3D Manufacturing Format
{{Short description|Open source file format standard}}
{{Infobox file format
| name = 3D Manufacturing Format
| icon = 3D Manufacturing Format Logo.png
| logo =
| screenshot =
| caption =
| extension = .3mf
| extensions = 3mf
| mime =
| type code =
| uniform type =
| magic =
| owner = 3MF Consortium
| released = {{Start date and age|2015|04|29|df=yes}}
| latest release version = 2.2.0
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2021|08|24|df=yes}}
| genre =
| container for = 3D printing data
| contained by = Open Packaging Conventions
| extended to =
| standard =
| url = [https://3mf.io/spec/ 3MF Specification]
| open = Yes
}}
3D Manufacturing Format or 3MF is an open source file format standard developed and published by the 3MF Consortium.{{cite web|title=3MF Website|url=http://3mf.io/|website=3MF|access-date=1 May 2015}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.3printr.com/3mf-consortium-releases-new-3d-printing-file-format-5228822/|title=3MF Consortium Releases New 3D Printing File Format|date=5 May 2015}}
3MF is an XML-based data format designed specifically for additive manufacturing. It includes information about materials, colors, and other information that cannot be represented in the STL format.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191209133517/https://3mf.io/what-is-3mf/ "What is 3MF?"]{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/tjmccue/2015/05/28/microsoft-spearheads-3d-printing-file-format-introducing-the-3mf/#3a4815e8493b|title=Microsoft Spearheads 3D Printing File Format: Introducing the 3MF|website=Forbes}} 3MF is part of the Linux open standards project{{Cite web |title=3D Printing Effort Becomes Linux Foundation Open Standards Project, Announces New Executive Director - Linux Foundation |url=https://www.linuxfoundation.org/press/press-release/3d-printing-effort-becomes-linux-foundation-open-standards-project |access-date=2022-10-21 |website=www.linuxfoundation.org |language=en}} and is not intended to compete in the traditional CAD space. It is designed to be much simpler to implement than the full CAD formats.{{cite web|title=3MF About Us|url=https://3mf.io/about-us/|website=3MF|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191010054235/https://3mf.io/about-us/|access-date=10 July 2020|archive-date=2019-10-10}}
Today, CAD software related companies such as Autodesk, Dassault Systèmes, PTC, and Netfabb are part of the 3MF Consortium. Other firms in the 3MF Consortium are Microsoft (for operating system and 3D modeling support), SLM and HP, whilst Shapeways are also included to give insight from a 3D printing background.{{cite news|title=3MF Consortium Launches to Advance 3D Printing Technology|url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150430007060/en/3MF-Consortium-Launches-Advance-3D-Printing-Technology|access-date=1 May 2015|agency=Business Wire}} Other key players in the 3D printing and additive manufacturing business, such as Materialise, 3D Systems, Siemens Digital Industries Software and Stratasys have recently joined the consortium.{{Cite web |url=https://3mf.io/adoption/ |title="As of September 2020, 3MF Consortium have signed new members such as 3D Systems, Materialise, Siemens PLM Software, Stratasys among 31 others" |access-date=2020-09-23 |archive-date=2021-09-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916155053/https://3mf.io/adoption/ |url-status=dead }} To facilitate the adoption, 3MF Consortium has brought on new associate members and Executive Director to increase awareness and adoption{{Cite web |last=Wegner |first=Andre |title=With A New Executive Director, 3MF Strengthens The Digital Thread For Additive Manufacturing |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewegner/2022/11/09/with-a-new-executive-director-3mf-strengthens-the-digital-thread-for-additive-manufacturing/ |access-date=2022-12-02 |website=Forbes |language=en}} while also published a C++ implementation of the 3MF file format.{{Cite web|url=https://github.com/3MFConsortium/lib3mf|title=Lib3mf|website=GitHub|date=13 March 2022}}
Features
Below are a list of some of the advantages of the 3MF format, supplied by the consortium.{{cite web |title=3MF Core Specification |url=https://github.com/3MFConsortium/spec_core/releases/download/1.2.3/3MF_Core_Specification_v1_2_3.pdf |publisher=3MF Consortium |date=2018}}
- Full color and texture support in a single file
- Support structures attached to part data
- Full tray support for direct machine preparation
- Thumbnails, viewing, and printing in Microsoft Windows{{dubious|date=November 2023}}
- Multiple material support
- Beam extension for complex lattice structures{{Citation |title=3MF Beam Lattice Extension |date=2022-05-26 |url=https://github.com/3MFConsortium/spec_beamlattice/blob/563c86422769b9510c03b721c55a6baadf135a32/3MF%20Beam%20Lattice%20Extension.md |publisher=3MF Consortium |access-date=2022-10-21}}
- Slice extension for machine data
- Secure end to end encryption{{Citation |title=3D Manufacturing Format - Secure Content Extension |date=2021-04-15 |url=https://github.com/3MFConsortium/spec_securecontent/blob/0d5d53f94b826c4cd7c05f5a85d931b30b032cbb/3MF%20Secure%20Content.md |publisher=3MF Consortium |access-date=2022-10-21}}
- Volumetric communication of data at voxel level{{Citation |title=Manufacturing Format - Volumetric Extension |date=2022-09-16 |url=https://github.com/3MFConsortium/spec_volumetric |publisher=3MF Consortium |access-date=2022-10-21}}
- Designed for industrial manufacturing
- Native integration in Microsoft Office and Paint 3D
3MF consortium members
{{Div col|colwidth=10em}}
- Autodesk
- HP
- 3D Systems
- Dassault Systèmes
- EOS
- Hexagon
- Materialise
- Microsoft
- nTopology
- PTC
- Siemens
- Altair
- SLM
- Stratasys
- Ultimaker
- Viaccess.Orca
- Prusa https://help.prusa3d.com/article/saving-projects-as-3mf_1773 lowest coont
{{Div col end}}