Convert DAE to ASAT in your application
3D InterOp is a CAD interoperability SDK that lets your software read DAE files and write ASAT, writing the DAE facets as faceted geometry, since DAE 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 COLLADA · Writes ACIS assembly
- Triangle mesh → faceted B-Rep
- C++ / C# APIs
DAE to ASAT at a glance
COLLADA stores triangles; ACIS assembly is an exact-geometry format. The mesh is written as faceted geometry: 3D InterOp doesn’t rebuild smooth surfaces from triangles.
| COLLADA (source) | ACIS assembly (target) | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | COLLADA Digital Asset Exchange | ACIS assembly, text (ASAT) and binary (ASAB) |
| Standard / owner | Khronos Group, ISO/PAS 17506 | Spatial (3D ACIS Modeler) |
| File extensions | .dae, .zae | .asat, .asab |
| Geometry | Triangle mesh | Exact B-Rep |
| Assemblies / structure | Yes: scene hierarchy | Yes |
| 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 COLLADA to ACIS assembly.
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Preserved
Product structureThe DAE product structure is written to ASAT.
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Changes
Faceted geometryDAE stores triangles, so the ASAT file holds faceted bodies, not solids. 3D InterOp doesn’t rebuild exact B-Rep from a mesh.
Why software vendors add DAE to ASAT conversion
Hand models to kernel-based applications
Many CAD, CAM and CAE applications are built on the ACIS assembly kernel. Writing ACIS assembly gives them exact geometry they can load without another translation step.
Downstream modeling and analysis
An exact ACIS assembly B-Rep can still be edited, meshed or machined by downstream tools, which a tessellated export would not allow.
Exchange within one ecosystem
Partners whose tools share the ACIS assembly kernel often prefer to exchange ACIS assembly files directly.
Things to check before you ship
- Written ASAT versions: ACIS R18 to 2026 1.0.
- Supported DAE input: COLLADA 1.4.1, .dae and .zae.
- 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 DAE (COLLADA) file?
COLLADA (.dae) is an XML-based open format from the Khronos Group for exchanging 3D scenes: meshes, materials, cameras and lights. It is common in visualization and AR/VR pipelines.
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Target format
What is an ASAT (.asat) file?
ASAT and ASAB are the assembly versions of the ACIS save file, in text and binary form. They store the product structure of models built on Spatial’s 3D ACIS Modeler kernel.
Frequently asked questions
No. DAE stores triangles, and 3D InterOp writes them to ASAT as faceted geometry. It doesn’t rebuild exact B-Rep from a mesh.
Yes. 3D InterOp reads the DAE product structure and writes it to ASAT.
An ACIS assembly (ASAT/ASAB) doesn’t support layers or colors at instance level, suppressed or hidden instances, or units at instance level.
Yes. 3D InterOp reads the visual material properties of COLLADA files, from .dae and .zae.
3D InterOp reads COLLADA 1.4.1, .dae and .zae, as visualization data.
3D InterOp writes ACIS R18 to 2026 1.0.
Yes. 3D InterOp reads and writes both formats, so ASAT to DAE is supported too.
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Building software that needs to convert DAE to ASAT?
3D InterOp is an SDK that lets your application read COLLADA and write ACIS assembly alongside 30+ CAD and BIM formats.