Importing 3D CAD Models
In the Shaper interface, CAD models are imported using the menu Model > Import or File > Import in a new database. To import a model, select the desired file format, and then select your file using the browser. A status bar will appear, indicating the progress of this import.
The following file formats are available:
FBX (*.fbx) | STEP (*.step / *.stp) |
DXF (*.dxf) | Creo, PRO Engineer (*.prt / *.asm) |
Wavefront OBJ (*.obj) | Catia V4 (*.model / *.exp) |
3DS (*.3ds) | Catia V5 (*.CATPart. /*.CATProduct) |
STL (*.stl / *.sta) | CATProduct V2 (*.CATProduct) |
Parasolid (*.x_t / *.x_b) | Wire file |
Parasolid IGES (*.iges / *.igs) | Wire folder |
Solid Edge (Assembly= *.asm ) / (Part= *.par) | NX (*.prt) |
SAT (*.sat / *.sab) | SolidWorks (Assembly= *.sldasm) / (Part=*.sldprt) |
XML (*.xml) | Lumiscaphe P3DXml (*.xml) |
The import compatibilities in 2024 X7 are as follows:
Source | Format | Support in Patchwork 3D |
|---|---|---|
3D XML | .3dxml | From 4.0 up to 4.3 |
Autocad DXF | .dxf | Up to 2024 |
Siemens NX | .prt | From 11 up to NX 2306 |
Siemens NX Direct 5 | .prt | From NX up to NX 2306 |
SolidWorks | .sldasm, .sldprt | From 98 up to 2024 |
Autodesk Maya | .fbx | Up to 2020.3 |
Autodesk 3ds Max | .fbx | Up to 2020.3 |
Acis | .sat | R1 - 2022 1.0 |
Parasolid | .x_t, .x_b | Up to 36.0 |
Alias | .Wire | Up to 2025 |
SolidEdge | .asm, .par, .psm, .x_t | From V18 up to SE 2022 (with Parasolid export) |
Creo Pro/Engineer | .asm, .asm.*, .prt, .prt.* | From PRO/E Release 16 up to Creo 10.0 |
Catia V4 | .model, .exp | From 4.1.9 up to 4.2.4 |
Catia V5 | .CATPart, .CATProduct | From V5 R8 up to V5-6 R2024 |
Catia V6 | .CATPart, .CATProduct | Up to V6 R2024 |
Rhino | .3dm | From 2 up to 7 |
OBJ | .obj | All versions |
STL | .stl | All versions |
3DS | .3ds | All versions |
Step | .stp, .step, .stpZ, .stpx | AP203, AP214, AP242 versions |
IFC | .ifc, .ifczip | IFC2x3, IFC4 |
IGES | .iges, .igs | Up to 5.3 |
Based on the format of the file you would like to import, it is recommended to use the first possible line in the following table:
From | To | Importer to Use |
|---|---|---|
Catia, Acis, NX, SolidWorks, Parasolid, software supporting FBX | Patchwork 3D | Direct interoperability (for example, use the NX importer for NX files) |
software supporting STEP | Patchwork 3D | STEP |
software supporting IGES | Patchwork 3D | IGES |
software supporting OBJ | Patchwork 3D | OBJ |
any other software | Patchwork 3D | DXF, STL |
Patchwork 3D uses two 3D modeling engines to import file formats storing geometry elements as NURBS:
ACIS
Parasolid
Formats imported using these powerful geometry engines will allow users to work directly with the surface topology. Tessellation and assembly options are available for surfaces imported in these formats.
Autocad DXF, Wavefront OBJ, Ksc formats store the models as lattice mesh geometry. Tessellation and assembly options are not available for surfaces imported in these formats.
Patchwork 3D works on a metric scale. Certain CAD formats specify the scale used for the design of models. In this case, Patchwork 3D interprets this information and converts the dimensions of the model from the original scale to the metric scale. When the scale information is not available in the CAD file, Patchwork 3D uses the default scale specified for each format in the general preferences of the software.
To open the window used to set the application’s importers default units, navigate to the File menu > Settings > Geometry tab > Define default units button.