Format Guide

AMF File Format (.amf)

The ISO 52900 additive manufacturing format — curved triangles, color gradients, and multi-material in one XML file.

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Load cell (AMF → STL), rendered from the converted file — **AMF → STL**Load cell: 1.7 MB AMF → 786 KB STL, 15,714 triangles, 1.4 s (Ryzen 9 3900X). Test file written from an STL, then read by the app.

Where this format fits

Your file

Solid CAD

STEP
IGES
BREP

Meshes

STL
OBJ
3MF
PLY
glTF
GLB
FBX
DAE
X3D
OFF
AMF

3D faces in drawings and scenes

3D CAD Converteropens, previews, converts

What you get

3D printing

Web, AR and games

glTF
GLB
FBX
DAE

Viewers and archives

VRML
X3D
OFF

CAD exchange

STEP
IGES
BREP

Solid CAD (STEP, IGES, BREP) can become a mesh or another solid format. A mesh converts to other meshes. Dashed formats (DXF, DWG, AMF, USD) can be read but not written. VRML reads .wrl, .vrml and gzipped .wrz files and writes .wrl.

What it will not do

Convert a 2D-only DWG or DXF drawing. It needs 3D faces.
Turn a mesh (STL, OBJ, 3MF) back into STEP, IGES or BREP.
Read native SolidWorks, Inventor or CATIA files. Export STEP or IGES from that program first.

Extension	.amf
Full name	Additive Manufacturing Format
Standard	ISO 52900:2015
Encoding	XML (gzip-compressed optional)
Open standard	Yes
Supports color	Yes — per-vertex and per-volume
Supports materials	Yes — multiple materials with gradients
Supports curved triangles	Yes — edge normals for curved elements

What is an AMF file?

AMF (Additive Manufacturing Format) is an ISO 52900:2015 open standard designed to address the limitations of STL for modern additive manufacturing. Unlike STL's flat triangles with no metadata, AMF uses XML to store: curved triangular elements (reducing tessellation error), per-vertex color, multiple materials with volumetric composition, textures, assemblies, and measurement units. AMF was intended to replace STL as the 3D printing standard, but 3MF (which arrived shortly after) has seen stronger industry adoption due to support from major printer manufacturers. AMF is supported by Cura, Slic3r, PrusaSlicer, and several industrial systems.

Common Uses of AMF Files

Multi-Material 3D Printing

AMF can specify different materials for different regions of a print, including gradients — useful for multi-material printers and multi-component assembly prints.

Color 3D Printing

Unlike STL, AMF stores per-vertex RGB color, enabling full-color print files for systems like the 3D Systems ProJet and Stratasys J750.

Precision Mesh Representation

AMF's curved triangle elements (defined by edge normals) reduce the need for ultra-fine tessellation to achieve smooth curved surfaces, resulting in smaller, more accurate files.

Software Support

Cura, Slic3r, PrusaSlicer, Simplify3D, MakerBot Print, SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, and 3D CAD Converter.

Convert This Format

3D CAD Converter reads AMF as an input format and batch converts it to 3MF (the more widely-adopted modern alternative), to STL for legacy slicer compatibility, or to OBJ and glTF. AMF is import-only — it cannot be selected as an output format.

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