File Types
netfabb can read its netfabb project files, three-dimensional files and two-and-a-half-dimensional slice files. Available file types for three-dimensional files are STL, X3D, GTS, OBJ, 3DS, and NCM. VRML and AMF files can be exported, but not opened. For slice files, the formats SLI, CLI, SLC, SSL, CLS, ABF, CLF or USF are available. Slices can also be exported as image files:
Click here to read more about exporting three-dimensional files.
Click here to read more about exporting slices.
- netfabb Project Files
netfabb projects have the ending .fabbproject. They include everything in a netfabb project.
The STL-format is the industrial standard for handling triangulated meshes. STL-files contain a plain list of triangles and their three-dimensional corner point coordinates. This generality and simplicity makes STL-files compatible to a lot of applications.
STL-files do not contain any topological information about the mesh.
- Three-Dimensional Files
- The X3D-format (=Extensible 3D) is an XML-based ISO Standard for saving three-dimensional data of any imaginable kind, thereby representing geometrical graphics. It contains a subset for handling triangulated meshes. For more information, click here
- GTS (GNU Triangulated Surface Library) is a widely used Open Source library for handling triangle-based meshes, coming with a simple text-based file format. GTS preserves the input data, including degenerated triangles and mesh errors.
- The OBJ-format is a simple, text-based geometry definition file format. The file format is open and has been adopted by other 3D graphics application vendors. The format represents many facets of 3D geometry, such as the position of each vertex, the UV position of each texture coordinate vertex, normals, as well as the faces that make each polygon defined as a list of vertices, texture vertices, and normals. For more information, click here.
- BFB-files are text-based data files that convert three-dimensional geometrical informations into a control sequence for the Rapman machine. They are files based on the Gcode.
- 3DS is another alternative for a file format containing three-dimensional meshes.
- The VRML-format (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) is a standard for representing 3-dimensional interactive vector graphics, very suitable for the World Wide Web. VRML files have the ending .wrl and can only be exported, but not imported by netfabb. For more information, click here.
- The NCM-format (netfabb compressed mesh) is a file format created by netfabb. They need less space on your hard disc, but cannot be opened by other applications.
- The AMF-format (Additive Manufacturing File) enables you to export several parts as one file. It is a new file format intended to become the new standard for Additive Manufacturing. If the file is compressed, it need very little space on the hard disc. So far, AMF files cannot be imported by netfabb.
- Slice Files
For Slice Files, a three-dimensional object is cut into horizontal slices and saved as a great collection of two-dimensional cross sections with a certain specified thickness. Possible file formats are SLI, CLI, CLS, SLC, SSL, CLF, ABF or USF, depending on the machine used to print objects. Slices can also be exported as image files with the formats PNG, BMP, SVG, DXF or PS. For the export of many slice formats you need netfabb Studio Professional and the Slice Commander Professional. With only netfabb Studio Professional alone, you can export slices only as SLI, CLI, SLC and SSL.
Generic GCode Files (GCD) and Binary GCode Files (BGC) can be opened and viewed in the Slice Commander but can be exported only with netfabb Engines.
