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Press Release
Spherene joins the 3MF Consortium to strengthen standards for intelligent internal geometry
Zurich, Switzerland - 20th May 2026
The Swiss company brings its ADMS expertise as a leading CAD solution for internal geometries and metamaterial design to the further development of the open 3MF standard
Spherene AG, the Swiss software company behind Adaptive Density Minimal Surfaces (ADMS) technology, has joined the 3MF Consortium. The membership positions Spherene directly at the centre of development for the leading open file standard in additive manufacturing.
As a specialised CAD solution for internal geometries and metamaterial design, Spherene addresses a core industry challenge: the precise definition and lossless transmission of functional structures within additively manufactured parts.
The membership is an important step toward a seamless digital process chain, from design software through slicers to printers and material processes. As functionally driven and metamaterial-based designs become more prevalent, the demand for file formats capable of fully capturing and transmitting this information continues to grow.
ADMS is a patented geometry engine that continuously adapts cell size and material density throughout a part's interior, conforming seamlessly to complex 3D surfaces. The technology is already deployed in industrial applications across aerospace, medical, automotive, energy, and footwear. ADMS structures are generated within CAD workflows that support 3MF natively.
The challenge has always been downstream: the volumetric design intent, particularly for complex internal geometries and metamaterial structures, could not be reliably transmitted through the manufacturing chain using existing file formats.
The 3MF format already improves on STL significantly: a mesh 3MF of the same complex ADMS design compresses from 24 MB to 9 MB while carrying richer metadata. The 3MF Volumetric Extension goes further: its implicit representation reduces that to 2.8 MB with no loss of geometric fidelity and no discretization, communicating the full volumetric design intent rather than just the surface shell.
“Joining the 3MF Consortium is the natural next step in our innovation journey. We believe that open, interoperable standards are key to unlocking the full potential of additive manufacturing, and by becoming part of 3MF, we can help ensure that intelligent internal structures are seamlessly communicated and standardized across every printer, material and workflow, for the benefit of the entire industry.” Claudio Nessi, CEO of Spherene
“Spherene is developing one of the most innovative softwares for controlling internal part geometry and properties in additive manufacturing today. The potential of that work has long been constrained by file formats that cannot adequately or efficiently represent volumetric and implicit geometry. We are pleased to welcome them to the 3MF Consortium and look forward to working together to close that gap.” Duann Scott, Executive Director, 3MF Consortium
Why this matters for the industry
Additive manufacturing has long been constrained by file formats developed primarily for surface geometry. STL and mesh-based 3MF transmit only the outer shell of a part, not the functional internal structures.
For parts designed with metamaterials, adaptive density, or functional gradients, this means the actual design intent is lost. In practice, such parts are often simplified or not manufactured as originally intended.
Spherene addresses this directly, as a CAD system that treats internal geometry as a primary design element rather than a downstream derivative. Combined with extended 3MF capabilities, this makes it possible for the first time to achieve a consistent, end-to-end description of such structures.
Outlook: the next generation of metamaterial design
In parallel, Spherene is developing a new technological generation that will be introduced in the coming weeks. This aims to fundamentally simplify and extend the design and optimisation of internal geometries and metamaterials.
The new approach integrates design, simulation, and functional requirements at the volumetric level, enabling material behaviour to be defined directly in the CAD model and optimised automatically.
With this, Spherene continues its consistent evolution, from a solution for generating complex internal structures to a central platform for metamaterial design in additive manufacturing.
About Spherene AG
Spherene AG is a Swiss software company and pioneer in metamaterial design for additive manufacturing, headquartered in Glattbrugg, Zurich. As the developer of ADMS technology, Spherene has established itself as a leading specialist in the design and optimisation of internal geometries.
Spherene enables engineers and designers to define part performance through internal structures, positioning itself as the CAD system for internal geometries and functional metamaterial development.
Its solutions are deployed across aerospace, energy, industrial, and consumer goods sectors, supporting a broad range of CAD formats and design workflows. Alongside integrations into established environments such as nTop, Autodesk Fusion, Rhino, and Grasshopper, a new standalone solution will be available shortly that further extends these capabilities.
Website: www.spherene.io
About the 3MF Consortium
The 3MF Consortium is a Joint Development Foundation project that defines and maintains the 3MF file format specification for additive manufacturing. 3MF is an open standard designed to communicate complete, accurate, and unambiguous design information, including geometry, materials, colour, and print settings, between design software, slicers, and 3D printers. Members include leading organisations across the AM hardware, software, and materials ecosystem.
Read the full membership announcement here
Media Contact
Gabriela Tenze
Spherene AG