STEP & STL file generator
Describe the part, download the file. STEP for CAD and machining, STL for printing, DXF for cutting: all from the same model, all in the browser.
Which format do you actually want?
They are not interchangeable, and picking the wrong one causes real problems downstream:
| Format | What it is | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| STEP (.step) | Exact solid geometry: real faces, edges and curves | Opening in CAD, editing, CNC machining, quoting. The one to keep. |
| STL (.stl) | A triangle mesh approximating the surface | 3D printing and slicers. Cannot be meaningfully edited. |
| DXF (.dxf) | Flat 2D vector geometry | Laser cutting, waterjet, routing, plotting. |
| PDF drawing | A dimensioned document for a person | Sending to a machine shop for a quote. |
The short version: STEP if a person or a machine tool will work with it, STL if a printer will. If you are unsure, take the STEP. You can always produce an STL from it later, but you cannot recover a solid from a mesh.
Why the STEP file is the real output
A mesh is a shell of triangles. It approximates a cylinder with flat facets, has no concept of a “hole” or a “face”, and cannot be dimensioned. That is fine for a printer and useless for anything else.
The STEP files here come from an exact solid, so a 30 mm bore is a 30 mm cylindrical face, not 64 flat strips that average out near 30. Your CAD package can select it, dimension it, change it, and your machinist can quote it.
Getting the file
- Describe the part in plain English with its sizes, or upload a photo.
- Check the 3D preview and ask for any changes.
- Open Download and take the format you need. The same model produces all of them, so they are consistent with each other by construction.
Nothing to install: it runs in the browser, and your designs are saved to your account so you can come back and export again later.