STL simplifies complex shapes into triangular faces, making them easily understandable for 3D printers. The more complex the design, the more triangles are used, which increases the resolution.
The distinguishing feature of an STL image is its .stl file extension and the absence of color and texture.
stl file in 3d software
History of the STL file format
It was created in 1987 by 3D Systems. The STL format quickly gained attention as an industry standard for their stereolithography CAD program. The STL format was designed for 3D printing and has remained relevant due to its simplicity. This is why it is primarily used for 3D printing and modeling. In 2009, an updated version of the STL file format, STL 2.0, was introduced.
Despite its simplicity, the relevance of STL in the 3D printing and modeling industry has endured.
Benefits of STL Files for Digital Manufacturing and CAD
Digital manufacturers rely heavily on STL files, which allow designers to design, share, and print prototypes. STL files serve as a bridge between 3D models and physical objects in CAD. This simplicity europe dataset makes STL files indispensable for industries like aerospace and medicine, which often require complex parts.
STL files primarily encode the surface geometry of a 3D object, using a process known as "Tessellation".
Tessellation is a technique that simplifies complex surfaces into simpler flat polygons. In STL files, these polygons are shaped like triangles. In 1987, Chuck Hul the inventor of stereolithography needed a way to send 3D CAD models to his 3D printer. Albert Consulting Group solved this problem by using tessellations of the surface of the 3D model to encode the information.
stl file structure
i) Surface approximation
In tessellation, even curved surfaces, such as cylinders and spheres, are represented by a series of meshed triangles. The smoother the approximation of the curved surface, the larger the number of triangles required. However, this also increases the file size and computational complexity, leading to tradeoffs between performance and resolution.
ii) Triangles in 3D space
A triangle has three vertices, each vertex having an x, y, and z coordinate in 3D space. The vertices form the corners of the triangle that meet from edge to edge and create the overall surface of the object.
iii) Mesh creation
The structure of the STL file consists of triangles that form a triangular mesh representing the digital surface map of the object. These triangles are small enough to allow an accurate approximation of the original shape, while being easy to process by 3D printers or software.