TopoMiller
🔨STL Export Settings Guide
Understanding Your Settings: TopoMiller gives you precise control over your 3D terrain models. This guide explains each setting to help you create the perfect topographic relief for CNC carving.
📏Scale Mode
Fit to Size
Scales the longest dimension of your terrain to a target size (default 100mm). Perfect when you need models to fit specific CNC bed dimensions.
Example: A 20km × 15km region scaled to 100mm will produce a 100mm × 75mm model (preserving aspect ratio).
True Scale
Uses a fixed scale ratio (like 1:100,000) for predictable, consistent dimensions across multiple models. Ideal for creating matching sets or comparing different regions at the same scale.
Example: At 1:100,000 scale, a 10km × 10km region will always produce a 100mm × 100mm model (1cm = 1km).
🎯Target Size & Scale Ratios
Target Size (Fit to Size mode)
Specifies the size in millimeters for your model's longest dimension.
- Range: 50mm - 300mm
- Default: 100mm
- Aspect ratio always preserved
Scale Ratio (True Scale mode)
Use the interactive slider to select any scale ratio between 1:10,000 and 1:1,000,000.
- Range: 1:10,000 to 1:1,000,000
- Logarithmic scale — smooth control across entire range
- Real-time preview — dimensions update as you drag
- Common values: 1:50k (1cm=500m), 1:100k (1cm=1km), 1:500k (1cm=5km)
- Fine-tuning: Choose any custom ratio to fit your needs
⚠️ Size Warning: Models larger than 250mm may not fit on standard CNC beds. The dimension calculator shows warnings for oversized models.
⛰️Relief Height (Vertical Exaggeration)
Looking for Vertical Exaggeration? Relief Height controls both the physical height AND the vertical exaggeration of your terrain. Increasing relief height makes terrain features more dramatic and visible.
Controls the maximum height of terrain features in your model, from the base to the highest peak. This setting directly affects vertical exaggeration - higher values make flat terrain more visible, lower values create subtle relief.
Range & Defaults
- • Minimum: 5mm (subtle terrain)
- • Default: 12mm (balanced)
- • Maximum: 50mm (dramatic relief)
💡 Usage Tips
- • Higher values = more dramatic terrain
- • Use 20-50mm for flat regions (plains)
- • Use 5-15mm for mountains
- • Consider your end mill reach
- • Mountains/Canyons: 5-15mm (natural relief is already dramatic)
- • Rolling Hills: 12-25mm (balanced detail)
- • Coastal/Flat Areas: 20-50mm (exaggeration needed to see features)
📊Vertical Exaggeration
ℹ️ This setting has been simplified and integrated into Relief Height
Vertical exaggeration is now controlled directly by adjusting the Relief Height slider. Higher relief height values create more dramatic terrain (more exaggeration), while lower values create subtle relief (less exaggeration).
How Relief Height Affects Vertical Exaggeration
- 5-10mm Relief Height — Subtle exaggeration, best for naturally dramatic terrain (mountains, canyons)
- 12-20mm Relief Height — Moderate exaggeration, good for rolling hills and general use
- 25-50mm Relief Height — High exaggeration, essential for flat regions (plains, coastal areas)
💡 Pro Tip: Real-world USGS topographic maps often use 2-3x vertical exaggeration in shaded relief views. You can achieve similar results by using 15-25mm relief height for most terrain types.
Why the change? Combining relief height and vertical exaggeration into a single control makes it easier to understand how your model will look. Instead of juggling two separate values, you simply adjust one slider to control how dramatic your terrain appears.
🧭True Z-Axis Scale
Matches the vertical scale to the horizontal scale for geographically accurate models with no exaggeration.
When to Use
- Creating scientifically accurate terrain models
- True Scale mode (auto-enabled)
- High-relief areas (mountains, canyons)
- Professional presentations requiring accuracy
When to Avoid
- Very flat terrain (plains, beaches)
- Large geographic areas with subtle elevation
- When visual drama is more important than accuracy
- Display models needing exaggerated features
💡 Pro Tip: Use True Z-axis scale for mountainous regions (Grand Canyon, Rockies) where natural relief is dramatic. For flatter areas (Great Plains, coastal regions), disable True Z-axis scale and increase Relief Height to 25-50mm for better visibility.
🏗️Base Thickness
The solid base platform underneath your terrain, providing structural support for mounting and display.
🛰️Data Source
TopoMiller automatically selects the best elevation data source for your region, or you can manually choose.
🗺️ USGS COG (10m) — US Only
Ultra-high resolution USGS 3DEP data with 10-meter resolution. Direct cloud access for fast processing.
Best for: US topographic models requiring high detail
🌲 AWS Terrain Tiles (3-30m) — Global
High-resolution terrain tiles from AWS Public Dataset. 3-10m in US, 30m globally (SRTM).
Best for: Worldwide coverage with excellent quality
🌍 Google Elevation API — Global
Reliable worldwide coverage with consistent 90m resolution. Production-ready with rate limits.
Best for: Guaranteed availability and consistent quality worldwide
Auto Mode (Recommended): TopoMiller automatically selects the best data source based on your region, preferring higher resolution when available.
⚡Quick Reference
True Scale + True Z-axis, 1:100,000, 20-30mm relief
Fit to Size, 15-20mm relief height
Fit to Size, 30-50mm relief height (high exaggeration)
True Scale + True Z-axis, 1:50,000 or 1:100,000
Fit to Size, 25-50mm relief height for dramatic effect
True Scale mode, same ratio for all regions
💡 Pro Tips
- Use the 3D Preview to see your exact dimensions before exporting
- Check the dimension calculator for warnings about oversized models
- Start with default settings and adjust based on your first print
- Thicker material (2-3 inches stacked baltic birch) creates more impressive models
- Consider your CNC bed size when selecting regions