CAD Import and Export Format Comparison
Compare formats by edition and converter
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Import File Formats
The Basic, Advanced and Premium licenses differ in the file formats that they support. The 3D-NativeCAD Converter is only included in the Premium version of 3D-Tool. With a free trial key, you can test all import formats and the converter for 14 days.
| Supported File Formats | Free Viewer | Basic | Advanced | Premium | Converter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3D-MESH | |||||
| 3D-Tool files (*.ddd) | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Not supported |
| 3D-Tool-EXE files (*.exe) | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Not supported |
| 3MF files (*.3mf) | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| STL files (*.stl) | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Not supported |
| 3DS files (*.3ds *prj *.pli) | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Not supported |
| ASC files (*.asc) | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Not supported |
| OBJ files (*.obj) | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Not supported |
| Open-Inventor files (*.iv) | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Not supported |
| PLY files (*.ply) | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Not supported |
| Render files (*.slp) | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Not supported |
| VRML1, VRML2 files (*.wrl) | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| XGL files (*.xgl *.zgl) | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Not supported |
| COLLADA files (*.dae) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| FBX files (*.fbx) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| GL-Transmission files (*.gltf, *.glb) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| 3D-CAD | |||||
| IGES files (*.igs, *.iges) | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| PARASOLID files, up to 38.1 (*.x_t; *.x_b) | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| SAT/SAB files (*.sat, *.sab) | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| STEP files (*.stp, *.step, *.stpz) | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| VDA files (*.vda) | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| Autodesk 3D files, up to 2026 (*.dwg, *.dxf, *.dwf, *.dwfx) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| DGN files (*.dgn) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| IFC files (*.ifc) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| JT files, up to 10.11 (*.jt) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| PDF-, PRC-, U3D files (*.pdf, *.prc, *.u3d) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| Revit files (*.rvt, *.rfa) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| STEP-XML files (*.stpx, *.stpxz) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| 3D-NativeCAD | |||||
| Autodesk Inventor, 6 - 2027 (*.ipt , *.iam) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| Autodesk Navisworks, 2012 to 2027 (*.nwd) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| CATIA V6, up to V6R2025 (*.3dxml) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| CATIA V5, up to V5-6R2026 (*.CATPart, *.CATProduct, *.CATShape, *.cgr) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| CATIA V4, 4.1.9 - 4.2.4 (*.model, *.exp, *.dlv, *.session) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| Creo (Pro/E), 19 - Creo 13.4.0.0 (*.prt, *.asm, *.neu, *.xpr, *.xas) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| I-DEAS, up to 13.x (Siemens NX 5), I-DEAS 6 (*.mf1, *.arc, *.unv, *.pkg) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| Rhino, Version 4 - 8 (*.3dm) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| Designcenter Solid Edge, 1 - 2026 (*.par, *.psm, *.pwd, *.asm) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| SolidWorks, 97 - 2026 (*.sldprt, *.sldasm) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| Designcenter (Siemens NX, UG), 11 - 2606 (*.prt) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| 3D-PMI-Support | |||||
| CATIA V6 (*.3dxml) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| CATIA V5 (*.CATPart, *.CATProduct, *.cgr) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| Creo (Pro/E) (*.prt, *.asm, *.neu, *.xpr, *.xas) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| SolidWorks (*.sldprt, *.sldasm) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| Designcenter (Siemens NX) (*.prt) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| JT (*.jt) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| PDF (*.pdf) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| PRC (*.prc) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| STEP (*.stp, *.step, *.stpz) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported | Supported |
| 2D-CAD | |||||
| DWG files-2D (*.dwg) | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Not supported |
| DXF files-2D (*.dxf) | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Not supported |
| HPGL files (*.plt, *.plo, *.hpg) | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Not supported |
Export File Formats
The 3D-Tool Viewer works with graphical visualization data (MESH). Therefore, the viewer exports models only to visualization formats.
The 3D-NativeCAD Converter processes native 3D data, 3D CAD data (BREP) and 3D MESH data. The converter does not support conversion from MESH to BREP. Therefore, it exports MESH data only to MESH file formats. If CAD files contain MESH data, it is lost when exporting to file formats that do not support MESH data. The 3D-NativeCAD Converter can only be used with a Premium license.
| Supported Export Files | Free Viewer | Basic | Advanced | Premium | Converter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3D-CAD | |||||
| IGS files (*.igs) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported |
| JT files, V8.1, V9.5, V10.0 (*.jt) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported |
| PRC files (*.prc) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported |
| SAT files (*.sat) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported |
| STEP files, AP203, AP214, AP242 (*.stp) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported |
| X_T files (*.x_t) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported |
| 3D-MESH | |||||
| 3D-Tool EXE (*.exe), 3D/2D data including viewer | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Not supported |
| 3D-Tool files (*.ddd), 3D/2D data | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Not supported |
| 3D-PDF files (*.pdf) | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| 3D-Studio files (*.3ds) | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Not supported |
| OBJ files (*.obj) | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| PLY files (*.ply) | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Not supported |
| STL files (*.stl) | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| U3D files (*.u3d) | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| VRML files (*.wrl) | Not supported | Supported | Supported | Supported | Supported |
| 3MF files (*.3mf) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported |
| FBX files (*.fbx) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported |
| GL-Transmission files (*.gltf) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported |
| HTML files (*.html) | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported | Supported |
Import Options
When importing 3D CAD models into the CAD Viewer, you can adjust the visualization quality and the resulting amount of data. 3D-Tool Premium can also load graphical visualization data from native CAD files. This allows the 3D-Tool Viewer to open large assemblies even on basic workstations. This applies to assemblies from CATIA, Designcenter (Siemens NX), SolidWorks, Designcenter Solid Edge, Creo and Autodesk Inventor.
For native 3D models from SolidWorks, you can select existing "configurations" during Premium import in the viewer and converter.
In the 3D-NativeCAD Converter, you simplify assembly models before conversion by selecting specific parts and subassemblies. You can also include or exclude points, curves and hidden elements during conversion.