Modeling on an iPad is only half the story — the model has to leave the device as a file your printer, engine, or collaborator can use. Here's a field guide to the formats, using OpenShape3D's export options as the reference set.
For 3D printing: STL or 3MF
- STL is the lingua franca every slicer accepts: pure triangles, no color, no units metadata (slicers assume millimeters). Use binary STL; it's dramatically smaller than ASCII.
- 3MF is the modern replacement — smaller files, explicit units, multiple objects with placement, and printer settings. PrusaSlicer, Bambu Studio, and Cura all prefer it. If your slicer supports 3MF, choose it.
Workflow: export from the app, AirDrop or share to your slicer (many have iPad versions) or to a desktop, slice, print. Check wall thicknesses ≥ 1.2 mm and remember chamfers beat fillets on bottom edges.
For AR and Apple ecosystems: USDZ
USDZ is Apple's AR format — export it and the file previews in AR Quick Look directly from Files, Messages, or Safari: your part sitting on the real desk, at real scale. It's the fastest way to sanity-check a design's size or show a client.
For game engines, web 3D, and DCC tools: GLB or OBJ
- GLB (glTF binary) is the "JPEG of 3D": compact, self-contained, with materials — ideal for three.js, Babylon, Unity, Unreal, and web viewers.
- OBJ is the maximum-compatibility veteran; nearly everything reads it. Look for a separate-file-per-body option when you need parts split downstream.
For laser cutting and 2D work: DXF
Flat parts (plates, panels, gaskets) export as DXF outlines that laser cutters, CNC routers, and vinyl cutters consume. Model the part as a solid, then export the profile — or use a Project tool to flatten a body's feature edges onto a sketch first.
Importing goes the other way too
OpenShape3D imports STL meshes (binary and ASCII, welded into a solid mesh body), DXF profiles into sketches, and reference images. That covers remixing downloaded prints, tracing scanned drawings, and modeling over a photo.
Quick chooser
| Destination | Format |
|---|---|
| 3D printer / slicer | 3MF (or STL) |
| AR preview on iPhone/iPad | USDZ |
| Web viewer, Unity, Unreal | GLB |
| Maximum compatibility | OBJ |
| Laser cutter / CNC router | DXF |
| Screenshot for docs | PNG |