Export

CAD Formats

Extension

Description

FBX binary file

FBX

Mudbox format used to send 3D models to animation and rendering software; binary format creates compact files maintained by Autodesk; see FBXout command.

FBX ASCII file

FBX

Mudbox format used to send 3D models to animation and rendering software; ASCII format creates human-readalbe files.

AutoCAD Drawing

DWG

CAD drawing format created by Autodesk; to export drawings in earlier version of DWG, use the SaveAs command.

AutoCAD ASCII DXF

DXF

Drawing interchange format created by Autodesk; to create binary DXF files, use the DxfOut command.

Drawing Template

DWT

Templates on which new drawings are based.

3D DWF v6.01

DWF

CAD viewing format for 3D models created by Autodesk.

Binary DWF

DWF

Compressed version of DWF; creates more compact files.

Zipped Ascii Encoded 2D Stream DWF v6.0

DWF

ASCII version of DWF compressed into a ZIP file.

Compressed DWF v5.5

DWF

Compressed ASCII version of an older version of DWF; creates more compact files.

Binary DWF v5.5

DWF

Compressed version of an older version of DWF; creates more compact files.

ASCII DWF v5.5

DWF

ASCII version of an older version of DWF>

IFC file

IFC

Saves a BIM model as an IFC file for use with an IFC-certified applications. data. BIM properties are included in IFC export.

The Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) data model is intended to describe building and construction industry

Vector Formats

Extension

Description

Windows Meta File*

WMF

Vector format created by Microsoft; used by the Clipboard; see the WmfOut command.

Enhanced Windows Meta File*

EMF

Updated version of WMF.

Scalable Vector Graphics

SVG

Used by Web pages to display vector graphics. 

Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is a family of specifications of an XML-based file format for describing two-dimensional vector graphics, both static and dynamic (i.e. interactive or animated). The SVG specification is an open standard that has been under development by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) since 1999.

Lithography

STL

3D format used by 3D printers.

STL (STereoLithography) is a file format native to the stereolithography CAD software created by 3D Systems. STL is widely used for rapid prototyping and computer-aided manufacturing. STL files describe only the surface geometry of a three dimensional object without any representation of color, texture or other common CAD model attributes. The STL format specifies both ASCII and binary representations. Binary files are more common, since they are more compact.

See also the StlOut command.

Collada file

DAE

3D format used by rendering and animation software. 

COLLADA (from collaborative design activity) is an interchange file format for interactive 3D applications. It is managed by the nonprofit technology consortium, the Khronos Group, and has been adopted by ISO as a publicly available specification, ISO/PAS 17506.

Raster Format

Extension

Description

Bitmap*

BMP

Raster format created by Microsoft; used by the Clipboard.

Format

Extension

Description

Standard for Exchange of Product data

STE, STP, STEP

STEP (Standard for the Exchange of Product Data) is an ISO standard exchange format used for representing three-dimensional data in a format that can be recognized by multiple programs.

Initial Graphics Exchange Specification

IGS, IGES

A file format which defines a vendor neutral data format that allows the digital exchange of information among Computer-aided design (CAD) systems.

CATIA V4

model

CATIA (Computer Aided Three-dimensional Interactive Application) is a multi-platform CAD/CAM/CAE commercial software suite developed by the French company Dassault Systèmes.

CATIA V5

CATPart, CATProduct

Parasolid

XMT_TXT, XMT_BIN

X_T, X_B

Parasolid is a geometric modeling kernel originally developed by ShapeData, now owned by Siemens PLM Software (formerly UGS Corp.), that can be licensed by other companies for use in their 3D computer graphics software products.

VDA-FS

VDA

VDA-FS is a CAD data exchange format for the transfer of surface models from one CAD system to another. Its name is an abbreviation of "Verband der Automobilindustrie - Flächenschnittstelle", which translates to the "automotive industry association - surface data interface". Standard was specified by the German organization VDA.

3D PDF

PDF

Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format used to represent documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating system.