# File Not Loading Correctly into Preform

**URL:** <https://forum.formlabs.com/t/file-not-loading-correctly-into-preform/17664>\
**Category:** Form 2\
**Created:** [February 28, 2018, 12:26am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/file-not-loading-correctly-into-preform/17664 "2018-02-28T00:26:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jfishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f08c70/32.png) [@jfishman](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/jfishman)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 12:26am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/file-not-loading-correctly-into-preform/17664/1 "2018-02-28T00:26:33Z")

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I’m loading a file into preform that is a belt with teeth. I’d like to print in Flexible material.  
Attached is an image of the file in Solidworks, an image of the STL file and an image of the  
part when loaded into preform. Note in the preform image the entire center is filling in, whereas  
it should be all open as in the other two images. Any help as to why it is filling in like that.  
Thanks very much for the help.

 ![Untitled-1](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/formlabs/original/2X/2/26df6e08f3d9eb01df6d8b698e9079c86840efc9.jpg)

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**Author:** ![Dudemeister](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/dudemeister/32/13812_2.png) [@Dudemeister](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Dudemeister)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 12:44am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/file-not-loading-correctly-into-preform/17664/2 "2018-02-28T00:44:19Z")

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I’d venture to say that there’s an issue with the STL, and Preform thinks the outside edge of the circle is open, so it thinks it needs to be filled in.

Did Preform as to fix the STL when you imported it? If so, say not and see what happens.

Alternately, you can import the file into something like NetFabb to fix the problem.

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**Author:** ![jfishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f08c70/32.png) [@jfishman](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/jfishman)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 1:01am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/file-not-loading-correctly-into-preform/17664/3 "2018-02-28T01:01:10Z")

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thanks for the reply and help. I think I resolved the issue. There was a surface embedded in the model that was used  
to create a cut up to. When I hid that surface and created a new STL file, the file loaded as it should with that center area open. Not sure why that surface would affect the STL geometry… but so be it.

thanks again.

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**Author:** ![JohnHue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/48db29/32.png) [@JohnHue](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/JohnHue)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 3:34pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/file-not-loading-correctly-into-preform/17664/4 "2018-02-28T15:34:25Z")

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When exporting STLs from Solidworks I either select the body I want before saving, or better still I add a delete body feature at the end of the tree to keep only what I need. This ensures that only the wanted geometries make it to the STL file.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/formlabs/original/3X/5/b/5bc2bdf993ff27c2e0eecab5010b25626fbb327a.png) [@system](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2018, 3:34pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/file-not-loading-correctly-into-preform/17664/5 "2018-03-14T15:34:26Z")

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