Exporting 3D Print Files

You can export part and assembly files to STL (.stl), 3D Manufacturing Format (.3mf), or Additive Manufacturing File Format (.amf) format.

To export a 3D print file:

  1. Click File > Print3D.
    If you are using a computer that runs an operating system other than Windows 8.1, you are warned that you cannot print. However, you can still use Save To File to save your model to a 3D printing format.
  2. In the Print3D PropertyManager, expand Save To File.
  3. For Format, choose one of the following:
    • STL (*.stl)

      This ASCII or binary format file describes only the surface geometry of a 3D object as a raw, unstructured triangulated surface.

    • 3D Manufacturing Format (*.3mf)

      This is an additive manufacturing focused file format that lets you send full-fidelity 3D models to other applications, platforms, services, and printers.

    • Additive Manufacturing File (*.amf)

      This xml-based file lets you select export options that store the color and materials of the object to be 3D printed in the .AMF file, as well as the geometry of the model.

  4. Click Save File.
  5. In the Save As dialog box, select a location for the saved file and type a file name.
    By default, the file is saved to the model location.
  6. Click Options.
    While many options are the same for the .stl, .3mf, and .amf file formats, they have these differences:
    • 3MF format:
      • Select Show 3MF info before saving file to view the 3MF information before saving the file.
      • Select Include materials to include base materials with the exported file.
      • Select Include appearances to include appearances with the exported file. Only surface mapped textural appearances are exported to .3mf.
    • AMF format:
      • Select Include materials to include the materials that have been applied to parts or bodies.
      • Select Include colors to include the colors applied to the model as part of the model appearance.
    • STL format:
      • Select Do not translate STL output data to positive space to make exported parts maintain their original position in global space, relative to the origin.
      • Select Save all components of an assembly in a single file to save the assembly and its components in a single .stl file.
      • Select Check for interferences to performs an interference check on an assembly document prior to saving.
  7. Click OK.
  8. Click Save.