Fixing Your Model?

When uploading a model, I now see the message: "fixing model".
What is this, I DON'T want anything fixed in my model, if it needs fixing, I will do it myself.

Regards, Robert

There is a big difference between, "reformatting the data to better fit what our printer needs" and "adjusting the geometry of your model in unknown ways". Like Robert, I was worried that it was invoking thickness-fixing and other tools on my behalf, when I would rather adjust such things myself after looking at the 3D tools.

The "fixing" they are talking about here is named MeshMedic,
1) Weld any overlapping shells together into single "convex" shells
2) Removes any internal geometry that would otherwise create voids
3) Remove tiny unconnected shells that are too small for the printer to print.

MeshMedic was developed in concert with the Netfabb company has been in place for 9+ years. It is not "thickness repair".

If you want to limit the effects of MeshMedic, then you can run your model thru Netfabb Public https://tools3d.azurewebsites.net/ which is fundamentally the same tool as MeshMedic, but you get to review the output yourself before uploading to Shapeways. I use it for 90% of my models.

PS: welding the shells together prevents them from counting separately for part and volume calculations.

Perhaps there is a better word to use than "fixing"? "Fixing" implies there was something wrong with the initial model.

Realize this is an old post, but the 'fixing' is clear more than merging shells. It's shifting parts of the model relative to other parts - fundamentally altering the geometry, and that is not something that happened in the past.

I would suggest "optimizing your model for printing". But this issue only affects new users that might be alarmed by "fixing". For us experienced users this is just another of those things you get used to, like not being able to orient the model-pictures, hitting the "Save" button often, etc.