3MF

3MF is a modern 3D printing format from the 3MF Consortium, based on XML and packaged as a ZIP container. It preserves mesh data and supports per-part color, material, texture, and print properties. Recommended for multi-color and multi-material printing, it is natively supported by Bambu Studio, PrusaSlicer, and OrcaSlicer.

Compared to STL, 3MF is richer but more complex; some older slicing software and printers may not recognize it. When converting from other formats, color and material mapping depends on the source file. STL is sufficient for simple single-color printing, while 3MF is for multi-color, multi-material, or print parameter transfer.