Convert IGES to VDA-FS in your application
3D InterOp is a CAD interoperability SDK that lets your software read IGES files and write VDA-FS, 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 IGES · Writes VDA-FS
- Exact geometry → exact geometry
- C++ / C# APIs
IGES to VDA-FS at a glance
Both formats store exact geometry, so the model stays exact. The differences are in the product data each one can carry.
| IGES (source) | VDA-FS (target) | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Initial Graphics Exchange Specification | VDA surface interface |
| Standard / owner | ANSI | VDA (German automotive industry) |
| File extensions | .igs, .iges | .vda |
| Geometry | Exact B-Rep and surfaces | Exact curves and surfaces |
| Assemblies / structure | No native assembly hierarchy | No assembly hierarchy |
| 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 IGES to VDA-FS.
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Preserved
Exact geometrySolids and surfaces stay exact B-Rep. The model is never reduced to a triangle mesh.
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Improved
Healed geometry3D InterOp heals IGES data automatically on import.
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Improved
Analytic shapesShapes the IGES file stores as splines are restored to their exact analytic form.
Why software vendors add IGES to VDA-FS conversion
Legacy CAD and CAM systems
Many established engineering tools still consume VDA-FS first. Writing it lets your users hand data to them without leaving your application.
Supplier and partner exchange
Some suppliers and manufacturing partners still specify VDA-FS in their exchange requirements. Your software can meet them directly.
Geometry-only workflows
When a downstream process needs exact part geometry and nothing more, VDA-FS is a simple, widely readable target.
Things to check before you ship
- Written VDA-FS versions: VDA-FS 2.0.
- The VDA-FS writer isn’t available in 3D InterOp CGM.
- Supported IGES input: IGES files up to version 5.3.
- 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 IGES (.igs) file?
IGES is one of the earliest neutral CAD formats, an ANSI standard for exchanging 2D and 3D geometry. It stores exact curves, surfaces and solids, but not the product structure and manufacturing data STEP can carry.
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Target format
What is a VDA-FS (.vda) file?
VDA-FS is a neutral surface-exchange format defined by the German automotive association VDA. It stores exact curves and free-form surfaces, and is still found in automotive supply chains.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Both formats store exact B-Rep geometry, so the model is translated without being tessellated into triangles.
No. The VDA-FS writer isn’t available in 3D InterOp CGM.
Yes. Healing runs automatically on IGES import, and shapes stored as splines are restored to their exact analytic form.
3D InterOp reads IGES files up to version 5.3.
3D InterOp writes VDA-FS 2.0.
Yes. 3D InterOp reads and writes both formats, so VDA-FS to IGES is supported too.
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Building software that needs to convert IGES to VDA-FS?
3D InterOp is an SDK that lets your application read IGES and write VDA-FS alongside 30+ CAD and BIM formats.