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Home > Supported File Formats > STL to Form/Z


How to convert STL (StereoLithography) to Form/Z (.fmz,.fml)?


PolyTrans|CAD+DCC performs mathematically precise CAD, DCC/Animation, GIS and BIM 3D file conversions into all key downstream 3D packages and file formats. Okino software is used and trusted throughout the world by many tens of thousands of 3D professionals in mission & production critical environments, backed by respectable personal support directly from our core development team.

     

STL

STL (StereoLithography) is one of the industry's oldest (and simplest) 3D file formats created back in 1987 for 3D Systems' first commercial 3D printer. It is widely used for rapid prototyping, 3D printing and CAM. Okino has provided one of the very first and still primary STL export conversion systems for close to 3 decades.

Please take note that there is no 3D file format which is much simpler than STL. It is not a high-end, high fidelity 3D conversion file format as many people have come to wrongly believe. Rather, STL defines just a raw triangulated polygon mesh with no smoothing information (vertex normals), no uv texture coordinates, no assembly hierarchy part naming or any material assignments. 3MF and VRML2 are often much better file formats for moving 3D datasets into downstream programs and/or 3D printers.

The Okino STL exporter WEB page provides good graphical tutorial about how to convert CAD file data into STL and also how to clean a 3D model which is 'almost water tight'.

     

Form/Z

Form/Z is one of those power house 3D modelers with a deep history. It is a general-purpose solid and surface modeling software which offers 2D/3D form manipulating and sculpting capabilities.

Okino has known of, and associated with, Form/Z since 1994. Being a top notch modeler it has many methods to export 3D geometry data to Okino's conversion software. Of note are: ACIS SAT, DXF/DWG, IGES, STEP, STL, VRML and Wavefront OBJ.