3w ago

How do you organize your 3d printing/modeling project folder(s)?

Hi all, I've currently got a big folder full of a bunch of mishmashed sets of files in nested directories:

model files downloaded from thangs/thingiverse/etc
source files for models
my own SCAD source files for my own modeling projects
the stl exports of those files
I don't store the cura projects, but maybe I could
all the gcode. These get copied over to octoprint to print stuff.

Before I go organizing it all, I wanted to ask how the community sorts their modeling files, or if they use other tools to help keep it all sorted. Any best practices out there?

Additional question: do you just use a good directory structure, or do you use other tools that manage projects for you? I've never used any other CAD software besides OpenSCAD, so maybe those applications do some organization for you. Or maybe you self host something like manyfold

14 comments

Randomly and badly as a rule.

Not well.

I'm relatively to 3D printing an have only around 35 OpenSCAD files which I keep in a flat git repo ^^ The STL exports I move to a dedicated folder for BambuStudio stuff. Somehow 'search' is cheaper for me than 'sort'.

I use:
A projects folder with CAD files (sub-folders for bigger projects)
A models folder with mesh exports and downloads
A watched folder with gcode getting rsynced to my octoprint and auto-removed
Never found it useful to save configs from my slicer.

I have a 3d print folder and inside I have a separate folder for my own step files, a separate folder for the stl files and an empty one for the gcode. If a print has more parts than one it goes into a separate folder inside the STL folder.

I believe Manyfold is considering adding "open in slicer" buttons to their gui for models, and once that works with Orca I will 100% be using it.
Right now I just have an incredibly messy downloads folder lol

For STLs, each project has its own folder in a bigger STL folder. After doing this for ~7 years it's a mess. That said, I very rarely print something again a few months later. When I print the first part I generally know how many I'll need. I've been questioning my STL retention policy as of late. If I don't ever use them again, why keep so many?
For my designs, and remixed CAD designs, I rely on fusion 360's cloud storage. The search works well enough for me to find what I'm looking for without the need for further organization.
If I were to implement a folder structure, I would probably functional organize prints. Examples could be kids toys and their parts, gardening stuff, loudspeakers, robotics, etc.

A folder called 3d printing has most of the stl and 3mf files arranged by date modified. Nested in there are folders for specific projects that have revisions or are remixes I've done, but I'd like to overhaul the whole system to something that makes a little more sense. I like the idea of a git for my own projects, I've already lost revisions by not paying attention and overwriting the old ones.
Orca stores my filament and profile settings, haven't found a reason to export those.

Off the top of my head
/calibration/filamenttype/stuff.gcode /wife/project/stuff.gcode /otherprojects/stuff.gcode
Not great, but looking at the other comments I'm pretty proud of myself

I have different subfolders per project for it's components.
Project/KiCAD
Project/FreeCAD/Model1
Project/FreeCAD/Model2
Etc.
Each project has it's own set so it's easy to find. I think it's better than having all 3D printing related things together and then having to sort which project it belongs to.

I have a "My Creations" directory for things I make. Then there's a "Toys and Games" directory and a "Household Stuff" directory.
Then there's the giant fucking mess for everything else 🤣

I have 3D Printing folder with all my .blend files, and a folder for STLs. For important projects I will bundle everything in its own folder. PCB and Enclosure design both get their own folders for KiCad and Blender files, then there is a fabrication folder containing gerbers/BOM files, as well as STLs or any documents for stickers/etc that may be needed.
I usually will use a version tracking system like git for big projects that use that file tree as well.

I just store all of the CAD files in a directory. I don't keep any of the STL files or gcode. I probably should organize the files better, it's getting to be a mess.

I have category folders and within them the output gcode files alongside a downloads folder for zips and a models folder for scad, stl, 3mf files. If it’s several models related to a project or build they are in their own folder.
The sd card is sorted via plastic type. Grab the gcode at the category level and place into appropriate sd folder. Knowing that anything at the root of the category has been sliced to be ready and or is current to the workflow of getting the model printed. Clear folder of one offs when print completed.

14 comments