The models you need... in the formats you want.
CAD/CAM/CAE Information
After rigorous testing, the file formats listed give the best 3D CAD interoperability results for specific CAD/CAM/CAE applications. Please refer to the list below and use the suggested file format to achieve the best multi-cad data exchange or translation results. For software applications not listed below, we recommend the following:
- Open your CAD/CAM/CAE software and click on the “File→Open” menu. Look for a list or drop down menu of the compatible file formats and file extensions available in your application.
- Use the following formats in order of best results:
- ACIS (*.sat) or Parasolid (*.x_t)
- STEP (*.stp)
- IGES (*.igs)
Best Translation Results
| Software Name | Read Formats | Write Formats |
| ABAQUS | *.sat | *.sat |
| ADAMS | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| ALIBRE | *.sat | *.sat |
| AlphaCAM | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| AnSoft | *.sat | *.sat |
| ANSYS | *.sat | *.sat |
| Ashlar-Vellum | *.sat | *.sat |
| AutoCAD | *.sat | *.sat |
| Autodesk Inventor | *ipt, *iam | *.sat |
| CADKey | *.sat or *.x_t | *.sat or *.x_t |
| CADMAX SolidMaster | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| Camtek PEPS | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| CATIA V4 | *.exp, *.session, *.model | *.model |
| CATIA V5 Assembly | *.CATProduct | *.CATPart |
| CATIA V5 Part | *.CATPart | *.CATPart |
| CheckMate | *.sat | *.sat |
| CimatronE | *.sat | *.sat |
| DCS Products | *.hsf or *.sat | *.hsf or *.sat |
| Design Space | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| DesignSTAR | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| EdgeCAM Solid Machinist | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| Esprit | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| Euklid Design | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| Factory Mill | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| FeatureCAM | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| Femap | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| FEVA | *.sat | *.sat |
| GAMBIT | *.sat or *.x_t | *.sat or *.x_t |
| GibbsCAM | *.sat or *.x_t | *.sat or *.x_t |
| Hoops MetaFile | *.hmf | *.hmf |
| Hoops Stream File | *.hsf | *.hsf |
| I-DEAS | *.x_t, *.stp. *.jt | *.x_t, *.stp, *.jt |
| IGES | *.igs | *.igs |
| ImpactXOFT | *.sat | *.sat |
| Inventor Assembly | *.iam | *.sat |
| Inventor Part | *.ipt | *.sat |
| IronCAD | *.sat or *.x_t | *.sat or *.x_t |
| IX SPeeD | *.sat | *.sat |
| MasterCAM | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| Mechanical Desktop | *.sat | *.sat |
| MegaCAD | *.sat | *.sat |
| MicroStation | *.sat or *.x_t | *.sat or *.x_t |
| Missler Goelan | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| Missler TopCAD | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| Missler TopSolid | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| MoldFlow | *.sat or *.x_t | *.sat or *.x_t |
| MSC.ADAMS | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| MSC.Patran | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| MSC.VisualNastran | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| NASTRAN | *.sat | *.sat |
| NGRAIN | *.3ko | |
| PARAMARINE | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| Parasolid | *.x_t, *.xmt_txt | *.x_t |
| PATRAN | *.sat | *.sat |
| PowerSHAPE | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| Pro/ENGINEER Assembly | *.asm | *.x_t, *.stp |
| Pro/ENGINEER Part | *.prt | *.sat, *.x_t, *.stp |
| SAT | *.sat, *.sab | *.sat |
| SheetWorks | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| SmartViewer | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| Solid Builder | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| SolidDesigner | *.sat | *.sat |
| SolidEdge | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| SolidWorks Assembly | *.sldasm | *.x_t |
| SolidWorks Part | *.sldprt | *.x_t |
| STEP | *.stp | *.stp |
| Stereo Lithography | *.stl | *.stl |
| SURFCAM | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| TopSystems t-flex CAD | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| TracePro | *.sat | *.sat |
| TurboCAD | *.sat | *.sat |
| Unigraphics CAM | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| Unigraphics | *.prt, *.x_t, *.jt | *.x_t, *.jt |
| Vellum | *.sat | *.sat |
| Vertex | *.sat | *.sat |
| Virtual Gibbs | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| VirtualNC | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| VISI-Series | *.x_t | *.x_t |
| VX CAD/CAM | *.x_t | *.x_t |