Unable to Export to 3MF File in Rhino

Rhino Rhino for Windows
1

I’m having trouble exporting a model as a 3MF file in Rhino. Initially, I was receiving errors about invalid objects during a geometry check. These were related to ON_BrepTrim::seam issues, which I successfully resolved by repairing the geometry. All objects are now valid according to the Check command.

However, when I attempt to export the file as a 3MF, I receive the error:
“File writing plug-in failed.”

I’ve tried the following steps without success:

  1. Verified that the 3MF Export Plugin is enabled in Tools > Options > Plugins.
  2. Simplified the model by converting it to a mesh and reducing the mesh density.
  3. Tried exporting a different model that I was able to export as 3MF in the past, which worked successfully.
  4. Uninstalled and re-installed Rhino.
  5. Ensured Rhino is updated to the latest version.

Any help would be appreciated!

2

Could you share this 3dm file and help to run the command SystemInfo in the command line of Rhino and post the popup content here?

3

I tried attaching my 3dm file but it says it is too large. I tried putting it in a zip folder and its still too large. I’ve pasted below the output for the SystemInfo command:

Rhino 8 SR14 2024-12-10 (Rhino 8, 8.14.24345.15001, Git hash:master @ cdb74b46090a23fe242c51b288886f76467a741b)
License type: Educational, build 2024-12-10
License details: Cloud Zoo

Windows 11 (10.0.22631 SR0.0) or greater (Physical RAM: 31GB)
.NET 7.0.0

Computer platform: LAPTOP - Unplugged [100% battery remaining] ~228 minutes left

Hybrid graphics configuration.
Primary display: Intel(R) Arc™ Graphics (Intel) Memory: 128MB, Driver date: 1-13-2024 (M-D-Y).
> Integrated graphics device with 4 adapter port(s)
- Windows Main Display is laptop’s integrated screen or built-in port
Primary OpenGL: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU (NVidia) Memory: 12GB, Driver date: 12-3-2024 (M-D-Y). OpenGL Ver: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 566.36
> Integrated accelerated graphics device with 4 adapter port(s)
- Video pass-through to primary display device

OpenGL Settings
Safe mode: Off
Use accelerated hardware modes: On
GPU Tessellation is: On
Redraw scene when viewports are exposed: On
Graphics level being used: OpenGL 4.6 (primary GPU’s maximum)

Anti-alias mode: 4x
Mip Map Filtering: Linear
Anisotropic Filtering Mode: High

Vendor Name: NVIDIA Corporation
Render version: 4.6
Shading Language: 4.60 NVIDIA
Driver Date: 12-3-2024
Driver Version: 32.0.15.6636
Maximum Texture size: 32768 x 32768
Z-Buffer depth: 24 bits
Maximum Viewport size: 32768 x 32768
Total Video Memory: 12282 MB

Rhino plugins that do not ship with Rhino

Rhino plugins that ship with Rhino
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\Commands.rhp “Commands” 8.14.24345.15001
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\rdk.rhp “Renderer Development Kit”
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\RhinoRenderCycles.rhp “Rhino Render” 8.14.24345.15001
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\RhinoRender.rhp “Legacy Rhino Render”
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\rdk_etoui.rhp “RDK_EtoUI” 8.14.24345.15001
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\NamedSnapshots.rhp “Snapshots”
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\MeshCommands.rhp “MeshCommands” 8.14.24345.15001
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\RhinoCycles.rhp “RhinoCycles” 8.14.24345.15001
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\Toolbars\Toolbars.rhp “Toolbars” 8.14.24345.15001
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\3dxrhino.rhp “3Dconnexion 3D Mouse”
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\Displacement.rhp “Displacement”
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\SectionTools.rhp “SectionTools”

4

Pls try to upload this zipped file via here

5

I just uploaded the file using that link. Thanks!

6

Please try to follow steps to export 3MF file,

  1. Switch to Shaded display mode,
  2. Select all objects to run ExtractRenderMesh ,
  3. Run Export and select the latest objects with SelLast,
  4. Save it as a 3MF file,

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7

Great, it worked! Is there a reason why it wouldn’t let me export it straight from Rhino using export?

8

I also found this issue but I’m not sure that it is a bug. I’ve logged this issue to our development engineer for comfirmation.

9

Hi Matthew,

When you do a SaveAs you’re saving all of the geometry, even layers that are turned off. The neck of the robot and some objects on the turned off layers have mesh topologies in them that are invalid. Those are something Rhino creates, so it is a Rhino problem, but the 3mf exporter just bails if it encounters a bad topology so it doesn’t crash. I don’t know why extracting the render meshes works since the exporter gets the render meshes on the fly from the objects. I guess one thing is you’re not selecting the objects on layers that are turned off. I changed the render mesh settings (moved the slider all the way to the right) on your model and then did a SelAll (without turning on the layers that were off) and then Export and I was able to save to 3mf. That must have been enough of a change to fix the topology for the neck.

I’ll see about isolating the neck so that someone here (much smarter than me) can figure out why a bad mesh topology gets created.

Tim

1 Like