Access files from other CAD systems

Translate files into Autodesk Inventor data

You can open or import part and assembly files from other CAD systems. You can also place part and assembly files as components into new or existing Autodesk Inventor assemblies.

In Autodesk Inventor, do one of the following to translate a file:
- To translate to a new Autodesk Inventor file, select Open.
- To import into an Autodesk Inventor part file, select Manage tab Insert panel Import .
- To place into an Autodesk Inventor assembly, select Assemble tab Component panel Place .
In the applicable dialog box, set the Files of type to view the available files.
Select the file to import. If necessary, browse to find the appropriate file.
- If the file type is .dwg, click Options and ensure that Import is selected. Click OK.
- For other file types, click Options and set the applicable options. Click OK.
Click Open to import the file.

To view import details, expand the 3rd Party browser node and double-click Translation Report.

Drag and drop to import files

You can also drag and drop to import individual or multiple part and assembly files. Do one of the following:

Select the part or assembly file in Windows Explorer, and drag the file to the Autodesk Inventor title bar. This action translates the part or assembly into a new Autodesk Inventor file, and it can be done with or without an Autodesk Inventor file open.
With no Autodesk Inventor files open, select the part or assembly file in Windows Explorer, drag the file into the Autodesk Inventor graphics window. This action translates the part or assembly into a new Autodesk Inventor file.
With a new or existing assembly open, select the part or assembly file in Windows Explorer, drag the file into the graphics window. It places the imported part or assembly as a component in the Autodesk Inventor assembly.

Show me how to set Save Options on import

Show me how to set report options on import

Show me how to set default units on import

Show me how to set entity types to import

Show me how to import an assembly as a single part file

Show me the options when Import into Repair Environment is OFF

Show me the options when Import into Repair Environment is ON

Import Alias files

Open and change models created in Alias (.wire). You can choose to maintain associativity between the Autodesk Inventor and Alias source files. The associativity is not bidirectional. Changes in the Alias file are reflected in the Autodesk Inventor file, but changes to the Autodesk Inventor file do not affect the source Alias file. You can update associations between the source and Autodesk Inventor files when source file changes are made.

Note: You must select Non-Associative Import to enable the Create Imported File Object selection.

The geometry is created in Inventor using the same colors as assigned in Alias. However, texture maps included in the Alias definition are not translated to the Inventor file.

Note: For associative import, only Alias 2009 and later .wire files are supported by Inventor, and mesh entities in the .wire file are not imported. Also, individual and multiple file drag and drop workflows do not support associative import of Alias files.

After changing the file, you can continue to open it in Autodesk Inventor.

Import CATIA V4 files

Open and change models created in CATIA V4 (all versions). Autodesk Inventor translates assembly and part files, solids, multi-solids, surfaces, and more. After the import operation is complete, you have a base feature or features which match the geometry and topology of the original file. Use Autodesk Inventor commands to adjust the base features and add new features to the feature tree.

These types of CATIA V4 files can be imported:

*.model
*.session
*.dlv3
*.exp
Note: When you open a .exp file, Inventor displays the models it contains in the CATIA V4 Model Selection dialog box. Select the appropriate .model file to import and click OK.

If you select to import mesh data, Inventor creates mesh features and groups them under mesh folders in the browser. The mesh features are for visualization purposes only and cannot be modified. You can right-click the mesh features or folders to access the context menu and select to show mesh edges, change visibility, and more.

After changing the file, you can continue to open it in Autodesk Inventor.

Import CATIA V5 files

Open and change models created in CATIA V5 (versions R6 - R21). Autodesk Inventor translates assembly and part files, solids, multi-solids, surfaces, and more. After the import operation is complete, you have a base feature or features which match the geometry and topology of the original file. Use Autodesk Inventor commands to adjust the base features and add new features to the feature tree.

These types of CATIA V5 files can be imported:

*.CATPart (part)
*.CATProduct (assembly)
Note: Inventor automatically translates CATIA V4 files referenced by *.CATProduct files.
*.cgr
Note: Mesh data from .cgr files are for visualization purposes only.

After changing the file, you can continue to open it in Autodesk Inventor.

Import JT files

Open and change models created in JT (*.jt) (versions 7.0, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, and 9.5). Autodesk Inventor translates assembly and part files, solids, multi-solids, surfaces, and more. After the import operation is complete, you have a base feature or features which match the geometry and topology of the original file. Use Autodesk Inventor commands to adjust the base features and add new features to the feature tree.

After changing the file, you can continue to open it in Autodesk Inventor.

Import Pro/ENGINEER and Creo Parametric files

Open and change models created in Pro/ENGINEER and Creo Parametric. Autodesk Inventor translates assembly and part files, solids, multi-solids, surfaces, and more. After the import operation is complete, you have a base feature or features which match the geometry and topology of the original file. Use Autodesk Inventor commands to adjust the base features and add new features to the feature tree.

These types of Pro/ENGINEER files can be imported:

*.prt* (part) (up to version Wildfire 5.0 or Creo Parametric 1.0)
*.asm* (assembly) (up to version Wildfire 5.0 or Creo Parametric 1.0)
*.g (Granite) (up to version 7.0)
*.neu* (Neutral)

After changing the file, you can continue to open it in Autodesk Inventor.

