Convert 3DXML to IGES in your application
3D InterOp is a CAD interoperability SDK that lets your software read 3DXML files and write IGES, 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 IGES
- Triangle mesh → faceted B-Rep
- C++ / C# APIs
3DXML to IGES at a glance
3D XML stores triangles; IGES is an exact-geometry format. The mesh is written as faceted geometry: 3D InterOp doesn’t rebuild smooth surfaces from triangles.
| 3D XML (source) | IGES (target) | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | 3D XML | Initial Graphics Exchange Specification |
| Standard / owner | Dassault Systèmes | ANSI |
| File extensions | .3dxml | .igs, .iges |
| Geometry | Tessellated geometry | Exact B-Rep and surfaces |
| Assemblies / structure | Yes | No native assembly hierarchy |
| PMI | Graphical PMI | None documented in 3D InterOp |
| 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 IGES.
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Changes
Assembly structureIGES has no native assembly hierarchy. Decide in your application how 3D XML product structure is grouped or flattened before writing.
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Changes
Faceted geometry3DXML stores triangles, so the IGES file holds faceted bodies, not solids. 3D InterOp doesn’t rebuild exact B-Rep from a mesh.
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Not carried
PMIIGES 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 IGES conversion
Legacy CAD and CAM systems
Many established engineering tools still consume IGES first. Writing it lets your users hand data to them without leaving your application.
Supplier and partner exchange
Some suppliers and manufacturing partners still specify IGES in their exchange requirements. Your software can meet them directly.
Geometry-only workflows
When a downstream process needs exact part geometry and nothing more, IGES is a simple, widely readable target.
Things to check before you ship
- Written IGES versions: IGES 5.3.
- 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
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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.
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Target format
What is an IGES (.igs) file?
IGES is one of the earliest neutral CAD formats, an ANSI standard for exchanging 2D and 3D geometry. It stores exact curves, surfaces and solids, but not the product structure and manufacturing data STEP can carry.
Frequently asked questions
No. 3DXML stores triangles, and 3D InterOp writes them to IGES as faceted geometry. It doesn’t rebuild exact B-Rep from a mesh.
IGES has no PMI, so the PMI read from 3DXML isn’t written. When PMI matters, offer STEP AP242 as an output.
IGES has no assembly hierarchy, so your application decides how the 3DXML structure is grouped or flattened before writing.
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 IGES 5.3.
Yes. 3D InterOp reads and writes both formats, so IGES to 3DXML is supported too.
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Building software that needs to convert 3DXML to IGES?
3D InterOp is an SDK that lets your application read 3D XML and write IGES alongside 30+ CAD and BIM formats.