STL, OBJ and 3MF: A Guide to 3D Printing File Formats

STL is the oldest and most widely used format in 3D printing; it stores a model as a mesh of triangular surfaces. Nearly all software supports it, but it carries no information about color, material, or units of measurement.

OBJ is an alternative that can also store color and texture data, making it the preferred choice for multi-color prints. 3MF is a modern format developed under Microsoft’s leadership: it carries units, color, material, and even print settings in a single file, and reduces the mesh errors that are prone to problems.

When exporting from a CAD program, solid-model formats such as STEP are also used for engineering data exchange. On the Ucuz3D order form you can upload STL, OBJ, STEP, and 3MF files directly; feel free to contact us if you are unsure about the right format.