In 1994, the International Standards organization developed the STEP file format to facilitate the move to Model-Based Definition. STEP (Standard for Exchange of Product Data) IGES files also have the ability to store units within the file header. Features such as splines will be converted to polylines during this process. Although the export geometry is highly accurate, it is not perfect.
The ability to encode curved surfaces allows IGES to maintain high accuracy while exporting the model. IGES differs from both STL and OBJ because it allows for the encoding of curves/curved surfaces instead of approximations using smaller, flat surfaces. The standards for IGES were first published in 1980 by the National Bureau of Standards. IGES (Initial Graphics Exchange Specification) With that being said, OBJ files can represent an object more accurately while using the same number of faces as an STL file. Polygons allow for a closer representation of the original geometry than STLs do but still do not accurately portray the original geometry. However, unlike STLs, they support polygonal faces. Similar to an STL file, OBJ files are stored as a list of vertices joined by edges. The OBJ file format was developed by Wavefront Technologies, specifically for animations, but has since been adopted by the 3D community. Generally speaking, these tessellations do not cause a problem for 3D printing, as long as the mesh and the intended model have discrepancies smaller than the resolution of the 3D printer.
These triangles result in the inaccurate representation of previously curved surfaces as tessellated surfaces. An STL file will store objects as sets of vertices joined by edges to make triangular faces, which is where the misconception of STL standing for Standard Triangle Language or Standard Tessellation Language comes from. It is the go-to filetype when it comes to 3D printing. The STL filetype has been around since 1987 but has exploded in popularity in recent years, as 3D printers have become more commonly used. These file types include STL, OBJ, IGES, and STEP. But the question is, in what format? This article will dive into the most common 3D printing file types used for exporting 3D models, when you should use each of them, and why. Are you a creator working on a product launch? Or a designer submitting updated files while prototyping? Regardless of your CAD preference and use case, whether it be SolidWorks, Creo, Catia, or Siemens NX, your files will need to be exported sooner or later.
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