Note: To import part or assembly files that contain family table instances, load your model into Pro/ENGINEER and save the accelerator files (.xpr or .xas) along with the Pro/ENGINEER part or assembly files. The accelerator files contain the specific instances referred to by the family table.

Import Parasolid files

Open and change models created in Parasolid (up to version 24.0). Autodesk Inventor translates assembly and part files, solids, multi-solids, surfaces, and more. After the import operation is complete, you have a base feature or features which match the geometry and topology of the original file. Use Autodesk Inventor commands to adjust the base features and add new features to the feature tree.

These types of Parasolid files can be imported:

*.x_t (text)
*.x_b (binary)

After changing the file, you can continue to open it in Autodesk Inventor.

Import Rhino files

Rhino files can be imported for use in Autodesk Inventor. The import operation does not maintain associativity with the original file. As a result, changes to the original file after the import operation do not affect the imported part. Likewise, changes to the imported part do not affect the original file. After the import operation is complete, you can change the model as if it was originally created in Inventor.

The import process creates base features in Inventor representative of the geometry and topology in the source file. You can use Inventor commands to adjust the base features and add new features to the Inventor feature tree. You cannot modify the original definition of the base features.

A translation report is generated that includes information on the imported data, the import options used, and the Inventor part that was created.

Import SolidWorks files

Open and change models created in SolidWorks (versions 2003 - 2012). Autodesk Inventor translates assembly and part files, solids, multi-solids, surfaces, and more. After the import operation is complete, you have a base feature or features which match the geometry and topology of the original file. Use Autodesk Inventor commands to adjust the base features and add new features to the feature tree.

These types of SolidWorks files can be imported:

*.prt, *.sldprt (part)
*.asm, *.sldasm (assembly)

Import NX files

Open and change models created in NX (formerly UGS NX) (versions 3 - 8). Autodesk Inventor translates assembly and part files, solids, multi-solids, surfaces, and more. After the import operation is complete, you have a base feature or features which match the geometry and topology of the original file. Use Autodesk Inventor commands to adjust the base features and add new features to the feature tree.

These types of NX files can be imported:

*.prt (part)
*.prt (assembly)

Import Mechanical Desktop files

You can convert 3D data in existing Mechanical Desktop files to features in Autodesk Inventor part and assembly files. If Autodesk Inventor does not recognize the geometry or features of the source files, they are skipped during translation and the missing data is noted in the browser.

When you import Mechanical Desktop files, no links are maintained to existing files.

Note: You must have Mechanical Desktop on your computer to import files.

Link Mechanical Desktop components

You can place a Mechanical Desktop part as a component in an assembly, maintaining a link to the Mechanical Desktop file. You can make changes in the original file that are incorporated the next time that you update the Autodesk Inventor assembly.

When you place a Mechanical Desktop component, Autodesk Inventor creates a file, called a proxy file. It contains the link information and specifies a template for the new component.

Import STEP or IGES files

You can import a STEP (versions AP214 and AP203E2) or IGES (all versions) file. The solid body is saved in an Autodesk Inventor file, and no links are maintained to the original file.

If an imported STEP or IGES file contains one part, it produces an Autodesk Inventor part file. If it contains assembly, it produces an assembly with multiple part files.

Note: By default, Autodesk Inventor applies the part name (file name of the inserted part) to browser file nodes. Other CAD systems might apply the part number property. When a STEP or IGES file is imported into Autodesk Inventor, its name might differ from that of the CAD system which generated the STEP or IGES file. To avoid confusion, use the Rename Browser Nodes command to specify the browser node naming scheme.

Note: STEP file part numbers translate to the Part Number field in the iProperties Project tab of an Autodesk Inventor Part document.

See Assembly Tools for more information about the Rename Browser Nodes command.

Import SAT files

You can import a SAT file (versions 4.0 - 7.0). The curves, surfaces, and solids are saved in an Autodesk Inventor file, and no links are maintained to the original file.

If an imported SAT file contains a single body, it produces an Autodesk Inventor part file with a single part. If it contains multiple bodies, it produces an assembly with multiple part files.

Import STL files

You can import STL files in Autodesk Inventor. The data is imported as mesh objects and are contained in a mesh browser node.

These types of STL files can be imported:

*.stl
*.stla
*.stlb

Open Markup DWF

In Autodesk Inventor, you can open a DWF file with markups created in Autodesk Design Review, for example.

	To open a markup set, click Open. In the Open dialog box, select a DWF file that contains markups, and then click Open.
The Markups browser displays the markup set in the tree view. Note: If you try to load a markup set by opening a DWF file that does not contain markups, you cannot open the DWF file in Autodesk Inventor.

Open or Import DWG files

You can directly open any AutoCAD DWG file in Autodesk Inventor, and then view, plot, and measure the file contents. Objects display exactly as they do in AutoCAD.

Import brings the data into Autodesk Inventor where you work with it as model data.

Both Open and Import procedures are demonstrated in the following video: