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IGES file format (.iges, .igs)

IGES (Initial Graphics Exchange Specification)

What is a IGES file?

IGES is one of the oldest neutral CAD exchange formats, dating back to 1980. It represents models as surfaces and curves rather than watertight solids, and although STEP has largely replaced it, IGES files remain everywhere in legacy archives, tooling data and supplier exchanges.

  • Readable by nearly every CAD tool ever shipped
  • Common in legacy archives and tooling workflows
  • Surface-level geometry survives translation well

Best for: Opening legacy CAD data and surface models from older systems.

View IGES files online

Open .iges / .igs files in the free online IGES viewer — assembly tree, section views and display modes, entirely in your browser.

How to open a IGES file

  1. Open the online IGES viewer. It runs in your browser, so there is no software to install and no account to create.
  2. Drop your .iges or .igs file in. The file is parsed locally and never uploaded. Inspect it with the assembly tree, section views and display modes.
  3. Convert it if you need another format. Press Convert to turn IGES into STL, then download the result straight from your browser.

Convert IGES to other formats

IGES to STLIGES to OBJIGES to PLYIGES to GLBIGES to glTFIGES to 3MFIGES to OFFIGES to USDZ

Frequently asked questions

How do I open a .iges file?

Drop it into the free online IGES viewer on this site — it renders in your browser with an assembly tree and section views, and the file is never uploaded. No software install needed.

Does IGES store units and colors?

Units: yes, embedded. Colors/materials: limited. Geometry is stored as b-rep surfaces & curves.

How do I convert IGES to STL?

Use the free IGES to STL converter: drop the file, press Convert, download. Everything runs locally in your browser — no upload, no signup.

What is IGES best used for?

Opening legacy CAD data and surface models from older systems.

Why can an IGES model arrive with gaps between surfaces?

IGES commonly stores separate trimmed surface patches rather than one watertight solid. Translation tolerances can leave seams or slivers, so inspect and heal the model in CAD before manufacturing from it.

Can IGES store animation?

No. IGES is used for legacy cad exchange, and its format does not carry animation tracks.