2008

Exporting to STL
File menu > Export > StereoLitho (*.STL)
An STL file saves object data in a format used for stereolithography. STL files
have a file-name extension of .stl. There is an ASCII STL format as well as a
binary STL format. You can choose which to create when you export a 3ds
Max scene.
STL files are generally used for purposes of rapid prototyping. A variety of
methods use the STL format to construct prototypes. For example, many STL
machines use a liquid polymer and harden it in small slices, creating a solid
plastic model. Other STL machines use metal powder to create a model in
steel. Still other machines use a special wax.
An STL object must define a complete and closed surface. You can check
whether the geometry you want to export satisfies this criterion by using the
STL Check modifier on page 1678 .
You can also import STL files. See
Importing STL Files on page 7073 .
7076 | Chapter 21 Managing Scenes and Projects