Convert DAE to Parasolid in your application
3D InterOp is a CAD interoperability SDK that lets your software read DAE files and write Parasolid, 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 Parasolid
- Triangle mesh → faceted B-Rep
- C++ / C# APIs
DAE to Parasolid at a glance
COLLADA stores triangles; Parasolid is an exact-geometry format. The mesh is written as faceted geometry: 3D InterOp doesn’t rebuild smooth surfaces from triangles.
| COLLADA (source) | Parasolid (target) | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | COLLADA Digital Asset Exchange | Parasolid transmit file (text X_T, binary X_B) |
| Standard / owner | Khronos Group, ISO/PAS 17506 | Proprietary — Siemens |
| File extensions | .dae, .zae | .x_t, .x_b, .xmt_txt, .xmt_bin |
| Geometry | Triangle mesh | Exact B-Rep |
| Assemblies / structure | Yes: scene hierarchy | Yes (Parasolid assembly structure) |
| 3D InterOp support | Read and write | Read and write · up to Parasolid 38 |
What's preserved, what changes
Here is what your application can expect to carry across from COLLADA to Parasolid.
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Changes
Faceted geometryDAE stores triangles, so the Parasolid file holds faceted bodies, not solids. 3D InterOp doesn’t rebuild exact B-Rep from a mesh.
Why software vendors add DAE to Parasolid conversion
Hand models to kernel-based applications
Many CAD, CAM and CAE applications are built on the Parasolid kernel. Writing Parasolid gives them exact geometry they can load without another translation step.
Downstream modeling and analysis
An exact Parasolid 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 Parasolid kernel often prefer to exchange Parasolid files directly.
Things to check before you ship
- Written Parasolid versions: Parasolid 12 to 38.0.150.
- Writing Parasolid needs a Parasolid installation: there is no Parasolid Direct writer.
- 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 a Parasolid (X_T) file?
Parasolid is the geometric modeling kernel developed by Siemens and used by many CAD, CAM and CAE applications. Its transmit files store exact B-Rep models as text (.x_t) or binary (.x_b).
Frequently asked questions
No. DAE stores triangles, and 3D InterOp writes them to Parasolid as faceted geometry. It doesn’t rebuild exact B-Rep from a mesh.
Parasolid has no assembly hierarchy, so your application decides how the DAE structure is grouped or flattened before writing.
Yes. Writing Parasolid needs a Parasolid installation: there is no Parasolid Direct writer.
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 Parasolid 12 to 38.0.150.
Yes. 3D InterOp reads and writes both formats, so Parasolid to DAE is supported too.
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Building software that needs to convert DAE to Parasolid?
3D InterOp is an SDK that lets your application read COLLADA and write Parasolid alongside 30+ CAD and BIM formats.