STL Format

The STL (Stereolithography) format is one of the most common and widely used file formats in 3D printing. It was initially developed by 3D Systems in 1987 for their stereolithography technology, which was one of the first 3D printing technologies.

Key Features of the STL Format:

1. Geometry Representation:

   • The STL format describes the surface of a 3D object using a collection of triangles, also known as facets. Each triangle is defined by three points (vertices) and a normal that indicates the surface's outward direction.

   • The more triangles there are, the higher the model's resolution, but the larger the file size.

2. No Color or Texture Information:

   • The STL format is purely geometric. It does not include information about the object’s colours, textures, or materials—only its 3D shape.

3. Simple and Widely Compatible:

   • Due to its simplicity, the STL format is compatible with almost all 3D design (CAD) software and 3D printing preparation software.

   • It is the most common format for exchanging models between design tools and 3D printing machines.

4. Limitations:

   • Since STL only represents the surface of an object with triangles, it does not include internal details of the model, such as material thickness, which can be a limitation in some design cases.

   • The lack of colour and material information can also be a drawback for more complex models that require these features.

Use in 3D Printing:

When designing a model in CAD software, it is exported as an STL file to be processed by slicing software, which prepares the model for 3D printing. This software slices the model into horizontal layers and generates a file the 3D printer can interpret and build layer by layer.

In summary, the STL format is fundamental in the 3D printing workflow due to its simplicity and broad compatibility, though it has certain limitations regarding the information it can store.