Datakit, CAD data exchange software vendor, has developed a library to write 3MF files (3D Manufacturing Format).

Datakit, CAD data exchange software vendor, has developed a library to write 3MF files (3D Manufacturing Format).

While a STL file only defines the geometry of the model to print, the 3MF format can also define other data such as colors or materials to print.
This file format, created in 2015 by the 3MF consortium, is designed to become a standard for 3D printing. That is why Datakit, as an expert in data exchange, has worked on the development of a 3MF format writing library.

So, with CrossManager, the Datakit standalone converter, users can now convert models coming from many software (as CATIA, Inventor, SOLIDWORKS, NX, Creo Parametric...) to 3MF. They therefore have a simple way to get files compatible with most 3D printers.

Datakit has also integrated its 3MF writing to CrossCad/Ware: its SDK embeddable by software vendors in their own application.
Thus, CAD software vendors wishing to facilitate access to 3D printing to their users can now provide them seamlessly a 3MF export functionality.

3D printer manufacturers, 3D printing preparation software vendors and slicer vendors can also benefit from the import capabilities of CrossCad/Ware. It can enable their applications to import most CAD file formats, and to realize treatments on these files without worrying about the original format. Their users can therefore be able to directly import any file format to print it, instead of having to provide a neutral file format systematically.

Datakit also supports other formats widely used in the 3D printing field, such as STL, OBJ, COLLADA (.dae) and VRML.

To know all the formats supported by CrossManager, please visit http://www.datakit.com/en/cross_manager.php.

To know all the capabilities of CrossCad/Ware for software vendors, please visit http://www.datakit.com/en/crosscad_ware.php.