diff --git a/render.py b/render.py
index ab7076d..0ca6384 100644
--- a/render.py
+++ b/render.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import os
 import sys
 import shutil
+import commands
 
 def render(machine):
 	render_dir = machine + os.sep + "render"
@@ -14,8 +15,8 @@ def render(machine):
 	for i in li:
 		stls.append(i[:-4])
 	for i in stls:
-		command = 'blender utils'+os.sep+'render.blend -P utils'+os.sep+'viz.py -- '+machine+os.sep+'stls'+os.sep+i+'.stl '+machine+os.sep+'render'+os.sep+i+'.png'
-		print command
+		command = 'blender -b utils'+os.sep+'render.blend -P utils'+os.sep+'viz.py -- '+machine+os.sep+'stls'+os.sep+i+'.stl '+machine+os.sep+'render'+os.sep+i+'.png'
+		print commands.getstatusoutput(command)[1]
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     if len(sys.argv) > 1:
diff --git a/utils/render.blend b/utils/render.blend
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..51e9061
Binary files /dev/null and b/utils/render.blend differ
diff --git a/utils/viz.py b/utils/viz.py
index 178bfa6..983af3c 100644
--- a/utils/viz.py
+++ b/utils/viz.py
@@ -1,2 +1,67 @@
+import bpy
+import sys
 
-# blender python script to place camera and render stls
+global ob
+global cam_target
+mat = 'abs'
+
+def load_stl(file_path):
+    global cam_target,ob
+    # load
+    bpy.ops.import_mesh.stl(filepath=file_path)
+    # select properly
+    ob = bpy.context.selected_objects[0]
+    print(ob)
+    bpy.ops.object.select_all(action='DESELECT')
+    ob.select = True 
+    # remove doubles and clean
+    #py.ops.object.editmode_toggle()
+    #bpy.ops.mesh.select_all(action='TOGGLE')
+    #bpy.ops.mesh.remove_doubles(limit=0.0001)
+    #bpy.ops.mesh.normals_make_consistent(inside=False)
+    #bpy.ops.object.editmode_toggle()
+    bpy.ops.object.origin_set(type='GEOMETRY_ORIGIN', center='BOUNDS')
+    # place
+    z_dim = ob.dimensions[2]
+    print(z_dim)
+    bpy.ops.transform.translate(value=(0,0,z_dim/2.0))
+    cam_target = (0,0,z_dim/3.0)
+    # assign material 
+    ob.material_slots.data.active_material = bpy.data.materials[mat]
+    
+def place_camera():
+    global cam_target
+    max_dim = 0
+    for i in ob.dimensions:
+        print(i)
+        if i > max_dim:
+            max_dim = i
+    print(max_dim)
+    bpy.data.objects['target'].location = cam_target
+    cam = bpy.data.objects['Camera'].location.x = max_dim*2.4
+    
+def render_thumb(image,gl=False,anim=False):
+    if gl:
+        if anim:
+            bpy.data.scenes['Scene'].render.filepath = "/tmp/"+ob.name+"#"
+            bpy.ops.render.opengl(animation=True)
+        else:
+            bpy.ops.render.opengl(write_still=True)
+            bpy.data.images['Render Result'].save_render(filepath=image)
+    else:
+        if anim:
+            bpy.data.scenes['Scene'].render.filepath = "/tmp/"+ob.name+"#"
+            bpy.ops.render.render(animation=True)
+        else:
+            bpy.ops.render.render(write_still=True)
+            bpy.data.images['Render Result'].save_render(filepath=image)
+
+image = sys.argv[-1]
+stl = sys.argv[-2]
+print(stl)
+print(image)
+
+load_stl(stl)
+place_camera()
+render_thumb(image,gl=False)
+#bpy.ops.object.delete()