KitSTL

3D map: terrain of any place as an STL

BetaBeta version. Check the file in your slicer before printing. Found a problem? Contact us.

Create an approximate relief miniature of a mountain, ridge or island. Pick a shortcut or enter coordinates, adjust the area and vertical exaggeration, and prepare the STL in your slicer.

How it works — watch the video

  1. 1Pick a place from the shortcuts or paste a Google Maps link.
  2. 2Adjust the area size, the model size and the terrain exaggeration.
  3. 3Download the STL and print it (you can add a GPX trail and a name banner).

1. Choose the place

In Google Maps: tap and hold the spot (right-click on a computer) and copy the numbers. In the Americas, longitude is negative.

Sugarloaf Mountain (RJ) · -22.94920, -43.15450

From 1 to 20 km. A smaller area shows a hill up close; a larger one shows the whole range.

2. The part

At print scale, real mountains look "flattened": the ground shrinks and the height shrinks with it. Exaggeration stretches only the height so the terrain stands out. 1× is the true proportion.

This area has no sea.

More points = smoother surface, bigger file and a heavier preview on phones. It isn't more accuracy: the elevation data has detail of tens of meters, and a finer grid just draws the same data with more points.

Colors

To see how it'll look. In the colored OBJ, each part comes in the chosen color.

Terrain: Light green

Raised GPX trail

The .gpx file from your watch, Strava, Wikiloc, etc. becomes a raised ribbon on the terrain. The file is processed on this device.

Band with the place name

Downloading terrain…

Loading terrain…

Create a free account and get 1 download from any tool, in any format.

Printing tips

  • Prints flat, no supports. 10 to 15% infill is enough: the part is a solid block.
  • 0.12 to 0.16 mm layers make the terrain smoother.
  • Colored OBJ: Bambu Studio and OrcaSlicer ask for the filament for each color (AMS). Two parts in the same color use the same filament.
  • Separate layers: the parts come side by side on the same plate, each resting on the bed. The separate trail has a bottom shaped like the terrain and needs supports; for it, the colored OBJ is the easiest route.

Elevation data: Mapzen/Tilezen Terrain Tiles (AWS Open Data) — sources SRTM, GMTED and others.

  • Elevations are approximate: buildings, trees and small details don't show up.
  • The GPX is processed on this device. The requested area, which may be centered on the trail, is sent to the elevation service.