3MF: An ISO Standard for the Future of Manufacturing

3MF (3D Manufacturing Format) is an XML-based data format designed specifically for additive manufacturing. It addresses the shortcomings of older formats like STL by providing a richer, more comprehensive representation of 3D models.

This includes information about materials, colours, textures, and even support structures, all within a single file using the 3MF specification and extensions.

By capturing the full complexity of a 3D model, 3MF ensures that designs are translated accurately from concept to physical object, minimizing errors and streamlining the manufacturing process.

The adoption of 3MF as an ISO standard brings a new level of confidence and interoperability to the additive manufacturing ecosystem. This standardization will have far-reaching implications, fostering innovation, reducing barriers to adoption, and ultimately accelerating the widespread use of 3D printing in various industries.

Beyond mainstream manufacturing, the ISO-ratified 3MF standard is gaining traction in heavily regulated sectors where data integrity, traceability, and long-term accessibility are non-negotiable.

Government agencies and defense primes increasingly require additive-manufacturing vendors to deliver build files in a transparent, fully documented format; 3MF’s ability to embed rich metadata (material specs, process parameters, security classifications, revision history, and even encryption hooks) satisfies stringent ITAR, DFARS, and NATO STANAG documentation mandates while keeping the entire digital thread in a single container.

In medical device workflows, the format’s voxel, slicing, and support-structure extensions let engineers lock down patient-specific geometries and doctor-approved build settings, streamlining FDA submissions under ISO 13485 and MDR guidelines.

Likewise, aerospace OEMs and MRO providers value 3MF for its geometry fidelity and for the way it captures qualification data from powder-lot certificates to in-situ sensor logs, helping them meet AS9100 and NADCAP audit trails without resorting to brittle, proprietary toolchains.

Because the standard is maintained by a consortium of major software and hardware suppliers, end users in these mission-critical domains can count on backward compatibility and vendor neutrality for decades, which is essential when components may need to be reproduced or inspected far into the future.

In short, 3MF is emerging as the lingua franca not just for agile prototyping, but for any high-stakes environment where precision, compliance, and security intersect.

• Enhanced Interoperability: As an ISO standard, 3MF provides a universal language for 3D printing data. This means that design files can be seamlessly exchanged between different software applications, hardware platforms, and service providers, regardless of their origin. This reduces data translation errors and improves workflow efficiency across the entire supply chain.
• Increased Reliability and Accuracy: The comprehensive nature of the 3MF format ensures that all critical information about a 3D model is preserved. This leads to more accurate and reliable prints, minimizing the need for rework and reducing material waste. Manufacturers can have greater confidence that what they design is what they will produce.
• Accelerated Innovation: With a stable and widely adopted standard in place, developers and engineers can focus on innovating new technologies and applications, rather than on addressing data compatibility issues. This will spur the development of more advanced 3D printing processes and materials.
• Reduced Costs: By streamlining workflows, reducing errors, and improving interoperability, 3MF contributes to significant cost savings throughout the manufacturing process. This makes additive manufacturing more accessible and economically viable for a broader range of businesses.
• Future-Proofing: The 3MF Consortium remains committed to evolving the standard to meet the future demands of the additive manufacturing industry. The ISO designation ensures that 3MF will continue to be a robust and relevant format as the technology advances.

The 3MF Consortium invites every stakeholder in the additive manufacturing ecosystem, including software developers building CAD and workflow tools; hardware manufacturers advancing printers, scanners, and post-processing equipment; service bureaus delivering production at scale; and end users in industries from aerospace and medical to consumer goods, to help steer the next phase of this transformative standard.

By becoming a 3MF Consortium Member, you can contribute domain expertise to new extensions, join interoperability test beds, and ensure that 3MF continues to meet the real-world needs of designers, engineers, and manufacturers worldwide.

To learn more about the ISO designation and how you can shape the future of 3MF, contact us and explore membership opportunities today.

This is an exciting time for manufacturing, and 3MF, now an ISO standard, we look forward to seeing the incredible innovations that will emerge as a result of this standardization.

