STL to OBJ Conversion
This list contains valuable resources, complete with detailed guides and expert advice for converting STL files to OBJ format using our converters. Check them out now for a smooth conversion of your STL files later.
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STereoLithography File
A file format that was developed by 3D Systems, a global leader in the 3D printing industry. It is primarily used for storing 3D models and exclusively contains triangular mesh data. Some of the benefits and features of STL files are:
- Simplicity: STL files are easy to create and read by many software applications and 3D printers, as they only contain the coordinates of the vertices and the normal vectors of the triangles.
- Lack of Additional Information: STL files do not include information on face color, texture, transparency, and named groups. This means that all STL models are effectively colorless in their raw form.
- Binary and ASCII STL Formats: STL files can be saved in either binary or ASCII text formats. The binary format is generally preferred due to its significant reduction in file size compared to the ASCII format.
- Units of Measurement: The coordinates in STL files are always defined in millimeters. If necessary, our STL converter will perform the required units conversion.
STL Files Converter: While it is technically possible to assign RGB color values to individual vertices in an STL file, it’s important to note that not all software, including our Autoconverter, currently supports this extension.
Alias Wavefront Object File
A text-based file format that is extensively used for 3D geometry objects across a variety of 3D software programs. Some of the benefits and features of OBJ files are:
- Named Group Objects: OBJ files can store multiple objects with different names in a single file, which can be useful for organizing complex 3D scenes.
- Surface Materials: The OBJ file format supports surface materials with transparent colors and texture images, providing more realistic and detailed 3D models.
- Geometry Primitives: OBJ files can store geometry primitives in the form of quads or triangles. However, during the OBJ file conversion using our Autoconverter software, any quad primitives will be simplified into two triangles, as only triangular facets are supported.
- OBJ File Size: Due to its textual format, OBJ files tend to have larger sizes compared to binary file formats like 3DS (3D Studio) or SKP (SketchUp). This means that OBJ files may take longer to load or transfer, and may require more storage space.
STL vs OBJ Comparison
| Property | STL | OBJ |
|---|---|---|
| Extensions | .stl | .obj |
| Name | STereoLithography | Alias Wavefront Object |
| Versions | ||
| Textures | ||
| Colors | ||
| Geometry components | ||
| Readers | ||
| Writers |