It is an open source that offers different tools for construction including drawings, drafts, and design features. This is a CAD software that is free to use. These are some of the most popular free STL editors you can get: FreeCAD

This means that the objects only have a shell and you have to solidify them before 3D printing. These are the best for editing STL files because they are designed for modeling and objects represented on a 2D surface without filling. Some of the popular CAD programs include: FreeCAD, Sketchup, and Blender. Therefore, CAD software tools cannot show their real strength in STL file editing. For example, In the CAD software, circles are represented in their ‘real’ shape while in 3D printing and STL editing are usually represented as polygons. They are not the best option because of the different ways in which they represent some shapes. Although they were not originally designed with 3D printing in mind, they come in handy in editing STL. They are solid modeling tools and they provide accurate measurements. These are programs designed to cover engineering and construction modeling purposes.

You have 2 main options when it comes to editing STL files: mesh editing tools and CAD software. You don’t even need the skills of a 3D designer to do it yourself. Editing an STL file is not rocket science. , the STL file format is a proprietary format with an extremely simple structure that describes the surface of an object as a triangular mesh. The STL format was developed for stereolithography, a form of 3D printing, in the late 1980s. Each facet is described by a perpendicular (normal) direction and three points representing the vertices (corners) of the, triangle. Trusted Source STL (STereoLithography) File Format Family Format Description for STL_family - an openly documented plain text format for describing an object as a triangular mesh, i.e., as a representation of a 3-dimensional surface geometry in triangular facets. In this article, we will provide a comprehensive guide on how to edit STL files as well as discuss some of the best STL editors.

They are better tools at editing STL files. The Mesh editing tools, on the other hand, are made for modeling, animation, and any objects on a 2D surface without a filling. The CAD software is made for construction, solid modeling and providing the exact measurements. STL files can be edited in 2 different types of modelling software: the CAD software and Mesh editing tools. This is when you realize you need an STL editor. Most times, the pre-downloaded STL file on your model are okay, but what if it lacks some features, or it is damaged? Sometimes you’ll only need a part of it. Therefore, you ought to learn how to edit STL files. Learn more about our process hereĪs a 3D printing hobbyist, you will need to optimize, adapt, and optimize your 3D models at some point. We may earn a commission through products purchased using links on this page.

Stl file 3d printing