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Inventor Viewer
open IAM and IPT 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 IAM and IPT Files?

  • Files with the file extension IAM and IPT are native 3D files of the CAD/CAM software Autodesk Inventor.
  • IPT is the part file format and contains 3D geometries and, in some cases, Product Manufacturing Information (PMI).
  • IAM is the assembly file format and is linked to at least one, but usually several IPTs and often also to other IAM files.
  • Even if they share the Autodesk geometry kernel ShapeManager, Autodesk Inventor is not based on AutoCAD, which despite 3D support is more of a 2D drawing software.

Inventor viewer for IAM and IPT

IAM and IPT Versions

Inventor 1 was released in 1999 and until 2006 and Inventor 11 the versions were simply numbered consecutively. From 2007 onwards, the versions are named with the year following the year of publication, so the current version, Inventor 2023, is called Inventor 2025. (06/2025)

File versions created with newer releases cannot be opened with older releases. In such cases, Autodesk recommends the 3D exchange format STEP. However, the model history will be lost.

Autodesk implemented product data management (PDM) with Autodesk Vault. The PDM system enables efficient collaboration between all Inventor users in the company via a central database.

Additional Native Inventor File Formats

  • idw Native 2D drawing from Inventor, derived from IPT or IAM. Can only be opened in Inventor or Inventor View.
  • dwg Native 2D drawing from AutoCAD. Can be used in AutoCAD and Inventor due to the close relationship, however: A DWG created with Inventor can only be modified in Inventor. A DWG created with AutoCAD can only be modified with AutoCAD.
  • dxf The 2D format DXF was developed because the first AutoCAD versions under Windows, MacOS and Linux required different DWG data. The DXF format was later retained as it had proven itself for exchange with other CAD programs. However, a number of CAD functions are lost compared to DWG.

How Do I Open Inventor IPT and IAM Files?

Typically, an Autodesk Inventor installation is used for this. It is also possible to open with CAD/CAM software that has an Inventor interface, such as Siemens NX.

In read-only mode, Inventor can be used free of charge or can also be installed in read-only mode. Autodesk now also offers a web viewer for Inventor models. Both variants require registration with Autodesk.

The 3D-Tool CAD viewer opens IPT and IAM files and offers many measurement and analysis tools in addition to simple operation. 3D-Tool can be tested free of charge for 14 days.

How Do I Convert Inventor IAM and IPT Files?

If you do not have CAD software with an Inventor interface, the design must be exported from Inventor to a common 3D exchange format, such as STEP.

Converting Inventor IAM and IPT to STEP is also possible with a 3D converter or CAD converter.

3D Tool Premium includes the 3D NativeCAD Converter. In addition to native Inventor models, this converts models from many common CAD systems into the 3D exchange formats STEP, IGES, SAT and Parasolid X_T supported by many CAD/CAM programs.

Test the Inventor Viewer and Inventor Converter

3D-Tool is a CAD viewer with many native CAD interfaces, including Inventor, and professional measuring functions, demolding analysis and wall thickness analysis.

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

Free and non-binding 14-day trial with all functions, the Inventor interfaces and the 3D-Native CAD Converter. The trial key activates all 3D interfaces, such as CATIA, Siemens NX, SolidWorks, Creo, STEP, SAT.

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