Complete guide to creating stunning 3D printable terrain models
3D Topo Generator is a powerful web application that allows you to generate 3D printable terrain models from digital elevation data. Select any area on Earth and create custom topographic STL or multi-part 3MF files ready for 3D printing with support for multi-material/multi-color printing.
💡 Perfect for: Architects, educators, geologists, cartographers, and 3D printing enthusiasts who want to create accurate terrain models.
100% Client-Side Processing: This application performs all computations directly in your web browser. No data is sent to external servers, ensuring complete privacy and instant processing.
Maximum Area Limit: Due to browser computational constraints, the maximum processable area is 100-200 km² (if the area size > 100 km² consider using higher value of resolution reduction factor). This limitation exists because:
This tool is NOT a replacement for:
When to use professional software: If you need to process areas larger than 100 km², require advanced GIS analysis, or need production-level terrain modeling workflows, consider using desktop GIS software. Learn more about advanced terrain modeling workflows in this comprehensive guide.
Use 3D Topo Generator for: Quick terrain model generation, educational purposes, prototyping, small-scale projects, and when you need instant results without software installation.
Select locations with intuitive Leaflet.js map interface
Find any place with integrated geocoding
Access SRTM, NASADEM, Copernicus, and more
Adjust dimensions and vertical exaggeration
View 3D models with Three.js visualization
Download STL files or multi-part 3MF files ready for 3D printing.
Works on desktop, tablet, and mobile
Install as native app with offline capability
Seamlessly integrated collapsible menu in the workspace panel
Background processing keeps UI responsive
Choose browser or cloud processing (coming soon)
Cancel operations instantly at any time
The application uses Web Workers for the most computationally intensive part of 3D model generation (mesh creation), significantly improving the user experience.
Choose how your 3D models are generated with our flexible processing system:
To change processing mode: In the main application, access the integrated user menu in the bounding boxes panel (expand if collapsed), then click "🚀 Processing Mode" button. On mobile, tap your avatar and select Processing Mode from the dropdown.
You can run the full application locally using Docker. This is perfect for developers or users who prefer a containerized environment.
# Option 1: Run directly from Docker Hub (No installation needed)
docker run -p 8080:80 sicilian4ever/3d-topo-generator:latest
# Option 2: Run in background (detached mode)
docker run -d -p 8080:80 --name 3d-topo sicilian4ever/3d-topo-generator:latest
# Option 3: Run on a different port (e.g., 3000)
docker run -p 3000:80 sicilian4ever/3d-topo-generator:latest
# Access the application
# Open your browser and visit: http://localhost:8080 (or your custom port)💡 Docker Benefits: Running with Docker ensures you have the exact same environment as the production server, with no need to install Node.js or other dependencies on your machine.
When creating a bounding box larger than 100 km², you'll see a warning. For best results with large areas, increase the resolution reduction factor or wait for cloud processing feature.
Before you can start generating 3D terrain models, you need to create a free account:
🎉 100% Free: After registration, you can immediately access all features at no cost. No credit card required!
Once logged in, you'll have access to your personalized user menu:
The integrated user menu displays:
Before you can generate 3D models, you need a free API key from OpenTopography:
Note: OpenTopography provides free API access with reasonable usage limits. Keep your API key secure as it's tied to your account.
After logging in or registering, you can access your API key settings from anywhere in the application:
💡 Integrated User Menu Features: The user menu in the main application (desktop) is seamlessly integrated into the bounding boxes panel for easy access while working. It features:
Security Note: Your API key is stored only in your browser's session storage and will be cleared when you close your browser. The key is never sent to any server except OpenTopography when generating models.
When you first access the main application, a welcome modal will appear showing you a quick overview of the 4 steps to get started:
You can close this welcome modal anytime and optionally choose not to see it again during your session. The modal provides a helpful starting point for new users.
⚠️ Important: You must be logged in to save and use an API key. If you're not logged in, you'll be redirected to the authentication page first.
The main application workspace is organized for optimal workflow:
There are two ways to select your terrain area:
Once you've created bounding boxes, you can efficiently manage them in the panel:
Each bounding box has three convenient action buttons in the title bar:
💡 Pro Tip: You can hide/delete boxes even when they're collapsed, making it easy to manage large lists of bounding boxes efficiently. Collapsed state is saved in your browser's local storage.
For each bounding box, customize your terrain model with these settings:
🎨 Multi-Part 3MF (Recommended): The 3MF Multi-Part format is the best option for multi-material/multi-color printing! Each terrain layer is a separate object that you can assign to different filaments/colors in your slicer. Works perfectly with Bambu Studio AMS, Prusa MMU3, and other multi-material systems.
After downloading your STL file, you may want to know how much it will cost to 3D print your terrain model. We offer a free Print-Calculator tool to help you estimate printing costs:
Free Print-Calculator Tool: Access the Print-Calculator from the navigation bar at any time - no registration required!
Works with ANY 3D model: The Print-Calculator is not limited to terrain models from this application (for best result it is mandatory to load and export as new 3D-file by the use of 3D-printing softwares and other alternavives). In fact, can be used with any STL, OBJ, or 3DS file from any source - terrain models, figurines, mechanical parts, architectural models, or any other 3D printable design.
Why use the Print-Calculator?
The application supports multiple Digital Elevation Model sources, each with different coverage and resolution. Below you'll find detailed information about each DEM family:
An SRTM DEM is a Digital Elevation Model created from data collected by NASA's Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) in 2000. It provides near-global elevation data for most of the world at resolutions of 3 arc-seconds (~90m) and 1 arc-second (~30m), filling gaps in elevation data to provide a continuous topographic surface. To be noted that SRTM15PLUS integrates the original Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) land data with improved ocean bathymetry, which is derived from a combination of direct shipboard measurements and predicted depths using satellite altimetry.
AW3D30 is a global digital surface model (DSM) with a 30-meter (1 arcsec) horizontal resolution, generated from satellite stereo images by JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency).
NASADEM (NASA Making Earth System Data Records for Use in Research Environments) is a digital elevation model (DEM) that provides global, near-global land elevation data at a resolution of 1 arc second (approximately 30 meters). It is a modernization of the original Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) DEM, using improved processing techniques.
The Copernicus DEM is a Digital Surface Model (DSM) that represents the Earth's surface, including buildings, vegetation, and other infrastructure, in a 30-meter or 90-meter resolution format.
The European Digital Terrain Model (EU_DTM) is a 30-meter resolution model representing the bare-earth surface of Continental Europe, developed by Dr. Tom Hengl and the OpenGeoHub Foundation, using an Ensemble Machine Learning (EML) algorithm trained on various Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and elevation data from GEDI and ICESat-2. Unlike the older EU-DEM, which was a Digital Surface Model and is no longer maintained, the EU_DTM specifically models the ground's terrain by removing vegetation and buildings, making it suitable for analyses requiring the underlying topography of the landscape.
The Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) produces high resolution laser ranging observations of the 3D structure of the Earth. GEDI's precise measurements of forest canopy height, canopy vertical structure, and surface elevation greatly advance the ability to characterize important carbon and water cycling processes, biodiversity, and habitat. GEDI was funded as a NASA Earth Ventures Instrument (EVI) mission. It was launched to the International Space Station in December 2018 and completed initial orbit checkout in April 2019.
The GEBCO DEM is a 15 arc-second resolution global elevation model that provides continuous coverage of both ocean depths (bathymetry) and land/ice surface heights (topography), with negative values representing water depths and positive values representing land/ice heights. Developed by the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO), it's a composite of diverse data sources, including satellite-derived gravity and ship-track soundings.
💡 Tip: Data quality and availability may vary by location. If one source doesn't work well, try another for better results. Each DEM source has its strengths depending on your specific use case and geographic area of interest.
The application is compatible with all modern browsers:
⚠️ Note: Internet Explorer is not supported. Please use a modern browser for the best experience.
Created by Carmelo Sammarco (Sicilian4Ever)
This application represents the intersection of geospatial science and modern web technology. Built with passion for cartography, 3D printing, and open-source software.
📧 Support: For issues and questions contact the developer.
Contact Developer