As Kris Binon, Managing Director of AMIS, explains:

“AMIS is a start-up company exclusively focused on Build Preparation software for MJF, SLS, BJ and MJ. Given the experience of the team and the connection with HYBRID Software, this was an obvious choice. Equally obvious was the decision to build a fully 3MF-based program.
Before starting any actual development, AMIS thoroughly evaluated the available options in terms of file format and internal structure. It wasn’t long before the development team realised the advantages that come with using 3MF.
In hindsight, it’s obvious that choosing 3MF has led to distinct advantages – in terms of software development, for sure. Yet more importantly: the AMIS users benefit from this choice, too. AMIS Q*Nest, for example, achieves speeds that are previously unseen in nesting – with speeds that are up to 100 times faster, while reaching densities up to 50% higher. All other actions related to Build Preparation are equally more performant as well.
Born in the era of 3MF, AMIS cannot imagine a more logical choice for Additive Manufacturing software.“

“We’re excited to welcome AMIS to the 3MF Consortium as an Associate Member. Their decision to build a fully 3MF-based build preparation software reinforces the value of an open, modern, and efficient data standard for additive manufacturing. With their deep expertise and focus on performance-driven solutions, AMIS is pushing what’s possible in nesting and build preparation, demonstrating the real-world advantages of 3MF. We look forward to collaborating with them to further enhance interoperability and efficiency across the industry.”
Duann Scott: Executive Director of the 3MF Consortium

With AMIS Q*Nest achieving dramatically faster nesting speeds and higher packing densities, AMIS is demonstrating the real-world advantages of 3MF-based Build Preparation. By fully integrating 3MF, AMIS is not only improving software performance but also delivering practical benefits to additive manufacturing users.

We look forward to working with AMIS as they continue to develop high-performance, 3MF-native solutions that push the boundaries of Build Preparation software in additive manufacturing.

Why Standardized Toolpaths Matter

Traditional G-code and proprietary formats have long been a bottleneck for machine interoperability, forcing manufacturers to rely on custom implementations for each system. The 3MF Toolpath extension is designed to address these challenges by offering a structured, machine-agnostic format that supports:

• Consistent, standardized toolpath data across different AM processes
• Interoperability between software and hardware
• Advanced metadata capabilities for machine-specific parameters
• Efficient handling of complex, multi-axis toolpaths

By adopting and contributing to 3MF’s Toolpath extension, AI Build is helping to create a universal, open-source toolpath standard that will drive greater efficiency, automation, and scalability in the additive manufacturing industry.

What’s Next?

With AI Build now actively contributing to the 3MF Consortium, the additive manufacturing community can expect to see major advancements in multi-axis toolpath standardization. As work continues, AI Build’s involvement will ensure that robotic and multi-axis systems benefit from the same structured, scalable toolpath framework that has already been demonstrated for LPBF and other AM technologies.

The 3D Manufacturing Format (3MF) has become the go-to standard for additive manufacturing, now supported by more than 100 software applications across the industry. This milestone highlights the 3MF Consortium’s efforts in providing a standardized, full-fidelity file format that simplifies workflows from design through to production. Whether it’s used for simple mesh import/export or to handle the full spectrum of build preparation and tracking, 3MF’s adoption is proving critical for organizations of all sizes.

To see the comprehensive list of over 100 software applications that support 3MF, from entry-level tools to industrial-grade platforms, visit the 3MF Compatibility Matrix. This resource provides an up-to-date overview of the growing ecosystem of software and hardware utilizing the 3MF format, ensuring that your workflow can take full advantage of the format’s capabilities.

Adoption Across the Ecosystem

A diverse range of applications now utilize 3MF, from popular desktop 3D printing tools to industrial-scale additive manufacturing platforms. Software like Ultimaker’s Cura, Bambu Studio from Bambu Labs, and Prusa’s Slic3r all employ 3MF to streamline file preparation for desktop printers, providing users with precise, watertight models.

On the industrial side, companies like HP and Desktop Metal leverage 3MF for every aspect of build preparation and tracking, ensuring a scalable, repeatable workflow for their high-end machines. This includes everything from material definitions to machine-specific instructions, encapsulated within the 3MF format. HP’s Jet Fusion series and Desktop Metal’s Fabricate platform are just two examples of companies taking full advantage of the specification.

A Standard Driven by Industry Leaders

The development and evolution of 3MF is overseen by the 3MF Consortium’s steering committee, composed of representatives from key players across the additive manufacturing and software development spaces. This collaboration has resulted in a robust and adaptable format that continues to grow and evolve in response to industry needs. The Consortium’s commitment to openness and innovation has been instrumental in driving widespread adoption of the 3MF format.

What’s Next: Volumetric Extension for Voxel and Implicit Representation

Looking forward, the next major update to the 3MF specification is the public release of the Volumetric Extension. This extension will enable support for voxel-based models and implicit representations, such as Signed Distance Functions (SDF). These capabilities will allow for more complex geometries and finer control over material properties at the micro-scale, expanding 3MF’s utility in high-precision applications like medical devices and aerospace components.

Two Calls to Action:

Is Anything Missing?
As we continue to evolve the 3MF format, we welcome feedback from the community. If there are any features or capabilities you’d like to see in future iterations, please fill out this form to let us know. Your input helps us shape the future of additive manufacturing.

