API v1 preview

# Create a model

`POST /api/v1/models`

## Overview

Create a model from an uploaded file and its default longest dimension. Returns a permanent model ID immediately while inspection runs asynchronously. Retrieve the model for progress and results.

Requires `models:write`.

[Create and poll a model guide](https://ottomfg.com/docs/models.md)

[Errors and retries](https://ottomfg.com/docs/errors.md)

Request

cURL

```
curl -X POST "$API_BASE_URL/api/v1/models" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OTTOMFG_API_KEY" \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: $IDEMPOTENCY_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data '{
  "source": {
    "file_id": "file_6c82bd3e319b4bb099310d54a761879e"
  },
  "name": "Wedding figurine",
  "external_id": "design-123",
  "longest_dimension_mm": 100
}'
```

Set API_BASE_URL and OTTOMFG_API_KEY. Optionally save a unique IDEMPOTENCY_KEY before the first request; reuse it with the same body on retry.

**More request examples**

Request body

```
{
  "source": {
    "file_id": "file_6c82bd3e319b4bb099310d54a761879e"
  },
  "name": "Wedding figurine",
  "external_id": "design-123",
  "longest_dimension_mm": 100
}
```

[Registration and lookup examples](https://ottomfg.com/docs/models.md)

## Parameters

`Idempotency-Key` header · optional

Account, method and path scoped retry key, retained for 24 hours from first use. Same body replays the original successful status and body. A changed body returns 409 idempotency_key_reused; an in-flight request returns 409 idempotency_request_in_progress with Retry-After. Retry transient failures with the same key and body.

string

## Request body

application/json

`source` object · required

Reference to an uploaded geometry file and its supporting assets. One file can back multiple models in the same account. Set print size explicitly using longest_dimension_mm.

**source fields**

`file_id` string · required

Unique, server-generated file ID. Treat it as an opaque reference.

Min length: 37 · Max length: 37

`name` string · optional

Optional human-readable model name supplied by the customer. Not unique; id is the system-generated identifier. Unicode category C characters, including control and format characters, are rejected.

Max length: 255

`external_id` string · optional

Optional identifier from the customer’s system. Stored and returned unchanged. No uniqueness, lookup, or deduplication guarantee. Unicode category C characters, including control and format characters, are rejected.

Max length: 255

`metadata` object · optional

Optional customer key/value strings. Up to 50 keys, each 1–40 characters; values up to 500 characters. Unicode category C characters (including control and format characters) are rejected in keys and values. No secrets. Not interpreted for pricing, permissions or deduplication.

`longest_dimension_mm` number · required

Longest bounding-box dimension in millimeters, 30–200 inclusive. Fractional values are accepted. Uniformly scale all axes. At model creation this is the default and inspection reference size; each pricing/quote item explicitly selects its own size. Callers convert other units to millimeters.

Minimum: 30 · Maximum: 200

## Responses

Model with current progress and inspection results.

200 response

JSON

```
{
  "id": "MD-739YQ549",
  "source": {
    "file_id": "file_6c82bd3e319b4bb099310d54a761879e"
  },
  "name": "Wedding figurine",
  "external_id": "design-123",
  "created_at": "2026-09-18T18:00:00.000000Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-09-18T18:00:00.000000Z",
  "status": "processing",
  "status_reasons": [
    {
      "code": "inspection_pending",
      "message": "Mesh inspection is running."
    }
  ],
  "preview": {
    "status": "pending"
  },
  "longest_dimension_mm": 100,
  "mesh_check": {
    "status": "pending"
  },
  "print_check": {
    "status": "pending"
  },
  "repair": {
    "required": false,
    "applied": false,
    "reason": null,
    "status": "not_applied",
    "fee": 0,
    "covered_by_order_id": null
  },
  "progress": {
    "stage": "queued"
  },
  "volume": null,
  "estimated_weight_g": null
}
```

Returns [the Model object](https://ottomfg.com/docs/model-object.md).

**Response headers**

`X-Request-ID`

Request identifier for support. Send X-Request-ID with 8–64 ASCII letters, digits or hyphens to reuse that value; otherwise the server generates a UUID4 hex value. Include the returned X-Request-ID in support requests. Do not put secrets or account IDs in this value.

`Idempotent-Replayed`

Present when the original successful response is replayed.

## Errors

| HTTP | Code | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 400 Bad Request | `file_not_found` | No file with this ID exists in the account, or it expired before a model used it. Register and upload the file again. |
| 400 Bad Request | `file_not_ready` | The file bytes have not finished uploading, or their size differs from the registration. Finish the upload, then retry. |
| 400 Bad Request | `invalid_argument` | A field, query parameter or header is invalid. Fix the field named in details, then send the request again. |
| 401 Unauthorized | `unauthenticated` | The API key is missing, invalid or revoked. Send a valid business API key in Authorization: Bearer. |
| 403 Forbidden | `permission_denied` | The key lacks the endpoint's scope, or payments lack spending consent. Check the scope listed on the endpoint. |
| 409 Conflict | `idempotency_key_reused` | This Idempotency-Key was already used with a different body. Retry the original body, or use a new key for a new operation. |
| 409 Conflict | `idempotency_request_in_progress` | A request with this Idempotency-Key is still running. Wait Retry-After seconds, then retry the same key and body. |
| 413 Content Too Large | `request_too_large` | The JSON body is over this endpoint's size limit. Send a smaller body. |
| 415 Unsupported Media Type | `unsupported_media_type` | The body is not JSON. Send Content-Type: application/json. |
| 429 Too Many Requests | `resource_exhausted` | A rate or account limit was reached. Wait at least Retry-After seconds, then retry. |
| 500 Internal Server Error | `internal` | The server failed unexpectedly. Retry with backoff; contact support with X-Request-ID if it persists. |
| 503 Service Unavailable | `unavailable` | A required service is briefly unavailable. Retry with backoff, reusing the same Idempotency-Key. |

[Idempotent requests](https://ottomfg.com/docs/idempotency.md)

API v1 preview

Source: https://ottomfg.com/docs/create-model