Import and use IGES data

You can import an IGES file to a new or existing Autodesk Inventor part. The imported data can be used as construction surfaces, wires, or the basis for a part.

Use Place Component and set the file type to IGES to place an IGES file directly into an Autodesk Inventor assembly as a solid body, surfaces, or wireframe data. In an open part or assembly file, use Manage tab Insert panel Import to place an IGES file.

Use the Auto Stitch and Promote and the Enable Advanced Healing options to clean up the data as it is imported. The Check Parts on Import option can also be used to determine quality issues during the import process.

Open IGES file in Autodesk Inventor

When you open an IGES file, Autodesk Inventor creates a file and places the IGES data into the new file.

  1. Click Open.
  2. In the File Open dialog box, set the Files of type to IGES.
  3. Select the file and then click Options. In the Import Options dialog box:
    • Specify the Part and Assembly Destination Directories if you want to change the defaults.
    • Select from Solids, Surfaces, Wires, and Points as Entities to Import.
    • If importing surfaces, select Construction Group Mapping to import the data into the construction environment. Select Auto Stitch and Promote to combine surfaces with matching edges into a quilt and promote to the part environment.
    • Specify whether you want the data mapped in single or multiple construction environment groups, or directly as composite features. Indicate if the collections are to be created from levels or groups. If appropriate, you can append a prefix to group names, such as the origin file name.
    • Choose from the applicable Options and Post Translation Options.
  4. Click OK to close the dialog box and then click Open to import the IGES file using the specified settings.

Import IGES file into Autodesk Inventor part

  1. Open the destination Autodesk Inventor part file or create a part file.
  2. On the ribbon, click Manage tab Insert panel Import .
  3. In the Import dialog box, set the Files of type to IGES.
  4. Select the file, and then click Options. In the Import Options dialog box:
    • Select from Solids, Surfaces, Wires, and Points as Entities to Import.
    • If importing surfaces, select Construction Group Mapping to import the data into the construction environment. Select Auto Stitch and Promote to combine surfaces with matching edges into a quilt and promote to the part environment.
    • Specify whether you want the data mapped in single or multiple construction environment groups, or directly as composite features. Indicate if the collections should be created from levels or groups. If appropriate, you can append a prefix to group names, such as the origin file name.
    • Choose from the applicable Options and Post translation options.
  5. Click OK to close the dialog box, and then click Open to import the IGES file using the specified settings.

Place IGES file into Autodesk Inventor assembly

  1. Open the destination Autodesk Inventor assembly file or create an assembly file.
  2. On the ribbon, click Assemble tab Component panel Place .
  3. On the Place Component dialog box, set the Files of type to IGES.
  4. Select the file and then click Options. In the Import Options dialog box:
    • Specify the Part and Assembly Destination Directories if you want to change the defaults.
    • Select from Solids, Surfaces, Wires, and Points as Entities to Import.
    • If importing surfaces, select Construction Group Mapping to import the data into the construction environment. Select Auto Stitch and Promote to combine surfaces with matching edges into a quilt and promote to the part environment.
    • Specify whether you want the data mapped in single or multiple construction environment groups, or directly as composite features. Indicate if the collections are to be created from levels or groups. If appropriate, you can append a prefix to group names, such as the origin file name.
    • Choose from the applicable Options and Post translation options.
  5. Click OK to close the dialog box, and then click Open to import the IGES file using the specified settings.

Stitch and promote imported IGES data

If an IGES file contains 304/408 subfigures, it is opened as an assembly. Auto Stitch and Promote automatically stitches and promotes surfaces for each of the resulting parts, if possible. When the assembly is opened, all data placed in the construction environment for each of the parts is not visible in the assembly. Activate individual parts to stitch and promote. Once the data is imported, it is visible in the assembly.

To place all data from an IGES file in a single part, regardless of the 308/408 definitions, use Manage tab Insert panel Import to place the data into an existing file.

When opening an IGES file that contains 308/408 subfigure (block) definitions, an assembly file is created using the 308/408 (block) figures to define the assembly structure.

Parent topic: Imported IGES data