STL (.stl) and Additive Manufacturing File (.amf) Export Options

You can set the export options when you export SOLIDWORKS part or assembly documents as STL (.stl) or Additive Manufacturing File (.amf) formatted files.

1. Click File > Save As.
2. Select STL (*.stl) or Additive Manufacturing File (*.amf) for Save as type, then click Options.
3. Select from the options described below, then click OK.

   Option	Description
   Output as	For Additive Manufacture File format, select Compress file to compress the file. For STL file format, select the output format supported by the target system: Binary: smaller than ASCII files. ASCII: supported on more system. For Unit, select the unit of measure.
   Resolution	Controls the tessellation of non-planar surfaces for Stereolithography (STL) output. A lower deviation setting produces a more finely tessellated STL file. Files generated with higher accuracy settings (increased tessellation) are larger in size and slower to generate. Coarse or Fine Preset resolutions. Custom Move the Deviation slider to adjust the deviation Tolerance, which controls whole-part tessellation. Lower numbers generate files with greater whole-part accuracy. Move the Angle slider to adjust the angle Tolerance, which controls smaller detail tessellation. Lower numbers generate files with greater small-detail accuracy, but those files take longer to generate. As you move the two sliders, the corresponding concentric circles adjust accordingly. The circles show, approximately, how the tessellation will vary as a result of the settings. (See Preview below.) Show STL info before file saving Displays a SOLIDWORKS dialog box (when you click Save in the Save As dialog box) that contains the following information: Triangles (number), File Size, File Format, and the directory path and file name. Preview Displays a faceted model preview in the graphics area and displays the Triangles (number) and File size information in the Export Options dialog box.
   STL format	The following three options are supported for STL format only:
   Do not translate STL output data to positive space	Makes exported parts maintain their original position in global space, relative to the origin.
   Save all components of an assembly in a single file (assemblies only)	Saves the assembly and its components in a single .stl file.
   Check for interferences (assemblies only)	Performs an interference check on an assembly document prior to saving. Export of an assembly with coincident or interfering bodies to a single .stl file produces a file that may be unsuitable for some rapid prototyping systems. It is recommended that you check for interference between the components prior to saving the assembly document. For more information, see Interference Detection.
   Additive Manufacturing File Format	The following two options are supported for Additive Manufacture File format only:
   Include materials	Includes the materials that have been applied to the parts or bodies. The hierarchy of materials is as follows: If the material applied to a three body part is steel and the material applied to Body A is copper, then the body materials are: Body A = copper Body B = steel Body C = steel
   Include colors	Includes the colors defined in the model's appearance settings.
   Output coordinate system	Select a coordinate system to apply for export. If you select -- default --, no transformation matrix is applied.

4. Click Save to export the document.