STL (stereolithography) files are a standard file format used for 3D modeling and 3D printing. These files represent the surface geometry of 3D objects using a collection of triangles. To read and process STL files using Python, we can use the popular library called 'numpy-stl'. This library provides tools for reading, writing, and processing STL files in Python. First, you'll need to install the 'numpy-stl' library using pip: 'pip install numpy-stl'. Once the library is installed, you can start reading STL files with just a few lines of code. To read an STL file, you can use the following code snippet: import numpy-stl stl_mesh = numpy-stl.load('path_to_stl_file.stl') This code loads the STL file into memory and creates a mesh object that can be used to access the vertices and triangles of the 3D object. After loading the STL file, you can perform various operations on the mesh, such as calculating its volume, surface area, and even slicing it for 3D printing. For example, you can calculate the volume of the 3D object using the following code: volume, cog, inertia = stl_mesh.get_mass_properties() print('Volume =', volume) By using the 'numpy-stl' library, you can easily read and process STL files for your 3D modeling and 3D printing projects. With the ability to access the vertices and triangles of the 3D object, you can perform advanced operations such as mesh manipulation, visualization, and analysis. Whether you're a hobbyist or a professional, Python provides a powerful and flexible platform for working with STL files and 3D models.