Convert RFA to XCGM in your application
3D InterOp is a CAD interoperability SDK that lets your software read RFA files and write XCGM, carrying across the exact geometry the RFA file contains.
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 Revit family · Writes XCGM
- Mixed geometry → exact geometry
- C++ / C# APIs
RFA to XCGM at a glance
Revit family can mix exact solids and facets; XCGM stores exact geometry. Exact elements are written as exact geometry, and elements stored only as facets stay faceted.
| Revit family (source) | XCGM (target) | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Revit family | CGM native file |
| Standard / owner | Autodesk | Dassault Systèmes / Spatial (CGM Modeler) |
| File extensions | .rfa | .xcgm |
| Geometry | B-Rep and mesh (read); mesh (written by 3D InterOp) | Exact B-Rep |
| Assemblies / structure | Nested families; assembly structure written by 3D InterOp | 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 Revit family to XCGM.
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Preserved
Exact geometryExact B-Rep read from RFA is written to XCGM as exact geometry.
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Changes
Faceted partsParts the RFA file stores only as facets are written as facets.
Why software vendors add RFA 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 RFA input: Revit 2015 to 2026.
- 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 RFA (.rfa) file?
An RFA file is a Revit family: a reusable component such as a door, a window or a piece of equipment, with its geometry, types and parameters, loaded into Revit projects.
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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
The exact B-Rep that 3D InterOp reads from RFA is written to XCGM; parts stored only as facets stay faceted.
No. PMI and miscellaneous data aren’t written to XCGM.
3D InterOp reads Revit 2015 to 2026.
3D InterOp writes R2012 to 2025 1.0.
Yes. 3D InterOp reads and writes both formats, so XCGM to RFA is supported too.
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Building software that needs to convert RFA to XCGM?
3D InterOp is an SDK that lets your application read Revit family and write XCGM alongside 30+ CAD and BIM formats.