Every format, and everything it converts to
Sorted by what each format can hold. Solid formats store exact geometry. Mesh and scene formats store triangles. Every format here opens in the viewer, 8 of them can also be written, and every route that ends at a solid is a reconstruction, not a translation.
| Format | Extensions | Kind | What this site can do with it | Converts to | Converts from | Hub |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3DM | .3dm | solid | Opens in the viewer · never a conversion target, since nothing writes it | 8 | 0 | hub + viewer → |
| BREP | .brep .brp | solid | Opens in the viewer · never a conversion target, since nothing writes it | 8 | 0 | hub + viewer → |
| IGES | .iges .igs | solid | Opens in the viewer · never a conversion target, since nothing writes it | 8 | 0 | hub + viewer → |
| STEP | .step .stp | solid | Opens in the viewer · can be written by any conversion | 7 | 15 | hub + viewer → |
| 3DS | .3ds | mesh | Opens in the viewer · never a conversion target, since nothing writes it | 8 | 0 | hub + viewer → |
| 3MF | .3mf | mesh | Opens in the viewer · can be written by any conversion | 7 | 15 | hub + viewer → |
| AMF | .amf | mesh | Opens in the viewer · never a conversion target, since nothing writes it | 8 | 0 | hub + viewer → |
| OBJ | .obj | mesh | Opens in the viewer · can be written by any conversion | 7 | 15 | hub + viewer → |
| PLY | .ply | mesh | Opens in the viewer · can be written by any conversion | 7 | 15 | hub + viewer → |
| STL | .stl | mesh | Opens in the viewer · can be written by any conversion | 7 | 15 | hub + viewer → |
| COLLADA | .dae | scene | Opens in the viewer · never a conversion target, since nothing writes it | 8 | 0 | hub + viewer → |
| FBX | .fbx | scene | Opens in the viewer · never a conversion target, since nothing writes it | 8 | 0 | hub + viewer → |
| GLB | .glb | scene | Opens in the viewer · can be written by any conversion | 7 | 15 | hub + viewer → |
| glTF | .gltf | scene | Opens in the viewer · can be written by any conversion | 7 | 15 | hub + viewer → |
| USDZ | .usdz | scene | Opens in the viewer · can be written by any conversion | 7 | 15 | hub + viewer → |
| VRML | .wrl .vrml | scene | Opens in the viewer · never a conversion target, since nothing writes it | 8 | 0 | hub + viewer → |
2D drawing formats
Flat outlines rather than solids. These open in the drawing workspace, where you can measure, set units and resize before exporting.
Formats this site identifies but does not open
Native files from one vendor's software. Each page says what the file holds, what opens it, and how to get a neutral export out of it. None of them opens in the viewer here.
| Format | Extensions | Owner | Hub |
|---|---|---|---|
| CATIA V5 part | .catpart .catproduct .catdrawing .cgr | Dassault Systèmes | what it is and what opens it → |
| Fusion archive | .f3d .f3z | Autodesk | what it is and what opens it → |
| Inventor part | .ipt .iam .idw .ipn | Autodesk | what it is and what opens it → |
| Creo or NX part | .prt .asm | PTC (Creo) or Siemens (NX) | what it is and what opens it → |
| SketchUp | .skp | Trimble | what it is and what opens it → |
| SolidWorks part | .sldprt .sldasm .slddrw | Dassault Systèmes | what it is and what opens it → |
| Parasolid | .x_t .x_b .xmt_txt .xmt_bin | Siemens Digital Industries Software | what it is and what opens it → |
Which CAD file format should you use?
Ask what the recipient will do with the model. Someone editing a CAD part needs different data from someone placing a model on a web page.
| Your next task | Format to consider | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange a solid CAD part | STEP | Ask the recipient which export options they accept. Keep the native CAD file for later edits. |
| Send a model to a slicer | 3MF or STL | Confirm the slicer accepts the format and that the dimensions match your design. |
| Deliver a model for a web viewer | GLB | Check the destination's material and compression support. |
| Pass on a mesh to an older tool | OBJ | Keep any material and texture files with the original export. |
| Exchange a point cloud or mesh with vertex colours | PLY | Confirm whether the recipient needs connected faces or individual points. |
A converter may read a format while dropping some of its features. Read the conversion page's loss report before choosing a route. If you only need to inspect the model, open its viewer and keep the original file.
The pair matrix
16 rows we can read from · 8 columns we can write to. ◆ full fidelity · ◇ tessellated · ≈ rebuilt from triangles · ▣ writes STEP, server lane.
120 pair pages · 120 of 120 passing, no skips.
Why there are only 8 columns
This site's import and export support differ. It can read IGES, BREP, AMF, COLLADA, FBX, 3DM, VRML and 3DS, but it does not write them. Those formats appear as source rows in the matrix and have no destination column. A missing column describes this converter's support, not whether other workflows use that format.
The "stores units" row on each format page means something precise. "Yes" means the format carries an explicit unit declaration that a reader can read back. glTF and VRML fix metres in their specifications instead of declaring it per file, so they read "no". That distinction is why a part converted through them arrives a thousand times out when a converter is careless.