Developers: Integrate 3MF Into Your Workflow
Software developers and engineers interested in adopting the 3MF format can access the full specification on our 3MF GitHub repository. Whether you are building desktop applications or industrial-grade solutions, 3MF provides a comprehensive framework to manage additive manufacturing workflows efficiently.

Adoption

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At CDFAM Computational Design Symposium in NYC on October 2-3, 2024, Jan Orend who contributes to the development of the 3MF specification on behalf of EOS will be presenting the Volumetric Extension, that includes both implicit and voxel information to communicate not just geometry, but data within a given volume, in a highly efficient manner.

Can give us an overview of the 3MF Consortium and the role you play in its development?
The first time I encountered an L-PBF machine it felt like science fiction – just until I had to see the mesh based workflow and the tedious mesh repair process first hand.
Years later I found myself working in the software department at EOS, where I was again confronted with the limitations of the STL format.
Our customers were and still are challenging us with part designs with increasing complexity. I got the opportunity to represent EOS in the 3MF Consortium and I was immediately hooked.
The 3MF Consortium is the perfect place to address these challenges. Its members cover a broad range of the industry and work together in thriving collaboration to solve the interoperability challenges that are holding back the industry. I am glad to be part of this effort and to contribute to the development of the 3MF format, especially to drive the Implicit Extension.

Your presentation at CDFAM NYC introduces the new .3MF Volumetric and Implicit Extension. Could you explain what this extension entails and how it differs from existing capabilities of the 3MF format?

The Volumetric and Implicit Extension allow to define spatial functions, either by a stack of 2D images or by a mathematical function or a combination of both. These functions can be used to define the properties of a part, like material properties or color. But they can also be used to define the part geometry itself as a levelset.

The implict extension allows us to define complex geometries without the need to tessellate them. This is a huge step forward for the industry, as it allows to communicate the data in a much more efficient way and to enable new applications that were not possible before.

How does the .3MF Volumetric Extension enable the communication of complex additive manufacturing data at the voxel and implicit levels? What are the benefits of this capability for designers and engineers?

For some geometries, like lattices or TPMS structures, the tessellation can be very inefficient and can lead to huge files, constraining the design freedom by the number triangles, while the underlying mathematical function is very simple.
Instead of moving GBs of data around, you can now communicate the same Design intent with a few KBs of data. The ability to represent spatial properties allows the design of parts with varying material properties, like controlling local density or stiffness or maybe even influencing the microstructure.

What key insights or lessons do you hope the audience will take away from your presentation at CDFAM in NYC?

I hope that the audience will understand the potential of the Volumetric and Implicit Extension and that they will be inspired to use it in their products.
I hope for a great adoption of the extension, and to see additive manufactured parts that leverage the potential of the utilization of spatial material properties and complex geometrical designs. And maybe after the presentation, some of the audience will be inspired to join the 3MF Consortium and to contribute to the development of the 3MF format.

Learn from Experts: Engage with leading experts in the field who will share their insights on the latest developments and benefits of using 3MF.
Networking Opportunities: Connect with industry professionals, academics, and practitioners who are driving innovation in additive manufacturing.
Feedback and Collaboration: Provide your input and collaborate with the 3MF Steering Committee on future developments and improvements of the 3MF standard.

The ‘ChatGPT 3MF’ instance is designed to serve as an accessible, interactive learning tool for software, hardware and mechanical engineers seeking to deepen their understanding of the 3MF format. It aims to demystify the complexities associated with 3D printing file formats, providing users with instant access to expert-level knowledge on how to best utilize 3MF for their projects. Whether it’s exploring the nuances of 3MF’s structure, understanding how to optimize a design for manufacturing, or troubleshooting common issues encountered in the translation from digital model to physical object, ‘ChatGPT 3MF’ stands ready to assist.

For mechanical engineers, the ‘ChatGPT 3MF’ instance offers insights into the design considerations and constraints inherent to 3D printing technologies, while highlighting the benefits of 3MF in creating more accurate, reliable, and functional parts. For software engineers, it provides a deep dive into the technical underpinnings of the 3MF specification, including how to implement and support 3MF in software solutions, ensuring compatibility and efficiency across the additive manufacturing ecosystem.

In promoting ‘ChatGPT 3MF’, our goal is not only to facilitate a smoother transition to using 3MF but also to foster a community of innovators equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to push the boundaries of what’s possible in additive manufacturing.

We invite you to explore ‘ChatGPT 3MF’ and if you have any additional questions contact us for support implementing 3MF into your additive manufacturing workflow.

If you are a software or hardware developer using 3MF in your customers workflow, consider becoming a member of the 3MF consortium to get connect with other members, contribute to, and influence the development of the 3MF specification.