STL is a file format native to the stereolithography CAD software created by 3D Systems. Chuck Hull, the inventor of stereolithography and 3D Systems’ founder, reports that the file extension is an abbreviation for stereolithography.
SketchUp is a 3D modeling software that allows users to create and manipulate 3D models of buildings, landscapes, furniture, and other objects. It is commonly used in architecture and interior design.
Chuck Hull is the co-founder, executive vice president and chief technology officer of 3D Systems. He is one of the inventors of the SLA 3D printer, the first commercial rapid prototyping technology, and the widely used STL file format. He is named on more than 60 U.S. patents as well as other patents around the world in the fields of ion optics and rapid prototyping. He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2014 and in 2017 was one of the first inductees into the TCT Hall of Fame.
OpenSCAD is a free software application for creating solid 3D computer-aided design (CAD) objects. It is a script-only based modeller that uses its own description language; the 3D preview can be manipulated interactively, but cannot be interactively modified in 3D. Instead, an OpenSCAD script specifies geometric primitives and defines how they are modified and combined to render a 3D model. As such, the program performs constructive solid geometry (CSG). OpenSCAD is available for Windows, Linux, and macOS.
Thingiverse is a website dedicated to the sharing of user-created digital design files. Providing primarily free, open-source hardware designs licensed under the GNU General Public License or Creative Commons licenses, the site allows contributors to select a user license type for the designs that they share. 3D printers, laser cutters, milling machines and many other technologies can be used to physically create the files shared by the users on Thingiverse.
In 3D computer graphics, 3D modeling is the process of developing a mathematical coordinate-based representation of a surface of an object in three dimensions via specialized software by manipulating edges, vertices, and polygons in a simulated 3D space.
Materialise NV, headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, is a company in the 3D printing / additive manufacturing sector.
Sculpteo is a French company specialized in 3D printing in the cloud. Sculpteo offers an online 3D printing service, for rapid prototyping and production using technologies such as laser sintering, stereo lithography, Multi Jet Fusion, FDM, Polyjet, DLS, DLP/LCD, SLM/DMLS or Binder Jetting. The company was founded in June 2009 by Eric Carreel, Clement Moreau and Jacques Lewiner. Sculpteo offers online 3D printing services, particularly in Europe and North America The company was acquired in 2019 by the German multinational chemical company BASF.
SolveSpace is a free and open-source 2D/3D constraint-based parametric computer-aided design (CAD) software that supports basic 2D and 3D constructive solid geometry modeling.
A 3D printing marketplace is a website where users buy, sell and freely share digital 3D printable files for use on 3D printers. They sometimes also offer the ability to print the models and ship them to customers.
Threeding is an online 3D printing marketplace and community for exchange and sale of designs and templates to assist in 3D printing. The website provides users with personal storefronts where they can list and sell 3D-printable models to a global audience. Threeding is one of several 3D file repositories that have emerged in the fast-growing 3D printing industry.
3D Slash is a 3D modeling software application produced by Sylvain Huet.
Pinshape Inc. is an online 3D printing community and marketplace with headquarters in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It allows designers to share and sell their 3D printable designs. People with 3D printers can print those designs on their own printers.
AstroPrint is a cloud platform and application marketplace designed for consumer 3D printing by 3DaGoGo Inc., a private San Diego-based technology company.
CGTrader is a 3D model marketplace for VR/AR and CG projects, and professional 3D designer community. It was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Vilnius, Lithuania. CGTrader has attracted funding from Practica Capital, a seed and venture fund based in Vilnius, as well as from Intel Capital.
Cura is an open source slicing application for 3D printers. It was created by David Braam who was later employed by Ultimaker, a 3D printer manufacturing company, to maintain the software. Cura is available under LGPLv3 license. Cura was initially released under the open source Affero General Public License version 3, but on 28 September 2017 the license was changed to LGPLv3. This change allowed for more integration with third-party CAD applications. Development is hosted on GitHub. Ultimaker Cura is used by over one million users worldwide and handles 1.4 million print jobs per week. It is the preferred 3D printing software for Ultimaker 3D printers, but it can be used with other printers as well.
3D Viewer is a 3D computer graphics viewer and augmented reality application that was first included in Windows 10 1703. It supports the .fbx, .3mf, .obj, and .stl and many more file formats listed in features section.
SelfCAD is an online computer-aided design software for 3D modeling and 3D printing, released in 2016. It is browser-based and cloud-based. SelfCAD is a polygon mesh based design program.
ABViewer is multifunctional software for working with AutoCAD DWG, DXF, PLT, STEP, IGES, STL and other 2D and 3D CAD files. The application allows creating and editing drawings, as well as saving them to AutoCAD DWG/DXF, PDF, JPG and a number of other vector and raster file formats.
Tinkercad is a free-of-charge, online 3D modeling program that runs in a web browser. Since it became available in 2011 it has become a popular platform for creating models for 3D printing as well as an entry-level introduction to constructive solid geometry in schools.
