<p>You generated a simple surface. You do however need a closed body to print. You might get away with using that surface as a cutter for a block and removing the top half, but there is an easier way using blender:</p>

<ul>
<li>Select the whole ara with <code>A</code></li>
<li>Extrude with <code>E</code> then <code>Z</code> to constrain direction</li>
<li>pull until you have an item that is fully thick everywhere</li>
<li>Scale the currently selected, extruded vertices with <code>S</code> then <code>Z</code> then <code>0</code> to force them all into the same plane</li>
<li>possibly move the vertices down till they all are below the bottom surface</li>
</ul>

<p>Now you have a positive thickness, solid body! Run a simple "remove double vertices" on this bottom if you want to reduce file size, but there you go! Export as STL and print!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-31T09:15:11.757Z
This was a huge help. The first three steps were easy to follow. It was a bit difficult to scale it into the same plane, so I just added a cube and put that underneath it so it would support all.
Jellyse
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-29T13:01:16.833Z
2020-01-29T14:04:48.123Z
2020-01-29T14:04:48.123Z
Trish
<p>I created an stl file of bathymetry using Matlab and the results can be seen in the two pictures below in Blender. The problem I have is that it is very thin with overhangs. I would like to add some kind of support. For example put a solid block underneath it like in the third picture.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/p0gUZ.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/p0gUZ.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Wjh7G.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Wjh7G.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/gZWJX.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/gZWJX.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>I can't seem to figure out how to do this in Blender and if I try to fix the stl file in Blender it puts a surface through my original surface. I also tried to use Microsoft 3D printing repair but it takes hours to queue.
How to I change my stl file so it has enough support to be printed?</p>

<3d-design><support-structures><stl><blender>
creating support for a surface
Jellyse
# creating support for a surface

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-01-29)

I created an stl file of bathymetry using Matlab and the results can be seen in the two pictures below in Blender. The problem I have is that it is very thin with overhangs. I would like to add some kind of support. For example put a solid block underneath it like in the third picture.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/p0gUZ.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/p0gUZ.jpg)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/Wjh7G.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/Wjh7G.jpg)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/gZWJX.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/gZWJX.png)

I can't seem to figure out how to do this in Blender and if I try to fix the stl file in Blender it puts a surface through my original surface. I also tried to use Microsoft 3D printing repair but it takes hours to queue.
How to I change my stl file so it has enough support to be printed?

**Tags:** 3d-design, support-structures, stl, blender


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-01-29. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

You generated a simple surface. You do however need a closed body to print. You might get away with using that surface as a cutter for a block and removing the top half, but there is an easier way using blender:

* Select the whole ara with `A`
* Extrude with `E` then `Z` to constrain direction
* pull until you have an item that is fully thick everywhere
* Scale the currently selected, extruded vertices with `S` then `Z` then `0` to force them all into the same plane
* possibly move the vertices down till they all are below the bottom surface

Now you have a positive thickness, solid body! Run a simple "remove double vertices" on this bottom if you want to reduce file size, but there you go! Export as STL and print!

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: This was a huge help. The first three steps were easy to follow. It was a bit difficult to scale it into the same plane, so I just added a cube and put that underneath it so it would support all.  

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