# From scan to printer **URL:** \ **Category:** Discussions\ **Created:** [July 12, 2021, 7:59pm UTC](https://forum.revopoint3d.com/t/from-scan-to-printer/3082 "2021-07-12T19:59:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Freddyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b782af/32.png) [@Freddyd](https://forum.revopoint3d.com/u/Freddyd)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2021, 7:59pm UTC](https://forum.revopoint3d.com/t/from-scan-to-printer/3082/1 "2021-07-12T19:59:13Z")
Hi everyone complete newbi here and would please like some advice I have completed a face scan meshed it saved as a stl and sent it to cura to slice but in cura the scan is far to big when I change size the scan is nothing like it should be and cura is unable to slice it to send to printer am I doing something wrong using the wrong program or going about it the wrong way any help would be grateful thanks in advance ---
**Author:** ![JeffLindstrom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce7236/32.png) [@JeffLindstrom](https://forum.revopoint3d.com/u/JeffLindstrom)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 4:51am UTC](https://forum.revopoint3d.com/t/from-scan-to-printer/3082/2 "2021-07-13T04:51:29Z")
There are several free utilities that can simplify your scanned object file while retaining most of the detail. I usually use MeshLab and choose _Quadric Edge Collapse Decimation_ as shown in the attached image. You can find MeshLab at [https://www.meshlab.net/#download](https://www.meshlab.net/#download) ![Quadric Edge Collapse Decimation](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/revopoint3d/original/2X/e/e936d6984e0eb9007e9c86cc589c4a91bf412ee1.png) ---
**Author:** ![Freddyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b782af/32.png) [@Freddyd](https://forum.revopoint3d.com/u/Freddyd)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 7:31am UTC](https://forum.revopoint3d.com/t/from-scan-to-printer/3082/3 "2021-07-13T07:31:03Z")
Thank you I will give this a try ---
**Author:** ![RocketSled](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.revopoint3d.com/rocketsled/32/891_2.png) [@RocketSled](https://forum.revopoint3d.com/u/RocketSled)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 5:56pm UTC](https://forum.revopoint3d.com/t/from-scan-to-printer/3082/4 "2021-07-13T17:56:15Z")
MeshLab is a very complicating program with lots and lots of different tools that do similar things, all of which are driven parametrically with input values that are not well documented. I doubt the people writing MeshLab know how to use all the stuff MeshLab can do. I strongly recommend MeshMixer over MeshLab. It’s much simpler, and it does as good a job of polygon reduction. For a beginner, MeshLab may be too daunting/confusing/frustrating to use. ---
**Author:** ![Freddyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b782af/32.png) [@Freddyd](https://forum.revopoint3d.com/u/Freddyd)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 6:14pm UTC](https://forum.revopoint3d.com/t/from-scan-to-printer/3082/5 "2021-07-13T18:14:02Z")
Thanks for your reply I will try this ---
**Author:** ![qupequ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ec9cab/32.png) [@qupequ](https://forum.revopoint3d.com/u/qupequ)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 5:04am UTC](https://forum.revopoint3d.com/t/from-scan-to-printer/3082/6 "2021-07-14T05:04:23Z")
MeshLab is good. You can also used AutoCAD MeshMixer. It is free and easy to use. Just go to Edit \> Transform and set the ratio. ---
**Author:** ![Freddyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b782af/32.png) [@Freddyd](https://forum.revopoint3d.com/u/Freddyd)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 7:22am UTC](https://forum.revopoint3d.com/t/from-scan-to-printer/3082/7 "2021-07-14T07:22:48Z")
Thanks for your reply will give this a try newbie at this but learning all the time ---
**Author:** ![scaleflyer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@scaleflyer](https://forum.revopoint3d.com/u/scaleflyer)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 5:54pm UTC](https://forum.revopoint3d.com/t/from-scan-to-printer/3082/8 "2021-07-14T17:54:30Z")
My first scan was of myself. Scanned and meshed, saved as stl. Opened it in Chitubox as I’m using a QIDI printer. I was surprised it came in full size! I scaled it down to a size the printer could handle. I made sure I scaled all axis proportionally then sliced it. It came out perfect. ---
**Author:** ![JeffLindstrom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce7236/32.png) [@JeffLindstrom](https://forum.revopoint3d.com/u/JeffLindstrom)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 8:56pm UTC](https://forum.revopoint3d.com/t/from-scan-to-printer/3082/9 "2021-07-14T20:56:37Z")
> [@RocketSled](#): > > I doubt the people writing MeshLab know how to use all the stuff MeshLab can do. I’d be mildly surprised by that, too (many different programmer-contributors providing functionality under a loose coordinating framework). But _Quadric Edge Collapse Decimation_ is simple, quick and provides pleasing results. MeshMixer is much simpler but has yet to provide decent results for me.