Convert IPT to VDA-FS in your application
3D InterOp is a CAD interoperability SDK that lets your software read IPT 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 Inventor part · Writes VDA-FS
- Exact geometry → exact geometry
- C++ / C# APIs
IPT 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.
| Inventor part (source) | VDA-FS (target) | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Autodesk Inventor Part | VDA surface interface |
| Standard / owner | Autodesk | VDA (German automotive industry) |
| File extensions | .ipt | .vda |
| Geometry | Exact B-Rep | Exact curves and surfaces |
| Assemblies / structure | Part file (assemblies are IAM files) | No assembly hierarchy |
| 3D InterOp support | Read only | Read and write |
What's preserved, what changes
Here is what your application can expect to carry across from Inventor part 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.
Why software vendors add IPT 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 IPT input: Inventor V6 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 IPT (.ipt) file?
An IPT file is an Autodesk Inventor part: one component with its exact geometry, sketches, features and properties. Assemblies of Inventor parts are IAM files.
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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. Since 3D InterOp 2025 1.0.1, sketches from Inventor 2023 and later are imported as wire bodies.
3D InterOp reads Inventor V6 to 2027.
3D InterOp writes VDA-FS 2.0.
No. 3D InterOp reads IPT 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 IPT to VDA-FS?
3D InterOp is an SDK that lets your application read Inventor part and write VDA-FS alongside 30+ CAD and BIM formats.