3D printer file formats are a subset of 3D file formats that are used for 3D printing. Most 3D files can be used for 3D printing, but the most common are STL, OBJ, AMF, and 3MF.
- STL is an abbreviation of stereolithography. The majority of modern CAD systems are able to export 3D models in the STL file format. Generally, an STL file is opened in a 3D slicer to transform the data into a format understood by the 3D printer.
- OBJ, a Wavefront 3D Object File, is a standard 3D image format that can be used by various 3D editing tools. It contains coordinates, texture maps, polygonal faces, and other 3D object data.
- AMF, aka Additive Manufacturing File Format, is an open standard developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) released in 2013. It is used to describe objects for additive manufacturing processes such as 3D printing. AMF files contain one or more objects, which include the geometry, color, and material information.
- 3MF is an XML-based data format designed for using additive manufacturing, including information about materials, colors, and other information that cannot be represented in the STL format. This format allows design applications to send full-fidelity 3D models to a mix of other applications, platforms, services and printers.