STL
Also known as: Stereolithography file
STL is a common 3D file format that describes an object's surface as a mesh of triangles, used as input for 3D printing.
An STL file represents a 3D model's surface geometry as a collection of connected triangles. It is the de facto standard handoff format: you design or download a model as an STL, then a slicer converts it into printer instructions.
STL stores only shape, not color or material. Because it describes a surface mesh, the resolution of that mesh affects how smooth the printed object looks, especially on curved surfaces.
Mesh
A mesh is a 3D model's surface represented as a network of connected vertices, edges, and faces — usually triangles.
Slicer
A slicer is software that converts a 3D model into the layer-by-layer instructions a 3D printer follows to build the object.
G-code
G-code is the set of text instructions, produced by a slicer, that tells a 3D printer exactly how to move, heat, and extrude.
Put STL to work this week.
Knowing the term is step one. The business kits ship the systems and templates that turn concepts like this into a running operation.