Engrave or Emboss Text & Logos onto an STL

How this works, and what it costs

The depth follows the surface. The cut is made in a shell that hugs your model rather than by pushing a flat stamp through it, so 0.8 mm deep means 0.8 mm everywhere — on a cylinder, a sphere or a scanned surface just as much as on a flat panel.

Only the face you pick is touched. Without that the artwork would come out on the far side of the model as well, mirrored.

The whole model is rebuilt, not just the cut. That is the price of working this way: the surface is re-created at the Detail resolution, so sharp edges soften very slightly and the triangle count goes up. If your model is mostly flat panels and you want the edges kept exactly, engrave it in the 3D Designer instead.

Detail has to resolve the cut. Fine lettering at a low setting comes out as mush — the page refuses outright if the depth is thinner than one voxel. Raise Detail until the preview looks right, and expect the file to grow with it.

Engraved text is easier to read than embossed on most prints, because the recess casts a shadow. Embossing is better when the surface will be sanded or painted afterwards.

Not sure the result will print? Run it through the Print Doctor — it will tell you if the lettering came out too thin.

Engrave or emboss text and logos onto an STL

Add a name, a logo or a picture to a 3D model you already have: cut it into the surface, or raise it out. Load the STL, type the text in any font or add high-contrast artwork, pick the face it goes on, then drag it into place and set the width, rotation and depth.

The depth follows the surface, so 0.8 mm deep is 0.8 mm everywhere, even on a cylinder, a sphere or a scanned model. Only the face you pick is touched. Your model is never uploaded: it all happens in your browser.

Frequently asked questions

How deep should engraved text be on a 3D print?

About 0.6 to 1 mm reads well. Deeper is rarely better, and fine lettering needs a high Detail setting to come out cleanly.

Engrave or emboss: which reads better?

Engraved text is easier to read on most prints, because the recess casts a shadow. Embossing is better when the surface will be sanded or painted.

Can I engrave on a curved surface?

Yes. The cut is made in a shell that follows the model, so the depth stays even on curved faces.

Will the rest of my model change?

The whole model is rebuilt at the Detail resolution, so sharp edges soften very slightly and the file grows. For flat-sided parts where exact edges matter, engrave in the 3D Designer instead.

Engrave & Emboss

1 Choose the model

2 What to put on it

3 Place it and cut

4 Result

How this works, and what it costs

Engrave or emboss text and logos onto an STL

Frequently asked questions