Convert 3DXML to CATIA V4 in your application
3D InterOp is a CAD interoperability SDK that lets your software read 3DXML files and write CATIA V4, writing the 3DXML facets as faceted geometry, since 3DXML stores triangles rather than solids.
Spatial does not offer an online converter or a desktop conversion app. 3D InterOp is a component that software vendors embed in their own products.
- Reads 3D XML · Writes CATIA V4
- Triangle mesh → faceted B-Rep
- C++ / C# APIs
3DXML to CATIA V4 at a glance
3D XML stores triangles; CATIA V4 is an exact-geometry format. The mesh is written as faceted geometry: 3D InterOp doesn’t rebuild smooth surfaces from triangles.
| 3D XML (source) | CATIA V4 (target) | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | 3D XML | CATIA Version 4 |
| Standard / owner | Dassault Systèmes | Dassault Systèmes |
| File extensions | .3dxml | .model, .exp, .session |
| Geometry | Tessellated geometry | Exact B-Rep |
| Assemblies / structure | Yes | Yes (written as parts only) |
| PMI | Graphical PMI | None in the format |
| 3D InterOp support | Read and write | Read and write |
What's preserved, what changes
Here is what your application can expect to carry across from 3D XML to CATIA V4.
-
Changes
Faceted geometry3DXML stores triangles, so the CATIA V4 file holds faceted bodies, not solids. 3D InterOp doesn’t rebuild exact B-Rep from a mesh.
-
Changes
Assembly flattenedThe CATIA V4 writer exports parts only: flatten the 3DXML assembly into a single body before export, or the .model file is empty.
-
Not carried
PMICATIA V4 has no PMI, so the PMI read from 3DXML isn’t written. Keep STEP AP242 as an output when PMI matters.
Why software vendors add 3DXML to CATIA V4 conversion
Deliver in your customer’s CAD format
Aerospace and automotive OEMs often require supplier data in CATIA V4. Writing it lets your users meet that requirement directly from your application.
Exact geometry, ready to edit
CATIA V4 keeps exact B-Rep geometry, so the receiving engineer can measure, modify or machine the model in CATIA.
No neutral-format round trip
Writing CATIA V4 directly avoids an extra STEP or IGES step, and the loss each extra translation can add.
Things to check before you ship
- Written CATIA V4 versions: CATIA 4.1.9 to 4.2.4 (.model).
- The CATIA V4 writer isn’t available in 3D InterOp CGM.
- Supported 3DXML input: 3D XML 4.0 to 4.3 (tessellated data only).
- B-Rep stored in authoring-mode 3D XML files isn’t imported: only the tessellation is read.
- Validate a sample of translated files in the target system your users actually work with.
Working with Spatial was a real milestone for us: Thanks to the powerful 3DInterOp library, we were able to successfully bring our complex CAD-based solutions to the cloud while remaining flexible to meet individual customer requirements. For us, Spatial is not just a technology partner, but a true enabler of our product strategy.
Dr. Arno Michelis, Founder, Simus Systems
Read the Case StudyAbout the formats
-
Source format
What is a 3D XML (.3dxml) file?
3D XML is Dassault Systèmes’ lightweight XML-based format for sharing 3D product data. 3D InterOp reads and writes its tessellated representation, with product structure and graphical PMI.
-
Target format
What is a CATIA V4 (.model) file?
CATIA V4 is the legacy generation of Dassault Systèmes’ CATIA, whose models are mostly stored in .model files. Many aerospace and automotive archives still hold CATIA V4 data.
Frequently asked questions
No. 3DXML stores triangles, and 3D InterOp writes them to CATIA V4 as faceted geometry. It doesn’t rebuild exact B-Rep from a mesh.
CATIA V4 has no PMI, so the PMI read from 3DXML isn’t written. When PMI matters, offer STEP AP242 as an output.
No. The CATIA V4 writer exports parts only: flatten the assembly into a single body before export, or the .model file is empty.
No. The CATIA V4 writer isn’t available in 3D InterOp CGM.
No. B-Rep stored in authoring-mode 3D XML files isn’t imported: 3D InterOp reads the tessellation only.
3D InterOp reads 3D XML 4.0 to 4.3 (tessellated data only), as visualization data.
3D InterOp writes CATIA 4.1.9 to 4.2.4 (.model).
-
Building software that needs to convert 3DXML to CATIA V4?
3D InterOp is an SDK that lets your application read 3D XML and write CATIA V4 alongside 30+ CAD and BIM formats.