Standard AutoCAD's export options are limited - it supports DWG, DXF, and a few other formats natively, but not OBJ, STEP, SKP, FBX, IGES, or most other 3D formats used in engineering, visualization, and manufacturing. Automesher Application adds direct import and export of 30+ 3D formats to AutoCAD, BricsCAD, ZWCAD, and GstarCAD through a single AmImportMesh / AmExportMesh command interface.
How AutoCAD 3D Import and Export Works with Automesher
Exporting from AutoCAD (AmExportMesh)
Type AmExportMesh in the AutoCAD command line, select the 3D entities to export (3D Solid, Polyface Mesh, Surface, SubD Mesh, or 3D Face), and choose the output format. For the full workflow, see the export tutorial.
Importing into AutoCAD (AmImportMesh)
Type AmImportMesh in the command line, browse to the source file, and choose the output entity type - 3D Solid for Boolean operations and engineering analysis, Polyface Mesh for mesh workflows, SubDMesh for texture support, or Surface for NURBS-like editing. For the full workflow, see the import tutorial.
Supported Import and Export Formats
Automesher Application supports the following formats for both import and export directly inside your DWG editor:
| Format | Description | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| OBJ | Wavefront Object | Blender, Maya, 3ds Max, game engines, rendering |
| STEP/STP | ISO 10303 engineering exchange | SolidWorks, CATIA, Creo, Inventor, NX |
| STL | Stereolithography mesh | 3D printing, additive manufacturing |
| IGES/IGS | Initial Graphics Exchange Specification | Legacy engineering, CNC, aerospace/automotive |
| SKP | SketchUp native format | Architectural visualization, 3D Warehouse |
| FBX | Autodesk Filmbox | Unity, Unreal Engine, Maya, animation pipelines |
| 3DM | Rhinoceros 3D model | Rhino surface modeling and fabrication |
| DAE | Collada | Cross-application 3D interchange |
| PLY | Polygon File Format | 3D scanning, point cloud workflows |
| 3DS | 3D Studio | Legacy 3ds Max asset compatibility |
| IFC | Industry Foundation Classes | BIM model import from Revit, ArchiCAD |
| VRML/WRL | Virtual Reality Modeling Language | Web 3D, visualization archives |
| OFF | Object File Format | Research and mesh analysis tools |
Convert 3D Formats Without AutoCAD: Autoconverter
If you need to convert 3D files between formats without a CAD application installed, Autoconverter is a standalone Windows desktop tool that handles the same format range (STL, OBJ, SKP, STEP, FBX, GLTF, 3DM, and 30+ more) as a self-contained application - no AutoCAD or other CAD software required. See the batch conversion guide for processing entire folders of files at once.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can standard AutoCAD export to OBJ or STEP?
Standard AutoCAD cannot export to OBJ, STEP, SKP, FBX, or IGES natively. AutoCAD Mechanical and some verticals include limited STEP support, but standard AutoCAD requires Automesher for these formats. The AmExportMesh command adds all of these export paths to standard AutoCAD in a single plugin installation.
Does Automesher work in BricsCAD and ZWCAD as well?
Yes. Automesher Application runs identically in AutoCAD, BricsCAD, ZWCAD, and GstarCAD. The AmImportMesh and AmExportMesh commands and all format options are the same in all four platforms.
What entity types can be exported from AutoCAD?
Automesher exports AutoCAD 3D Solid, Polyface Mesh, Polygon Mesh, Surface, SubD Mesh, and 3D Face entities. All entity types are converted to the appropriate mesh or solid representation in the target format during export.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. Automesher Application is available as a free evaluation download. The trial allows a limited number of import and export operations so you can test the full workflow before purchasing.
Summary
Automesher Application extends AutoCAD's native import and export capabilities to 30+ formats - OBJ, STEP, IGES, SKP, FBX, 3DM, DAE, SAT, STL, IFC, and more - through the AmImportMesh and AmExportMesh commands. The same plugin works identically in BricsCAD, ZWCAD, and GstarCAD. For standalone conversion without CAD software, Autoconverter handles the same format range as a Windows desktop application.
👉 Ready to extend AutoCAD's format support? Download Automesher Application and try it free.