CAD file formats

file format family

DWG (from drawing) is a proprietary binary file format used for storing two- and three- dimensional design data and metadata. It is the native format for several CAD packages including DraftSight, AutoCAD, ZWCAD, IntelliCAD (and its variants), Caddie and Open Design Alliance compliant applications. In addition, DWG is supported non-natively by many other CAD applications. The .bak (drawing backup), .dws (drawing standards), .dwt (drawing template) and .sv$ (temporary automatic save) files are also DWG files.

file format used by CAD software and 3D printers

standard for a computer-interpretable representation and exchange of product manufacturing information

COLLADA (for '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.

geometry definition file format

thumb|upright|Logo of the IGES Project from National Institute of Standards and Technology|NIST The Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES) is a vendor-neutral file format that allows the digital exchange of information among computer-aided design (CAD) systems. It is an ASCII-based textual format.

file format

computer programming language

file format

The 3D ACIS Modeler (ACIS) is a geometric modeling kernel developed by Spatial Corporation (formerly Spatial Technology), part of Dassault Systèmes. ACIS is used by software developers in industries such as computer-aided design, computer-aided manufacturing, computer-aided engineering, architecture, engineering and construction, coordinate-measuring machine, 3D animation, and shipbuilding. ACIS provides software developers and manufacturers the underlying 3D modeling functionality.

file format

nonprofit organization creating SDKs for engineering applications

3DS is one of the file formats used by the Autodesk 3ds Max 3D modeling, animation and rendering software.

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 "", which translates to the "automotive industry association - surface data interface". Standard was specified by the German organization VDA

Parasolid is a geometric modeling kernel originally developed by Shape Data Limited, now owned and developed by Siemens Digital Industries Software. It can be licensed by other companies for use in their 3D computer graphics software products.