CAD File Format

CAD:

  • It stands for computer aided design.
  • CAD software is used by architects, engineers, drafters, artists and other to create precision drawings or technical illustrations.
  • CAD software used to create 2-D drawing or 3-D models or parts.
  • This software used to design products such as electronic boards in computer and other devices.


CAD file format:
  • Different modules of software supports different CAD file format.

2-D CAD file format:

 .DWF:

  • DWF stands for drawing web format.
  • It is highly compressed version of CAD file.
  • DWF file format is suitable for web publishing of drawing.
  • It is useful for viewing, printing and transmitting the design without need for the recipient.
  • It is also useful to create in a way that masks part of the design from recipient.


.DXF:
  • It stands for drawing exchange.
  • It is a text file.
  • Which contains the all necessary information of drawing.
  • DXF file is readable by most of the other CAD system or software.
  • DXF file is either a binary or an ASCII representation of drawing file.


.ACIS:
  • ACIS supports two kinds of save files i.e SAT and SAB.
  • Import an ACIS file and create 3-D solid body or region objects.


.BMP:
  • BMP file can be created by exporting the drawing and changing the save as type to bitmap.


3-D CAD file format:
.STL:
  • STL stands for stereo lithography.
  • It is the universal format for pure 3-D information created by 3-D system.
  • It specifies both ASCII and binary representation .
  • The biggest problem with STL is that it describes only the surface geometry of 3-D object without any representation of color, texture or other common CAD model attributes.


VRML:
  • It stands for virtual reality modeling language.
  • It representing 3-D interactive vector graphics.
  • It carries for information than STL but it read by fewer software packages.
  • It is superseded by X3D.


.X3D:
  • It is a  free ISO  standard XML based file format for representing 3-D computer graphics.
  • It is extension to VRML.


IGES:
  • It stands for initial graphics exchange specification.
  • Intention to create a neutral data file format for exchanging CAD data across various CAD softwares.
  • Its file extension is .igs.


STEP:
  • It stands for standard for the exchange of product model data.
  • STEP file format is converted under ISO 10303.
  • The aim of developing STEP file format is to provide a mechanism, which is capable to describe product data throughout the life cycle of a product.
  • Though scope of STEP wider than IGES.


My notes images: