GLOSSARY
3D Printing & AI 3D Glossary
Plain-English definitions for the terms that show up when you start generating, repairing, slicing, and printing 3D models. Each entry is a quick answer first, then the context you actually need.
We focus on terms that matter for getting a model from idea to printed object. If something here is wrong or missing, tell us.
File Formats
How 3D models and print instructions are stored on disk.
STL File
Triangle-mesh format used by every 3D printing slicer.
OBJ File
Polygon mesh format with optional textures and materials.
STEP File
Parametric CAD format for engineering and mechanical parts.
G-code
The instruction list a 3D printer actually executes.
3MF File
Modern slicer-aware format with materials, colors, and units.
PLY File
Point cloud and mesh format common in scanning workflows.
GLB File
Binary glTF format for textured 3D models on the web.
FBX File
Autodesk format for animation, rigging, and game pipelines.
Print Processes
The physical methods printers use to build a part layer by layer.
FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling)
Extrudes molten plastic filament — the most common desktop process.
FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication)
Open-source name for the same process as FDM.
SLA (Stereolithography)
Cures liquid resin layer-by-layer with a laser.
MSLA (Masked SLA)
Cures resin through an LCD mask — most consumer resin printers.
DLP (Digital Light Processing)
Cures resin with a projector for very fast print speeds.
SLS (Selective Laser Sintering)
Fuses nylon powder with a laser — strong, support-free parts.
MJF (Multi Jet Fusion)
HP industrial powder process competing with SLS.
Materials
The plastics, resins, and composites parts are made from.
PLA Filament
Easiest filament to print — biodegradable, low-warp, low-strength.
PETG Filament
Tougher than PLA with better heat resistance, slightly fussier to dial in.
ABS Filament
Strong and heat-resistant, but warps and emits fumes.
ASA Filament
UV-stable cousin of ABS for outdoor parts.
TPU Filament
Flexible rubber-like filament for gaskets and grips.
Nylon Filament
Tough, slippery engineering plastic — absorbs moisture.
3D Printing Resin
Liquid photopolymer cured by UV light in SLA/MSLA/DLP.
Carbon Fiber Filament
Chopped-fiber-reinforced plastic for stiffness, hard on nozzles.
Slicer Settings
The knobs that turn an STL into a printable G-code.
Layer Height
Thickness of each printed layer — controls detail vs print time.
Infill
Internal pattern that fills the inside of a solid model.
Supports
Sacrificial structures that hold up overhangs during printing.
Brim
Single-layer skirt around the part to improve bed adhesion.
Raft
Thick base layer the part prints on top of.
Retraction
Pulling filament back during travel moves to prevent stringing.
Wall Thickness
How many perimeter loops form the outer shell.
Print Speed
How fast the toolhead moves while extruding.
Mesh Concepts
Geometric properties that decide whether a model is printable.
Manifold Mesh
A mesh whose edges are each shared by exactly two faces.
Watertight Mesh
A closed mesh with no holes — required for slicing.
Non-Manifold Geometry
Edges, vertices, or faces that confuse a slicer.
Polygon Count
Number of triangles or quads in a mesh.
Mesh Normals
Vectors that tell software which side of a face is outside.
Retopology
Rebuilding a messy mesh with cleaner topology.
Mesh Decimation
Reducing triangle count while preserving shape.
AI / 3D Generation
The methods that turn text, images, or photos into 3D geometry.
Text-to-3D
AI that turns a written prompt into a 3D model.
Image-to-3D
AI that turns one or a few images into a 3D model.
NeRF (Neural Radiance Fields)
Neural network that represents a scene as a volumetric field.
Gaussian Splatting
Newer scene representation made of millions of fuzzy points.
Photogrammetry
Building 3D geometry from many overlapping photos.
3D Diffusion Models
Diffusion architecture extended to generate 3D shapes.
Mesh Generation
Producing an explicit polygon mesh from any 3D representation.
Tools
The software you actually open to model, repair, and slice.
Blender
Free, open-source 3D creation suite used for almost everything.
MeshLab
Open-source mesh editor — repair, decimate, clean, convert.
Cura
Ultimaker’s free slicer — broad printer support and easy defaults.
PrusaSlicer
Prusa-developed slicer with deep settings and a strong community.
Bambu Studio
Slicer for Bambu Lab printers, also used as a general slicer.