Stereolithography format
Import STL files into your digital twin
The simplest 3D format there is. Scans, printed fixtures, and quick mockups saved as STL can go straight into your factory's digital twin.
- File extensions
- .stl
- Developed by
- 3D Systems
- Category
- Mesh & visualization
- Geometry
- Triangle mesh
- Typical software
- Any CAD or mesh tool, 3D scanners, Slicer software, Blender
- Import pipeline
- Autodesk Platform Services translation
What is a STL file?
STL was created by 3D Systems in 1987 for the first stereolithography 3D printers, and it has barely changed since. A file is nothing more than a soup of triangles: no units, no colors, no materials, no part names, no assembly structure. It comes in a human-readable ASCII flavor and a much smaller binary flavor.
That radical simplicity is why everything supports it. Any CAD system, scanner, or mesh tool can write an STL, which makes it a reliable lowest common denominator when all you need is shape.
Where these files come from
STL files come out of 3D printing workflows, laser scanning, and quick exports where someone just wanted to hand over a shape. Scanned building or equipment geometry often arrives as STL too.
How to import STL files into Moicon
As simple as four steps, from file to factory floor.
Step 1
Upload your model
In the Moicon dashboard, select Add asset and drag and drop your .stl file.
Step 2
Let it process
Moicon translates STL files through Autodesk Platform Services, the service behind its support for more than 70 formats. Translation time depends on the size and complexity of the model and the current service load.
Step 3
Name and organize it
Give the asset a name, add a thumbnail so it is easy to spot, and file it under the categories your team uses in the asset library.
Step 4
Place it in your project
Open your project and drop the asset into the viewport. From there you can position, clone, and scale it like any other asset in your twin.
STL FAQ
Does an STL file know its own units?
No. STL stores raw coordinates with no unit declaration, so a part modeled in millimeters and one modeled in inches look identical in the file. In Moicon you can scale a placed asset, which helps when an STL arrives at an unexpected size.
Binary or ASCII STL, which should I use?
Binary, in almost every case. It stores the same triangles at a fraction of the file size. ASCII STL is mainly useful when you need to inspect the file in a text editor.
Why does my STL model look faceted?
Because it is. STL approximates curved surfaces with flat triangles, and the exporting software decides how fine that approximation is. A coarser export means visible facets on cylinders and fillets.
Can Moicon import STL files?
Yes. STL uploads are translated through Autodesk Platform Services like most other formats Moicon supports.