Convert IAM to SAT in your application
3D InterOp is a CAD interoperability SDK that lets your software read IAM files and write SAT, with exact B-Rep geometry carried across and nothing tessellated.
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 Inventor assembly · Writes ACIS
- Exact geometry → exact geometry
- C++ / C# APIs
IAM to SAT at a glance
Both formats store exact geometry, so the model stays exact. The differences are in the product data each one can carry.
| Inventor assembly (source) | ACIS (target) | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Autodesk Inventor Assembly | ACIS model file (text SAT, binary SAB) |
| Standard / owner | Autodesk | Proprietary — Spatial (Dassault Systèmes) |
| File extensions | .iam | .sat, .sab |
| Geometry | Exact B-Rep (in the referenced parts) | Exact B-Rep |
| Assemblies / structure | Yes | Parts in SAT/SAB, assemblies in ASAT/ASAB |
| 3D InterOp support | Read only | Read and write · ACIS R18 to 2026 1.0 |
What's preserved, what changes
Here is what your application can expect to carry across from Inventor assembly to ACIS.
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Preserved
Exact geometrySolids and surfaces stay exact B-Rep. The model is never reduced to a triangle mesh.
Why software vendors add IAM to SAT conversion
Hand models to kernel-based applications
Many CAD, CAM and CAE applications are built on the ACIS kernel. Writing ACIS gives them exact geometry they can load without another translation step.
Downstream modeling and analysis
An exact ACIS 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 kernel often prefer to exchange ACIS files directly.
Things to check before you ship
- Written SAT versions: ACIS R18 to 2026 1.0.
- Supported IAM input: Inventor V11 to 2027.
- 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 IAM (.iam) file?
An IAM file is an Autodesk Inventor assembly. It stores the product structure and constraints, and references the IPT part files.
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Target format
What is an ACIS SAT file?
SAT is the native file format of 3D ACIS Modeler, Spatial's geometric modeling kernel used in CAD, CAM and CAE applications. It stores exact B-Rep models as text (.sat) or binary (.sab); ACIS assemblies use the .asat and .asab extensions.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Both formats store exact B-Rep geometry, so the model is translated without being tessellated into triangles.
SAT has no assembly hierarchy, so your application decides how the IAM structure is grouped or flattened before writing.
Not above degree 25: ACIS doesn’t support B-spline geometry with a higher degree, so such geometry may be missing from the SAT file.
3D InterOp reads Inventor V11 to 2027.
3D InterOp writes ACIS R18 to 2026 1.0.
No. 3D InterOp reads IAM but doesn’t write it. To send data back to Inventor users, write a neutral format they can import, such as STEP.
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Building software that needs to convert IAM to SAT?
3D InterOp is an SDK that lets your application read Inventor assembly and write ACIS alongside 30+ CAD and BIM formats.