3MF to IGES Conversion
You can easily transform 3MF into IGES by following our simple guide:
Install Autoconverter
Download and install Autoconverter on your system. Launch the software to convert 3MF mesh files to IGES format.
Import 3MF Mesh File
Click Open... to load your 3MF mesh file (.3mf), or drag and drop it into the application window.
Export to IGES Format
Use Save As... to export your mesh file to the IGES file format (.igs, .iges).
Still can't figure out 3MF to IGES conversion? These proven guides simplify 3MF mesh files conversion:
- Automesher Desktop Application for Windows to Convert 3D File Formats
- Reconstruct Surface from SKP Mesh File - SketchUp to NURBS
- How to Change Units in STEP & IGES Files - Convert 3D Model Units
- SKP to IGES: Export IGS from SketchUp (.skp) File
3D Manufacturing File
An open-source XML file format developed by the 3MF Consortium, a collaboration of companies and organizations in the 3D printing industry. It was designed to overcome the limitations of older formats, such as STL, which only store geometric data, by providing a more comprehensive and extensible framework for additive manufacturing workflows.
Main Advantages Over STL
Unlike STL, 3MF can store additional information, making it a more advanced and versatile choice for additive manufacturing:
- Color Support: Defines the color of individual triangles, enabling more realistic and visually detailed prints.
- Transparency: Specifies opacity levels for triangles or vertices, allowing for the creation of transparent or translucent objects.
- Textures: Supports texture mapping by associating 2D images with 3D models, enhancing realism in prints.
- Metadata: Allows embedding custom data such as author, title, description, and license, facilitating better file management and sharing.
3MF File Conversion
Our products, Autoconverter and Automesher Application, are fully compatible with the 3MF file format. They utilize the official lib3mf library to enable seamless import and export of 3MF files. A significant limitation of the 3MF format is its lack of support for group hierarchies. When converting a 3D model containing nested subgroups - often used for organizational purposes - these structural relationships are not preserved in the 3MF file. Despite this, 3MF remains a powerful and modern format for 3D printing, offering a rich set of features that go beyond traditional STL files.
Initial Graphics Exchange File
A file format widely used in the fields of CAD (Computer-Aided Design), CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing), and CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering), as it enables to transfer of 3D models and designs across different platforms and applications. Developed in the 1980s and standardized by ANSI and ISO, IGES remains a foundational yet legacy-neutral format for 3D data exchange.
Key Features of IGES/IGS
- Text-Based Geometry Storage: The IGES format stores all geometric data in human-readable text, enabling easy editing but potentially creating large files when exporting complex models with dense meshes.
- Color Representation: IGES maintains color information at the assembly level, preserving visual clarity in multi-component designs.
- Transparency Limitations: Unlike modern formats, IGES lacks alpha channel support, meaning transparency settings from original 3D designs won't carry through in exported files.
IGES/IGS File Conversion
Autoconverter provides full read/write capabilities for IGES files through the Open Cascade framework, ensuring compatibility with the latest specifications. The application works exclusively with triangulated mesh geometry when processing IGES files. For projects requiring native NURBS surface preservation, we recommend using Autoshaper, which maintains the original smooth surface definitions throughout conversion.
3MF vs IGES Comparison
| Property | 3MF | IGES |
|---|---|---|
| Extensions | .3mf | .igs, .iges |
| Name | 3D Manufacturing Format | Initial Graphics Exchange Specification |
| Versions | ||
| Textures | ||
| Colors | ||
| Geometry components | ||
| Readers | ||
| Writers |