — then centered and normalized for framing.
- STL, OBJ, PLY, GLB, glTF, and 3MF formats
- Everything runs client-side in your browser
- Automatic centering and scaling
- Handles multi-mesh files (merged automatically)
Frame the View
Orbit, pan, and zoom in a live 3D viewport until the composition is right. Use view presets (front, iso, top…), nudge buttons, or switch to orthographic projection for CAD-style parallel lines.
- Live 3D viewport with orbit controls
- 7 view presets + fine rotate/roll/zoom buttons
- Perspective or orthographic projection
- What you frame is exactly what renders
Pick a Drawing Style
Choose from seven styles: blueprint outlines, cross-hatch shading, single-line spiral, topographic slices, wireframe, stipple dots, or a four-view technical drawing sheet. Adjust pen width, color, and paper size (A5/A4/A3).
- Blueprint with true hidden-line removal
- Cross-hatch shading with 2-6 brightness bands
- Single continuous spiral line art
- Technical sheet: front / right / top / iso views
Export SVG or Draw Directly
Download a true vector SVG with Inkscape-compatible layers, export ready-to-draw G-code for your specific 3D printer, or open the result directly on the 3DPlotter board for further editing.
- Millimeter-true SVG with Inkscape layers
- Direct G-code export for your printer model
- Multi-pen layers for 2-3 color plots
- One click sends the SVG to the plotter board
Seven Drawing Styles
Every style outputs true vectors in real millimeters, optimized for minimal pen-up travel.
Blueprint
Clean outline drawing with boundary, feature, and silhouette edges — hidden lines removed by real raycast occlusion testing, or shown as a lighter X-ray layer.
Hatch Shading
Cross-hatch shading built from the model's actual lighting. Darker areas accumulate more hatch passes at alternating angles, with crisp blueprint outlines on top.
Single-Line Spiral
One continuous spiral whose wave amplitude follows the model's shading. A mesmerizing plot that never lifts the pen inside the drawing.
Topographic Slices
Contour lines from section planes marching through the model along any axis — like a topographic map of your mesh. 5 to 200 slices.
Wireframe & Stipple
Classic mesh wireframe with smart edge budgeting for dense models, or weighted-Voronoi stipple dots driven by the shaded render.
Technical Drawing Sheet
Front, right, top, and isometric orthographic views arranged on one page — a CAD-style drawing sheet generated from any mesh, no CAD software needed.
Works With Your Printer — No Slicer Needed
Pick your printer and click Draw. The paths are scaled to your usable bed area, oriented for your firmware, and exported as ready-to-run G-code with safe pen-up travel moves. Or send the SVG straight to the 3DPlotter board to combine it with text, frames, and other art.
SVG Export
Millimeter-true vectors with Inkscape layers — one layer per pen.
Draw (G-code)
Ready-to-run G-code for Bambu Lab, Prusa, Creality, Ender, and custom printers.
Open in 3DPlotter
Send the result to the plotter board and keep editing — combine, scale, layer.
Why Not a Generic STL-to-SVG Converter?
Flat projections of every triangle edge produce cluttered, unplottable output. A drawing needs visibility, composition, and pen awareness.
Generic Converters
- Project every edge — no visibility testing
- One fixed style, no shading
- Arbitrary units, no real-size output
- No plotter or printer awareness
CAD Software
- Real HLR, but steep learning curve
- Meshes (STL/3MF) import poorly
- No artistic styles or shading
- Expensive licenses for one feature
3DPlotter Studio
- True raycast hidden-line removal
- 7 styles: blueprint to spiral to tech sheet
- Millimeter-true SVG + paper presets
- Direct G-code for your exact printer
What You Need
A model file and a browser. A printer with a pen is optional.
Input
- A 3D model file: STL, OBJ, PLY, GLB/glTF, or 3MF
- Downloaded models (Thingiverse, Printables, MakerWorld) work great
- CAD exports from Fusion 360, FreeCAD, Blender, etc.
- No polygon limit — dense meshes are budgeted automatically
Software & Hardware
- 3DPlotter Creator Bundle (€39.90 one-time)
- Modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
- Optional: 3D printer with pen attachment for direct drawing
- Optional: Inkscape or any vector editor for post-processing
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert an STL file to SVG?
Upload the STL to the 3DPlotter 3D Model to SVG Studio, rotate the live 3D view until you like the composition, pick a drawing style (blueprint, hatching, spiral, slices, wireframe, stipple, or tech sheet), and click Render. You get a true vector SVG in real millimeters, ready for Inkscape or a pen plotter.
What file formats are supported?
STL (binary and ASCII), OBJ, PLY, GLB/glTF, and 3MF. Multi-mesh files are merged automatically, and everything is parsed locally in your browser — your models never leave your computer.
What is hidden-line removal and why does it matter?
Hidden-line removal (HLR) removes the edges that would be blocked by the model itself from your viewing angle — the way a human would draw the object. Generic converters project every edge, producing a cluttered mess. 3DPlotter raycasts every line sample against the mesh so only truly visible lines are drawn. You can also keep hidden lines as a lighter X-ray layer.
Can I get a real technical drawing from my model?
Yes. The technical drawing sheet mode renders four orthographic views (front, right, top, and isometric) into quadrants of a single page, using parallel-ray hidden-line removal — like a CAD drawing sheet, but generated from any mesh file.
What is the difference between perspective and orthographic output?
Perspective matches what you see in the viewport — closer parts appear larger, like a photo. Orthographic uses parallel rays so equal lengths stay equal regardless of depth, which is the convention for technical and architectural drawings. You can toggle between them with one click.
Can I plot with multiple pen colors?
Yes. The multi-pen option splits the drawing into 2 or 3 layers — by depth for line styles or by brightness band for hatch shading — each as a separate colored SVG layer. Plot each layer with a different pen for depth-graded, multi-color drawings.
How does drawing directly on my 3D printer work?
Pick your printer from the same printer list you use on the 3DPlotter board and click Draw (G-code). The paths are scaled to your printer's usable bed, oriented correctly for its firmware, and exported as ready-to-run G-code with safe pen-up travel moves. Bambu Lab, Prusa, Creality, Ender, and custom printers are supported.
How is this different from generic STL-to-SVG converters?
Generic converters do a flat projection of every triangle edge with no visibility testing, one style, and no plotter awareness. 3DPlotter does true hidden-line removal, seven artistic styles, orthographic projection, multi-pen layers, path optimization that cuts pen-up travel, real millimeter output, and direct G-code export for your specific printer.
Do I need a pen plotter to use this?
No — the SVG output works anywhere vectors work: Inkscape, Illustrator, laser engravers, vinyl cutters, or CNC machines. But if you have a 3D printer with a pen attachment, 3DPlotter turns it into a plotter and can draw the result directly.
Is the 3D Model to SVG Studio included in the Creator Bundle?
Yes. The Creator Bundle (€39.90 one-time) includes the full 3DPlotter pen plotting platform, the String Art Generator, the Wax Seal Stamp Generator, and the 3D Model to SVG Studio. Users who bought 3DPlotter before the bundle launched get it at no extra cost.
Ready to Draw Your 3D Models?
Get the Creator Bundle for €39.90 — includes the 3D Model to SVG Studio, pen plotting, string art, and wax seal tools. One-time purchase, lifetime access.