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IGES VDA SAT Viewer
open IGS, VDA and SAT files

CATIA Siemens-NX CREO SolidWorks Solid Edge Inventor Rhino JT STEP X_T DWG-DXF IGES-SAT-VDA 3MF-STL PLY-3DS-WRL-OBJ

What are IGES, VDA and SAT files?

  • IGES, IGS (Initial Graphics Exchange Specification) CAD data exchange format for 3D models and, less frequently, for 2D drawings. For 3D models, part and assembly information is supported.
  • VDA (VDA-FS) 3D CAD exchange format developed by the German Association of the Automotive Industry as a surface data interface between CAD systems. VDA files only contain 3D surface data and no information about parts and assemblies.
  • SAT (ACIS SAT/SAB) ACIS is a 3D modeling kernel from Dassault Systemes. Many CAD/CAM applications use the ACIS kernel and the associated SAT file format. The format supports wireframe, surface and solid modeling. SAB files are the binary version of the text-coded SAT files.

IGES IGS VDA SAT file viewer

IGES, VDA, SAT - Versions

  • IGES The format was created in 1980 and has not changed significantly since 1996. Although it supports surface and volume models, it has mostly been replaced by the STEP format. The current file version is 5.2. (02/2024)
  • VDA VDA-FS was designed in 1983 for the transfer of free-form surfaces. Solids, dimensions, planes, 2D geometry and text are not supported. In Germany, the file format has been recorded as the national standard DIN 66301 since 1986, but is hardly used any more. Since 1986, the unchanged version is 2.0.(02/2024)
  • SAT The first ACIS format specification was published by Spatial in 1998. The specification was publicly available until 2001 or version 7. After the takeover by Dassault Systemes, the format was modified and no longer published. Newer SAT files require the native ACIS library for reading. The current version is 2025 1.0. (06/2025)

SAT - Characteristics

Out of the three exchange formats IGS, VDA and SAT, SAT is certainly the most interesting file format because of the ACIS modeling kernel. ACIS offers the three core functions 3D modelling, 3D model management, and 3D model visualization. ACIS supports Microsoft, Apple and Linux platforms.

SAT files are readable with a text editor and start with the internal version number. "3310" stands for the internal version 33.1.0 and this corresponds to version 2023 1.0.

SAB files are the binary version of SAT files and are actually no longer readable with a text editor. However, like SAT files, the internal version number still can be recognized in the first line.

The Shape Manager modeling kernel used by Autodesk is also based on the ACIS kernel.

How Do I Open IGES, VDA and SAT Files?

Typically, CAD/CAM software with a corresponding interface is used for this purpose.

There are free viewers for viewing a 3D design in IGES or SAT format on the Internet. For VDA-FS only commercial solutions are available.

The 3D-Tool CAD Viewer opens all three formats as well as other exchange formats such as STEP and Parasolid X_T. Professional measurement tools and analysis make use of the full potential of IGES, VDA and SAT data.

How Can I Convert a IGES, VDA or SAT file?

If you do not have CAD/CAM software with a suitable interface, you will need to export the model from the original CAD system into another 3D exchange format or 3D visualization format.

Converting from IGES, VDA or SAT to STEP, X_T, OBJ or STL is also possible with a 3D converter or CAD converter.

3D-Tool Premium includes the 3D-NativeCAD Converter. This converts the native models of many common CAD systems into the 3D exchange formats STEP, IGES, SAT, VDA and Parasolid X_T. But it also converts these formats among each other.

Test the IGES, VDA, SAT viewer and converter

3D-Tool is a CAD viewer with interfaces for common native CAD formats and 3D exchange formats. 3D-Tool offers professional measuring functions, demoulding analysis and wall thickness analysis.

  • Open, dimension, markup and publish IGES, VDA, SAT files for the 3D-Tool Free Viewer or as 3D-PDF
  • Open IGES, VDA, SAT files and save as STL, 3DS, PLY, WRL, OBJ, or PLY
  • Convert IGES, VDA, SAT files to JT, STEP and X_T
  • Convert IGES, VDA, SAT models into 3D product visualizations such as 3D-HTML, FBX, Collada, 3MF, and glTF.

Simply download the 3D-Tool, start it and request a trial key. Test all functions, all interfaces and the 3D-native CAD converter for 14 days. Open and convert STEP, IGES, SAT, Parasolid as well as CATIA, Siemens NX, Inventor, SolidWorks and other formats.

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