STL QR Code Generator

Why an STL QR code instead of 3MF?

The STL format has been the workhorse of 3D printing for decades and every slicer supports it. If your printer or your slicer setup does not accept 3MF, or if you already have a workflow tuned around single-extruder printing with a filament change at a set Z height, two STL files are the format you want. QR3D Maker gives you exactly that: one STL for the base plate and a second STL for the raised code and text, perfectly aligned so you can drop them into your slicer and assign filaments manually.

Two STLs, one aligned print

Every QR object generated here is split into two solid meshes:

• base.stl — the plate that holds the object together (stand, keychain body or wall plaque).
• code.stl — the raised QR modules and any text or icon in the center, sitting exactly on top of the base.

Because they share the same coordinate system, they land in the correct position when you import them together into your slicer — no manual X/Y alignment, no guesswork. You only tell the slicer which filament goes on which mesh (and, for single-extruder printers, at what Z height to pause and swap filaments).

Slicer setup by app

• Cura — import both STLs, right-click code.stl → "Select all models with the same type" → assign a second extruder, or use "Filament Change" script at the Z height where the code starts.
• PrusaSlicer / Orca / Bambu Studio — import both, group them as parts of one print, and set an extruder/filament per part. On MMU3 or AMS, the two colors load automatically.
• Any single-extruder printer — import both, note the Z height at which the code begins (about 2 mm by default for our models) and add a "pause at height" command; swap filament during the pause.

What makes an STL QR code actually scan

The three factors that decide whether a printed QR reads on the first try are the same for STL and 3MF: contrast between the two colors, module size of at least ~1.5 mm, and relief height of at least 0.6 mm so the shadow of the raised code stands out under overhead lighting. The tool warns you in real time if your design falls short on any of these before you download.

Common use cases for STL QR prints

• Restaurant menus and "leave us a review" desk stands.
• Wi-Fi QR wall plaques for rentals, hotels and offices.
• Event keychains linking to a schedule, playlist or Instagram.
• Marketing giveaways that outlast a paper flyer.

Print settings for a two-part STL QR code

Default settings work for most printers, but a few choices make scanning more reliable. Use a 0.4 mm nozzle and a layer height between 0.12 and 0.20 mm so the raised modules keep sharp edges. Keep the base and the code at the same scale: if you resize one mesh, resize the other by exactly the same factor, otherwise the code will no longer sit correctly on its plate. Print at a moderate speed on the top layers, where the code is formed, and avoid very low infill on the base if the object will be handled often.

Choosing filament colors

Scanning depends on contrast, so pick two colors that differ clearly in brightness, such as black on white or dark blue on light gray, rather than two colors of similar lightness like red on orange. Matte finishes are generally friendlier to phone cameras than very glossy or silk filaments, which can reflect light and wash out the code. If you are unsure, print a small test and scan it in the lighting where the object will live.

Check the slicer preview before you print

• Look at the preview from above: the code should appear as a clean pattern in the second color.
• Step through the layers and confirm the code starts at the layer where you set the filament change or the second extruder.
• Confirm both meshes share the same position and orientation after import.

Fixing color bleed and fuzzy edges

If the second color smears into the first right after a swap, a short purge or a prime/wipe tower helps, and a slightly slower first code layer improves edge definition. On a single extruder, make the pause at the exact Z height where the code starts, and keep the nozzle from oozing onto the base while you change filament.

Design my STL QR code now →