Convert FBX to CATIA V4 in your application
3D InterOp is a CAD interoperability SDK that lets your software read FBX files and write CATIA V4, writing the FBX facets as faceted geometry, since FBX 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 FBX · Writes CATIA V4
- Triangle mesh → faceted B-Rep
- C++ / C# APIs
FBX to CATIA V4 at a glance
FBX 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.
| FBX (source) | CATIA V4 (target) | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Filmbox | CATIA Version 4 |
| Standard / owner | Autodesk | Dassault Systèmes |
| File extensions | .fbx | .model, .exp, .session |
| Geometry | Triangle mesh | Exact B-Rep |
| Assemblies / structure | Yes: scene hierarchy | Yes (written as parts only) |
| 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 FBX to CATIA V4.
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Changes
Faceted geometryFBX stores triangles, so the CATIA V4 file holds faceted bodies, not solids. 3D InterOp doesn’t rebuild exact B-Rep from a mesh.
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Changes
Assembly flattenedThe CATIA V4 writer exports parts only: flatten the FBX assembly into a single body before export, or the .model file is empty.
Why software vendors add FBX 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 FBX input: FBX 2.0 to 7.7 (mesh nodes).
- 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 an FBX (.fbx) file?
FBX is Autodesk’s format for exchanging 3D scenes between content-creation, game and real-time tools. It stores meshes, materials and the scene hierarchy.
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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. FBX stores triangles, and 3D InterOp writes them to CATIA V4 as faceted geometry. It doesn’t rebuild exact B-Rep from a mesh.
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.
Yes, when the folder of the FBX file is writable. 3D InterOp also reads the visual material properties.
3D InterOp reads FBX 2.0 to 7.7 (mesh nodes), as visualization data.
3D InterOp writes CATIA 4.1.9 to 4.2.4 (.model).
Yes. 3D InterOp reads and writes both formats, so CATIA V4 to FBX is supported too.
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Building software that needs to convert FBX to CATIA V4?
3D InterOp is an SDK that lets your application read FBX and write CATIA V4 alongside 30+ CAD and BIM formats.