3MF to 3DS - Fast and Flawless 3MF Converter

Convert 3MF to 3DS

3MF to 3DS Conversion

Converting 3MF to 3DS is simple - just follow our straightforward guide:

  1. Download & Install:

    Convert your 3MF files to 3DS format seamlessly using Autoconverter - simply install and launch the software on your system.

  2. Import 3MF File:

    Either click Open... to browse for your .3mf file, or drag and drop it anywhere in the application window.

  3. Export to 3DS Format:

    Use Save As... to specify both location and filename (with .3ds extension) for your exported file.

Need help with 3MF to 3DS conversion? Our comprehensive guides ensure smooth 3MF files conversion:

3MF 3D Manufacturing File

An open-source XML file format developed by the 3MF Consortium, a collaboration of companies and organizations in the 3D printing industry. It was designed to overcome the limitations of older formats, such as STL, which only store geometric data, by providing a more comprehensive and extensible framework for additive manufacturing workflows.

Main Advantages Over STL

Unlike STL, 3MF can store additional information, making it a more advanced and versatile choice for additive manufacturing:

  • Color Support:

    Defines the color of individual triangles, enabling more realistic and visually detailed prints.

  • Transparency:

    Specifies opacity levels for triangles or vertices, allowing for the creation of transparent or translucent objects.

  • Textures:

    Supports texture mapping by associating 2D images with 3D models, enhancing realism in prints.

  • Metadata:

    Allows embedding custom data such as author, title, description, and license, facilitating better file management and sharing.

3MF File Conversion

Our products, Autoconverter and Automesher Application, are fully compatible with the 3MF file format. They utilize the official lib3mf library to enable seamless import and export of 3MF files. A significant limitation of the 3MF format is its lack of support for group hierarchies. When converting a 3D model containing nested subgroups - often used for organizational purposes - these structural relationships are not preserved in the 3MF file. Despite this, 3MF remains a powerful and modern format for 3D printing, offering a rich set of features that go beyond traditional STL files.

3DS 3D Studio File

A widely recognized format used for storing 3D polygonal mesh models, originally developed for Autodesk 3D Studio. Known for its broad compatibility and straightforward structure, it remains a popular choice for real-time visualization, gaming, architectural modeling, and lighting design despite its legacy limitations.

Key Features & Capabilities

  • Extensive Support:

    The 3DS format supports model naming conventions, reusable geometry instances, and material definitions including transparent colors and texture mapping. Its hierarchical structure preserves object relationships and basic animation data.

  • High Compatibility:

    3DS files work with most major 3D software including DIALux for lighting design, Blender, Cinema 4D, and game engines like Unity. This makes it ideal for cross-platform asset sharing.

  • Technical Limitations:

    Due to its DOS-era origins, the format has strict constraints: mesh names are limited to 8 characters, and each mesh object can contain no more than 32,767 triangles. The format also lacks support for modern features like PBR materials or NURBS surfaces.

3DS File Converters

Our Autoconverter and Automesher Application automatically resolve legacy 3DS format constraints by intelligently partitioning large models into compliant, optimized sub-meshes. This ensures your 3D assets maintain integrity when exported to the 3DS format. While newer formats offer more features, 3DS remains valuable for legacy systems, lighting simulations, and situations requiring broad software support without complex dependencies.

3MF vs. 3DS Comparison

Property 3MF 3DS
Extensions .3mf .3ds
Name 3D Manufacturing Format 3D-Studio File Format
Versions
Textures
Colors
Geometry components
Readers
Writers