Which File Format Should You Send Us?

When you are ready to get something printed, the first question is almost always the same: "What file do you need?" The honest answer is that we can work with several formats, but some make our job easier and your part better. Here at Tex's Prints in Cypress, TX, we open dozens of files a week from across Greater Houston, and the format you choose changes how much we can help before a single gram of filament gets melted.

This is a practical breakdown of the common formats, what each one is actually good for, and what to do if you do not have a file at all.

The short version

If you exported your model from CAD, send a STEP file. If you downloaded it from a model site, you probably have an STL or 3MF, and that is fine. If you have no file, send us a photo or a sketch and we will take it from there.

The formats, explained

Every format stores geometry differently, and that difference matters once we start preparing your part.

STL: the workhorse

STL is the most common format we receive. It describes a model as a shell of triangles, which is exactly what a printer needs to slice into layers. The catch is that an STL is a finished surface with no built-in units and no way to easily tweak a dimension. If a hole needs to be a millimeter wider, we cannot just type a new number; the geometry has to be reworked. STL is great when the model is done and correct.

STEP: the one engineers should send

STEP files come out of CAD programs like Fusion, SolidWorks, or FreeCAD. Instead of triangles, they store true curves and surfaces with real dimensions. That means we can open it, adjust a tolerance, thicken a wall, or split a part for a cleaner print. If your project is a functional or mechanical part, STEP is the format we hope to see.

3MF: the modern option

3MF is a newer format built specifically for 3D printing. It bundles the mesh together with useful metadata: units, color, and sometimes print settings. Because it carries units, there is far less confusion about whether your part is in millimeters or inches. Most current slicers and modeling tools export it cleanly.

OBJ: when color matters

OBJ is a mesh format like STL, but it can also carry color and texture data, usually in companion files. We see it most often with 3D scans and artistic models. If your piece needs full color, OBJ is worth a look, though for a single-color print an STL is simpler.

Common pitfalls we catch

Sending a file is one thing; sending a healthy file is another. The two issues we see most:

• Non-manifold geometry. This is a mesh with holes, flipped faces, or edges shared by the wrong number of surfaces. The printer cannot tell inside from outside, and the slice fails or comes out wrong.
• Thin walls. A wall that looks fine on screen may be thinner than a single printed line. It either disappears or comes out fragile.

You do not have to diagnose these yourself. We inspect every file and flag problems before printing. If something is off, we tell you and often fix it.

No file? No problem.

A huge share of our customers have never opened modeling software, and we built our process around that. You can send us:

• A clear photo, or several from different angles
• A hand sketch with rough measurements
• A link to a part you want copied or modified
• A broken original we can measure directly

From any of those, we can model the part for you. The file is a convenience, not a requirement.

How to send it

Once you know what you have, getting it to us is simple. Use our upload page to drop in an STL, STEP, 3MF, or OBJ, or request a quote and describe what you need. If your only "file" is a photo, attach it the same way and add a note about size and material. We will reply with questions, a plan, and a price.

The right format speeds things up, but the only real requirement is a clear idea of what you want. Send us whatever you have, and we will meet you there.