Convert PLY to STL.
Convert a PLY mesh (often from 3D scans) to STL for printing and CAD. Vertices and faces preserved exactly.
PLY to STL: from scan to printable
PLY is the format 3D scanners and photogrammetry tools love. It can store per-vertex colour alongside the mesh, which suits captured, real-world models. STL is what 3D-printing slicers expect: pure geometry. Converting a scanned PLY to STL is the step that takes it from a capture to something you can actually print.
What carries over
The vertices and faces transfer exactly. PLY's per-vertex colour is dropped, since STL has no concept of colour, but a printer doesn't use it anyway, so for printing that's no loss.
Scanned meshes need a check
Raw scans are often not watertight: holes, stray points or non-manifold edges are common. Before printing, run the model through a repair tool like MeshLab or Meshmixer to close holes and clean it up, and the slicer will thank you.
How it works
- 01
Upload your PLY
Drop a 3D model or pick one from your device. Private by default.
- 02
Convert with trimesh
trimesh reads the geometry and writes STL, vertices and faces preserved exactly, no paid API in the loop.
- 03
Download
Grab your STL.
Geometry preserved exactly, vertices & faces
Watertight meshes stay watertight
Private uploads, auto-deleted after 1 hour
No watermark, no signup to try
Free and open-source engine (trimesh)
PLY to STL
This converts the 3D geometry from PLY to STL. Vertices and faces carry over; support for colour, materials and textures depends on the target: STL keeps more scene data.
Common questions
Is it free?+
Yes. Convert PLY to STL free. No signup, no watermark, no daily cap.
Is my model private?+
Uploads go to a private bucket, are converted, and auto-delete after 1 hour. Files never touch a third-party converter.
Is the geometry changed?+
No. Vertices and faces are preserved exactly. Multi-part scenes are merged into a single mesh for clean output.
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