Your file.
Your original.
Provable.
MarkForge embeds a cryptographically secured ownership mark directly into STL, 3MF and G-Code files — visible to verification tools, invisible to the printer. When your model gets stolen and re-uploaded to MakerWorld, Printables & Co., you prove in seconds who it belongs to.
Uploaded today,
stolen tomorrow.
You pour weeks into a model — tolerances, wall thicknesses, supports all dialled in. Then you upload it, and days later your exact file resurfaces on MakerWorld or Printables under someone else's name. Platform support asks: "Can you prove this file is yours?"
Screenshots of your CAD program? Not enough. The upload date? Says nothing about the file itself. What counts is a tamper-evident proof embedded in the file itself — the same way photographers write metadata into their images.
Three steps to a provable original.
Upload your file
STL, 3MF, G-Code or OBJ via drag & drop. The format is detected from the file content, not the extension. Your file never leaves the browser — marking happens locally on your machine.
Enter your details
Author or studio, licence (e.g. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), contact. From this, a cryptographic marking is created that is inseparably interwoven with your file's fingerprint — forgery-proof and tamper-evident.
Protect — and prove later
You download the marked file. Our server only stores a registry entry (~200 bytes: hash, author, date). If you find your file somewhere else, check the copy here — marking and fingerprint prove beyond doubt who owns the original.
Protect & verify — right here.
Live demo of the MarkForge engine. Everything runs locally in your browser; in the production version, the WordPress backend handles credit billing and the registry.
Multi-layer marking.
Its location and method remain our trade secret.
Every file is marked on several layers at once — some visible, some hidden. We deliberately do not publish exactly where the marking sits or how it is structured: what nobody knows, nobody can deliberately remove.
| Format | Detection | Protection properties | Print impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| STL | Binary & ASCII auto-detected | Multi-layer marking, tamper-evident | None. Geometry, toolpath, print time and material usage stay bit-identical — overhead below 600 bytes |
| G-Code | All common slicer flavours (Prusa, Bambu, Orca, Cura …) | Survives copying, renaming and re-uploading | |
| 3MF | Fully Bambu Studio & PrusaSlicer compatible | Cryptographically interwoven with the file fingerprint | |
| OBJ | Wavefront standard | Forgery-proof link to author & timestamp |
Zero-storage principle: The marking is mathematically derived from your details and the original file's fingerprint. Verification therefore only needs to compare fingerprints — we never have to store your file. That keeps our infrastructure lean, GDPR-friendly and costs close to zero.
Credits. No subscription. No lock-in.
Billing is based on file size: 1 credit per started megabyte. A small STL costs 1 credit, a large 3MF project a few more — fair, because storage and verification effort scale with file size.
Starter
- 25 credits included
- All formats: STL, 3MF, G-Code, OBJ
- Unlimited verifications
- Proof certificate export
Maker
- 120 credits included
- Everything in Starter
- Registry entries with priority checking
- Batch processing (up to 20 files)
Studio
- 400 credits included
- Everything in Maker
- Team accounts (up to 5 seats)
- API access for your own workflows
Frequently asked questions.
Does the marking affect my 3D print?
No. The marking only uses areas that slicers and printers are guaranteed to ignore. We deliberately don't publish exactly where it sits — that way the protection cannot be deliberately circumvented. Geometry, toolpath, print time and material usage remain identical — the overhead is under 600 bytes.
How do I prove that a copied file is mine?
Upload the suspicious copy in the "Check a file" section. MarkForge reads the embedded marking and the file fingerprint and matches both against the registry. The result: author, licence, registration date — plus an exportable proof certificate for platform support or a cease-and-desist letter.
Why don't you store my files on the server?
Because it isn't necessary — and it protects you. The marking mathematically links your details to the original file's fingerprint. For proof, the hash of a found copy is enough. This keeps our storage costs minimal, your designs never leave your control, and there is no central pool of data that could be stolen.
Can someone simply remove the marking?
A thief can delete the visible layer — that is anticipated. Our protection technology works on several layers at once, so the marking usually survives in practice. And even if it were fully removed, the registry entry remains: whoever registered first proves authorship at time X — similar to a notarised timestamp.
Which platforms does this cover?
Anywhere the file itself is passed on: MakerWorld, Printables, Thingiverse, Cults3D, Thangs, direct sales by email or your own shop. Because the marking travels inside the file, it is platform-independent.
Does this replace legal advice?
No. MarkForge provides technical evidence (who, when, which file). Whether that leads to a cease-and-desist or damages claim is something to discuss with a lawyer. The exported certificate is the reliable foundation for that conversation.
Protect your next file
before someone else uploads it.
Your first 3 credits are on us — enough for your three most important models. No credit card required.
