Convert VDA-FS to CATPart in your application
3D InterOp is a CAD interoperability SDK that lets your software read VDA-FS files and write CATPart, 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 VDA-FS · Writes CATPart
- Exact geometry → exact geometry
- C++ / C# APIs
VDA-FS to CATPart at a glance
Both formats store exact geometry, so the model stays exact. The differences are in the product data each one can carry.
| VDA-FS (source) | CATPart (target) | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | VDA surface interface | CATIA V5 Part |
| Standard / owner | VDA (German automotive industry) | Dassault Systèmes |
| File extensions | .vda | .CATPart |
| Geometry | Exact curves and surfaces | Exact B-Rep |
| Assemblies / structure | No assembly hierarchy | Part file (assemblies are CATProduct files) |
| PMI | None | Semantic and graphical |
| 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 VDA-FS to CATPart.
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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 VDA-FS to CATPart conversion
Deliver in your customer’s CAD format
Aerospace and automotive OEMs often require supplier data in CATPart. Writing it lets your users meet that requirement directly from your application.
Exact geometry, ready to edit
CATPart keeps exact B-Rep geometry, so the receiving engineer can measure, modify or machine the model in CATIA.
No neutral-format round trip
Writing CATPart directly avoids an extra STEP or IGES step, and the loss each extra translation can add.
Things to check before you ship
- Written CATPart versions: CATIA V5 R15 to V5-6 R2026.
- Supported VDA-FS input: VDA-FS 1.0 to 2.0.
- 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 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.
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Target format
What is a CATPart (.CATPart) file?
A CATPart file is a CATIA V5 part: one component with its exact 3D geometry, features and, often, PMI. Assemblies of parts are stored in CATProduct files.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Both formats store exact B-Rep geometry, so the model is translated without being tessellated into triangles.
No. VDA-FS has no PMI, so only the geometry is translated to CATPart.
3D InterOp reads VDA-FS 1.0 to 2.0.
3D InterOp writes CATIA V5 R15 to V5-6 R2026.
Yes. 3D InterOp reads and writes both formats, so CATPart to VDA-FS is supported too.
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Building software that needs to convert VDA-FS to CATPart?
3D InterOp is an SDK that lets your application read VDA-FS and write CATPart alongside 30+ CAD and BIM formats.