Written by: Krizia Joy Rivera
File formats are supported and compatible with design software, 3D printer manufacturers, and 3D scanners that have their own pros and cons. It is one of the most major parts of the 3D printing process that allows us to know which one of the file formats is better to use in different 3D printing processes.
This will give users the advantage to know the appropriate properties and compatibility of the document to 3D printers and help them understand the model without any problem by recognizing the exact colors, scale, and texture of the product.
In this article we will discover and get to know the common and most used 3D printing file formats in the 3D printing communities. Let’s learn together and spot the difference!
1. STL
For the first part, you probably heard or seen the STL file format as you try to learn the 3D printing industry. It is one of the most used and popular files that a lot of hobbyists and professionals use in their project to print a model. It stands for stereolithography and was developed in the late 1980’s as one of the oldest file formats in today’s standard of 3D printing.
STL is a file format composed of small and large triangles that represents the surface of the 3D model. It contains only one colour due to unsupported properties of the file format to store information, thus they are error-prone and difficult to edit. It is not the best, but people and manufacturers have faith in it due to its reliability and compatibility to use in almost all 3D modeling software and 3D printers.
2. OBJ
OBJ file formats is a complex format that uses two modes of operation known as precise coding that retains the original quality of the model’s geometry and an approximate coding that uses polygons and texture to create smoother finishes of the 3D model. They contain information such as colours, texture, and material data unlike STL files.
It is an editable file format that is great for collaborative work without losing its quality and details. They are commonly used in 3D printing communities which are preferred by some designers and professionals due to its multicolor data. However, OBJ files are not widely compatible with software platforms and 3D printers which makes it difficult to repair, edit, and share.
3. AMF
AMF file format is known to be the second version of STL that addresses the issues in colours, texture, material, and data. They only use small triangles that approximate the surfaces of the 3D model to avoid bloating and errors. It can cater curved sides of the triangles and can store more information as it uses an XML file format that is easy to read and share. However, since this is quite new to the market, limited platforms like Solidworks and Autodesk only support AMF file format.
4. 3MF
The 3MF file format was launched in 2015 by Microsoft together with big commercial businesses like HP, Ultimaker, Autodesk, 3D Systems, Siemens, Shapeways, Stratasys, and other companies. It was inspired by AMF file format, but the goal was to provide a high-quality performance to avoid overlapping prints and operate with Windows 10 system.
It has a similar representation of triangles like the STL files, but 3MF is size-friendly and more compact. Even though it gained a lot of popularity due to the connection with big brands, the file format is still in its early stage, and not adopted widely.
There are still hundreds of file formats in 3D printing that we may not know, but these common and most used file formats you can choose are the better file formats based on your needs to start your 3D printing journey. It is only a matter of compatibility to know which are the most reliable to print your 3D model.
With that being said, Super Pixels also uses these common file formats to print the 3D model. They have 3D printing machines, software, and materials that can support and overview delicate edges and volume of the model before printing the file. You can follow them on Facebook and check out their website to be updated on the latest news and trends in 3D printing!
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