Convert DAE to XCGM in your application
3D InterOp is a CAD interoperability SDK that lets your software read DAE files and write XCGM, 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 XCGM
- Triangle mesh → faceted B-Rep
- C++ / C# APIs
DAE to XCGM at a glance
COLLADA stores triangles; XCGM is an exact-geometry format. The mesh is written as faceted geometry: 3D InterOp doesn’t rebuild smooth surfaces from triangles.
| COLLADA (source) | XCGM (target) | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | COLLADA Digital Asset Exchange | CGM native file |
| Standard / owner | Khronos Group, ISO/PAS 17506 | Dassault Systèmes / Spatial (CGM Modeler) |
| File extensions | .dae, .zae | .xcgm |
| Geometry | Triangle mesh | Exact B-Rep |
| Assemblies / structure | Yes: scene hierarchy | Yes |
| PMI | None | Semantic (read) |
| 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 XCGM.
-
Changes
Faceted geometryDAE stores triangles, so the XCGM file holds faceted bodies, not solids. 3D InterOp doesn’t rebuild exact B-Rep from a mesh.
Why software vendors add DAE to XCGM conversion
Hand models to kernel-based applications
Many CAD, CAM and CAE applications are built on the XCGM kernel. Writing XCGM gives them exact geometry they can load without another translation step.
Downstream modeling and analysis
An exact XCGM 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 XCGM kernel often prefer to exchange XCGM files directly.
Things to check before you ship
- Written XCGM versions: R2012 to 2025 1.0.
- PMI and miscellaneous data aren’t written to XCGM.
- 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
-
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.
-
Target format
What is an XCGM (.xcgm) file?
XCGM is the native file format of the CGM geometric kernel, used by CGM Modeler and Dassault Systèmes applications. It stores exact B-Rep geometry.
Frequently asked questions
No. DAE stores triangles, and 3D InterOp writes them to XCGM as faceted geometry. It doesn’t rebuild exact B-Rep from a mesh.
No. PMI and miscellaneous data aren’t written to XCGM.
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 R2012 to 2025 1.0.
Yes. 3D InterOp reads and writes both formats, so XCGM to DAE is supported too.
-
Building software that needs to convert DAE to XCGM?
3D InterOp is an SDK that lets your application read COLLADA and write XCGM alongside 30+ CAD and BIM formats.