The STL, or Standard Triangle Language, file format has been around since the '80s and is supported by most modern 3D modeling applications. In particular, the STL format has become something of a standard format within the area of 3D printing, despite the rise of more modern formats such as 3MF.
STL files come in two flavors: binary or text format. The text format is human-readable, making it easy to perform manual edits, but can lead to very large file sizes. As you can imagine, the binary format is much more compact and represents the majority of the STL files you are likely to encounter.
The format itself is very simple; the 3D model is represented by a sequential list of triangles, with each triangle defined with 3 points consisting of their X, Y, and Z positions, along with an additional vector that contains the face normal (the direction the face is pointing). There is an additional attribute block for each triangle; however, this is largely unused and thus unsupported.
STL Converter Capabilities
When converting 3D model or mesh files using our STL converter, we will attempt to convert color materials into a suitable format for use in the converted file.
| Extension | USD |
| Full Name | Universal Scene Description |
| Type | 3D Model |
| Mime Type | application/octet-stream |
| Format | Binary |
USD files are a 3D model format designed specifically for the exchange of 3D data between different systems within a standard and easy-to-implement format.
Within a USD file are the various data elements that make up the 3D model, including vertices, faces, normals, and texture coordinates. Along with this basic geometry, other important information is stored, such as camera and other environmental properties.
Support for exporting 3D content to the USD format can be found in certain 3D modeling applications, such as Blender, Maya, and Houdini.
USD Converter Capabilities
When converting your STL to USD, our tool will attempt to accurately convert any color or material information.
