Glossary
These are the terms you may meet when turning a route into a model, in plain English.
- GPX
- A file that records where you went, as a list of map points.
- DEM or elevation model
- A grid of ground heights for an area.
- DSM
- A height grid that includes trees and buildings, not just bare ground.
- Vertical exaggeration or height scale
- Stretching heights so that hills stand out on a small model.
- Watertight
- The model is a fully closed solid, which slicers need.
- Manifold
- Another word for a clean, closed 3D shape.
- STL
- The usual file type for 3D printing: a shape with no colour or units.
- OBJ and 3MF
- Other 3D file types. 3MF can also hold colours and print settings. TrekForge makes STL files.
- Slicer
- The free program that turns a model into printer instructions, such as PrusaSlicer or Cura.
- Route piece or inlay
- The separate part that sits in a groove in the terrain.
- Fit gap or tolerance
- The space left around the route piece, so that it fits into its groove.
Last checked 1 November 2026.