How do I install the Formlabs Prep skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add mkebiclioglu/formlabs-prep in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Formlabs Prep safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Formlabs Prep?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Formlabs Prep free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Formlabs Prep?

mkebiclioglu (@mkebiclioglu) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Formlabs Prep by mkebiclioglu — Agent Skill

Name: Formlabs Prep
Author: mkebiclioglu

Formlabs Prep

Prepare a Formlabs print scene from one or more STL/OBJ files and save it as a .form file, without sending to a printer. Use when the user wants to set up a print job for review or later printing, but doesn't want it sent to a printer yet. Lower-stakes companion to formlabs-print.

mkebiclioglu 55b41dd 3.0 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

Formlabs print prep (save only)

A non-destructive version of the formlabs-print workflow: same preparation pipeline, but always saves a .form file at the end instead of sending to a printer. Use this when the user wants to inspect the job in PreForm first, or batch-prepare jobs to print later.

Precondition (always)

First action: call health_check. If it errors, the formlabs MCP server is not installed or PreFormServer failed to start. Surface the error, link the user to https://github.com/mkebiclioglu/formlabs-local-mcp, and STOP.

Required inputs

Model file(s) — absolute paths.
Printer + material — same as formlabs-print. If the user names a printer but no material, call list_printer_types to confirm the code, then list_materials and surface the available materials for that printer so they can pick.
Output .form path — absolute path. If they don't specify, default to the model's directory with the same basename and .form extension, and confirm.

Workflow

health_check (precondition).
create_scene.
import_model for each input file. The server defaults repair_behavior=REPAIR and units=MILLIMETERS — leave them unless the user explicitly says otherwise.
auto_orient.
auto_support.
auto_layout (SLA, machine_type starts with FORM-) or auto_pack (SLS, starts with FS).
get_print_validation — surface errors/warnings.
Auto drain holes (SLA only): call auto_add_drain_holes to place drain holes for any cups reported by validation. Skip the user XYZ prompt — bbox sampling + PreForm's surface projection handle placement. If PreForm reports "no surface found" for a model, surface that to the user and offer add_drain_holes (hand-placed) as fallback.
estimate_print_time — report time and material usage.
save_form to the chosen path. Skip the confirmation if the path is new; ask before overwriting an existing file.
Optionally save_screenshot to a .png next to the .form for preview.

When to use this vs formlabs-print

User mentions "save", "prepare", "set up", "draft", "preview" → this skill.
User mentions "print", "send to printer", "kick off the job" → use formlabs-print.
Ambiguous → ask once which they want.

Things to avoid

Don't use TaskCreate for this flow. Short linear pipeline; overhead.
Don't loop retries on IMPORT_PRODUCED_EMPTY_SCENE — that error means the STL is genuinely malformed and the post-import verification caught it. Tell the user, stop, and let them open the file in PreForm to diagnose.
Don't invent machine_type or material_code values. Use list_printer_types / list_materials to get real values.

---name: formlabs-prepdescription: Prepare a Formlabs print scene from one or more STL/OBJ files and save it as a .form file, without sending to a printer. Use when the user wants to set up a print job for review or later printing, but doesn't want it sent to a printer yet. Lower-stakes companion to formlabs-print.---# Formlabs print prep (save only)A non-destructive version of the `formlabs-print` workflow: same preparationpipeline, but always saves a `.form` file at the end instead of sending to aprinter. Use this when the user wants to inspect the job in PreForm first, orbatch-prepare jobs to print later.## Precondition (always)**First action: call `health_check`.** If it errors, the `formlabs` MCP serveris not installed or PreFormServer failed to start. Surface the error, linkthe user to https://github.com/mkebiclioglu/formlabs-local-mcp, and STOP.## Required inputs1. **Model file(s)** — absolute paths.2. **Printer + material** — same as `formlabs-print`. If the user names a printer but no material, call `list_printer_types` to confirm the code, then `list_materials` and surface the available materials for that printer so they can pick.3. **Output `.form` path** — absolute path. If they don't specify, default to the model's directory with the same basename and `.form` extension, and confirm.## Workflow1. `health_check` (precondition).2. `create_scene`.3. `import_model` for each input file. The server defaults `repair_behavior=REPAIR` and `units=MILLIMETERS` — leave them unless the user explicitly says otherwise.4. `auto_orient`.5. `auto_support`.6. `auto_layout` (SLA, `machine_type` starts with `FORM-`) or `auto_pack` (SLS, starts with `FS`).7. `get_print_validation` — surface errors/warnings.8. **Auto drain holes (SLA only):** call `auto_add_drain_holes` to place drain holes for any cups reported by validation. Skip the user XYZ prompt — bbox sampling + PreForm's surface projection handle placement. If PreForm reports "no surface found" for a model, surface that to the user and offer `add_drain_holes` (hand-placed) as fallback.9. `estimate_print_time` — report time and material usage.10. `save_form` to the chosen path. Skip the confirmation if the path is new; ask before overwriting an existing file.11. Optionally `save_screenshot` to a `.png` next to the `.form` for preview.## When to use this vs formlabs-print- User mentions "save", "prepare", "set up", "draft", "preview" → this skill.- User mentions "print", "send to printer", "kick off the job" → use `formlabs-print`.- Ambiguous → ask once which they want.## Things to avoid- **Don't** use TaskCreate for this flow. Short linear pipeline; overhead.- **Don't** loop retries on `IMPORT_PRODUCED_EMPTY_SCENE` — that error means the STL is genuinely malformed and the post-import verification caught it. Tell the user, stop, and let them open the file in PreForm to diagnose.- **Don't** invent `machine_type` or `material_code` values. Use `list_printer_types` / `list_materials` to get real values.

Frequently asked questions