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Technical Explanation

  • CATPART is the native part file format of CATIA V5, a leading 3D CAD software used for product design and manufacturing. CATPART files store detailed 3D geometry, structure, features, and product metadata.
  • 3D-XML is a lightweight 3D format developed by Dassault Systèmes. It encodes 3D model data in XML or binary form and represents geometry as surface meshes (e.g., Gregory patches or tessellated surfaces).

When converting CATPART → 3D-XML, the workflow typically includes:

  1. Reading the CATPART’s B-Rep and metadata using a CAD interoperability library such as 3D InterOp.
  2. Translating the model geometry into tessellated mesh data compatible with 3D-XML.
  3. Applying healing and repair algorithms to maintain geometry integrity and correct topological gaps or inconsistencies.

The result is a compact, portable 3D representation suitable for sharing, web visualization, or integration into downstream PLM and collaboration systems.

Applications and Industry Use Cases

Converting CATPART files to 3D-XML is useful across multiple engineering and visualization workflows:

  • Design review – sharing lightweight 3D models without requiring CATIA licenses.
  • Web visualization – embedding 3D content into web-based viewers or PLM portals.
  • Collaboration – enabling suppliers or partners to view and annotate designs in 3D.
  • Archiving – storing simplified 3D versions of parts for documentation or downstream use.

This process enables broader access to 3D data while preserving essential visual and structural information.

Challenges or Common Pitfalls

Converting complex CAD data between proprietary formats can be technically challenging:

  • Maintaining geometric accuracy during tessellation.
  • Handling missing or corrupt topology.
  • Preserving product metadata (PMIs..) and hierarchical structures.
  • Managing large assemblies or high-resolution meshes efficiently.

Reliable translation and healing tools are essential to prevent data loss and ensure that converted models remain usable and visually accurate.

How Spatial Helps

Spatial’s 3D InterOp SDK automates the entire CATPART to 3D-XML conversion workflow. It provides:

  • Direct CATIA V5 file reading — no CATIA license required.
  • Comprehensive repair and healing to correct geometry and topology issues.
  • Accurate tessellation and mesh export to generate high-quality 3D-XML files.
  • Full support for metadata, PMI, and assembly structure to maintain data integrity.

By using 3D InterOp, developers can integrate seamless CATPART-to-3D-XML conversion into their software applications, reducing complexity and improving interoperability across engineering workflows.