| Extension | SCAD |
| Full Name | OpenSCAD |
| Type | CAD |
| Mime Type | application/octet-stream |
| Format | Binary |
A SCAD file is a modern format used for storing 3D Computer Aided Design (CAD) data and is the native file format for the OpenSCAD application. The SCAD file format stores the CAD data in the form of scripts, allowing users to modify the properties of objects quite easily by modifying the various scripted parameters.
The script contained within a SCAD file enables the creation of basic shapes such as cubes, cylinders, spheres, and other more complex shapes by using special commands to merge shapes. As this is a scripted format and is designed to be manually edited, a SCAD file stores this script in human-readable plain text format.
Support for SCAD files is largely limited to the OpenSCAD software, though there are other CAD applications that support the format. Our own SCAD converter tools can convert SCAD files to other 3D model formats, such as STL.
| Extension | 3MF |
| Full Name | 3D Manufacturing Format |
| Type | 3D Model |
| Mime Type | application/vnd.ms-package.3dmanufacturing-3dmodel+xml |
| Format | Binary |
The 3MF file format was created as a standard storage medium for 3D models for use within the area of 3D printing. A 3MF file will contain 3D model data stored within an XML-formatted document with additional assets such as image previews and material data. These files are wrapped up within a compressed ZIP file (using the 3MF extension).
The 3MF format was created in response to the constraints of the STL format, which is the most popular format for storing 3D printable models. Unlike the STL format, which can only store triangular information, the 3MF format can store mesh geometry along with material, units of measurement, and other relevant 3D printing information that is impossible to store within an STL file.
Storing the 3D data within a ZIP file container ensures the file size is kept to a minimum while making it easily extendable in the future. 3MF files are widely supported by 3D printing slicer software and are a common export option within 3D editing software.
