The Complete Creo to IFC Conversion Guide

August 05, 2025

General Information

This guide is part of the RapidPipeline 3D Formats Knowledge Database. It shows how to convert Creo to IFC, if you'd like to know more about the formats, please check out the following links:

Converting and Optimizing Creo Files to IFC

RapidPipeline can import Creo files, but currently doesn't support exporting to IFC format yet.

If you specifically need IFC export functionality for your workflow, please feel free to get in touch with us - we'd be happy to discuss your requirements and potential timeline for adding this export capability.

If you need, you can import IFC files and convert them to any of these 8 formats: FBX, glTF, OBJ, PLY, STL, USD, USDZ, and VRM.

In the meantime, you can explore other options on the 3D Formats Knowledge Database, which might serve as suitable alternatives for your workflow depending on your target applications and use cases.

What are Creo and IFC files commonly used for?

The Creo file is a format mostly used for Advanced parametric 3D CAD/CAM/CAE software for mechanical engineering and product development.
The IFC file is a format mostly used for building information modeling data exchange.

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Comparison of Features Supported by Creo and IFC

FeatureSupported by CreoSupported by IFC
Morph TargetsNoNo
Rigid AnimationsYesNo
Skinned AnimationsNoNo
AnimationsYesNo
Free-Form SurfacesYesYes
Geometry CompressionNoPartial0
Quad MeshesYesYes
Basic 3D GeometryYesYes
PBR MaterialsPartial1No
Transparent MaterialsYesPartial2
Vertex ColorsPartial3No
MaterialsYesYes
Scene CompositionYesYes
Hierarchical Scene GraphYesYes
Scene NodesYesYes
Standardized FormatPartial4Yes
Embedded TexturesPartial5No
Multiple UV ChannelsPartial6No
Normal MappingNoNo
Procedural TexturesNoNo
Texture CompressionNoNo
Texture TransformsPartial7No
TexturingPartial8Partial9

0 - IFC-ZIP provides compression for large models
1 - Basic PBR material support through appearance properties and rendering capabilities, but not as advanced as dedicated rendering software.
2 - Transparency supported through material properties
3 - Limited vertex color support, mainly through part coloring and display properties rather than per-vertex color data.
4 - Creo uses proprietary file formats but supports extensive import/export of industry-standard formats like STEP, IGES, and others for interoperability.
5 - Textures can be included with appearances but with limited embedding capabilities compared to graphics-focused formats.
6 - Limited multi-UV support, mainly through basic material and appearance assignments rather than complex UV mapping workflows.
7 - Basic texture mapping capabilities through appearance properties, but not as advanced as dedicated 3D graphics applications.
8 - Limited texture support primarily through appearance and material properties for visualization purposes, not extensively used in typical engineering workflows.
9 - Basic texture support through material definitions

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Limitations of Creo Files to IFC Conversion Workflow

The following limitations should be taken into account when converting Creo files to IFC format:

Creo Feature (not supported by IFC)Limitation Details
Texture Transforms

Texture Transforms Support:

Creo: Partial support | IFC: No support

Texture Transforms illustratedlack of support for Texture Transforms illustrated

Creo Notes:

Basic texture mapping capabilities through appearance properties, but not as advanced as dedicated 3D graphics applications.

Impact:

Texture transforms describe transformation operations that are applied to 2D texture images or UV coordinates when using 2D texture data on a 3D surface. They can be used, for example, to make sure that material patterns are using real-world scale when rendered on the 3D surface. In this example, such a pattern is used and scaled with the help of a texture transform. Without support for this feature, the texture pattern shows up at the wrong scale.

Multiple UV Channels

Multiple UV Channels Support:

Creo: Partial support | IFC: No support

Multiple UV Channels illustratedlack of support for Multiple UV Channels illustrated

Creo Notes:

Limited multi-UV support, mainly through basic material and appearance assignments rather than complex UV mapping workflows.

Impact:

Multiple UV channels allow the optimized and sophisticated use of various 3D modeling features at once. For example, one can use one set of UVs and 2D texture data to model a tiling texture or procedural material, and another UV set to leverage a global lightmap or occlusion map of the 3D model. In this example, a combination of tiled texture (UV channel 1) and baked ambient occlusion map (UV channel 2) is used. Without support for this feature, one needs to either give up the tiling property (e.g., by using a tool like RapidPipline to bake a single texture atlas), or give up the ambient occlusion map, as only one UV channel will be usable.

Embedded Textures

Embedded Textures Support:

Creo: Partial support | IFC: No support

Embedded Textures illustratedlack of support for Embedded Textures illustrated

Creo Notes:

Textures can be included with appearances but with limited embedding capabilities compared to graphics-focused formats.

Impact:

Embedded textures allow the storage and exchange of an entire 3D model and its materials within a single file, by embedding the texture images directly into the 3D file (and not storing them as separate image files). Without support for this feature, textures have to be stored in separate image files, and referenced from the main 3D model file.

Transparent Materials

Transparent Materials Support:

Creo: Full support | IFC: Partial support

Transparent Materials illustratedlack of support for Transparent Materials illustrated

IFC Notes:

Transparency supported through material properties

Impact:

Transparency is commonly used for see-through objects, containing (usually partially) transparent surfaces. In this example, a transparent material is used to model the glass window of the microwave, so that one can see inside. Without support for this feature, the inside of the microwave cannot be seen, as the window will be rendered as an opaque surface.

PBR Materials

PBR Materials Support:

Creo: Partial support | IFC: No support

PBR Materials illustratedlack of support for PBR Materials illustrated

Creo Notes:

Basic PBR material support through appearance properties and rendering capabilities, but not as advanced as dedicated rendering software.

Impact:

PBR materials enable Physically-Based-Rendering (PBR) for a standardized, photorealistic look of rendered images. PBR uses concepts like metallic-roughness or specular-glossiness properties and a microfacet-based modeling of the surface, using a concept called BRDF (Bi-Directional Reflectance Distribution Function). In this example, PBR materials are used to achieve realistic looking plastic and metal materials. Without support for PBR materials, only basic colors and shading can be used (for example, based on more simple shading models, such as the Blinn/Phong model).

Vertex Colors

Vertex Colors Support:

Creo: Partial support | IFC: No support

Vertex Colors illustratedlack of support for Vertex Colors illustrated

Creo Notes:

Limited vertex color support, mainly through part coloring and display properties rather than per-vertex color data.

Impact:

Vertex colors allow the attachment of colors to each vertex of a 3D model. This can be useful in scenarios such as scientific visualization, or when converting/meshing data from a colored 3D point cloud, for example. On the polygonal surface connecting the vertices, the respective vertex colors are usually smoothly interpolated. In this example, different colors are attached to the different corners of a cube. Without support for this feature, the cube won't have any colors.

Animations

Animations Support:

Creo: Full support | IFC: No support

Animations illustratedlack of support for Animations illustrated

Impact:

Animations are an important part of many interactive 3D assets, for example in real-time rendering (including games, XR training, assembly instructions, product demos, and other use cases). There are various kinds of animations that can be used on 3D models. In this example model, a rigid animation is used to make the gears spin. Without support for this feature, in this example, the gears won't move.

Rigid Animations

Rigid Animations Support:

Creo: Full support | IFC: No support

Rigid Animations illustratedlack of support for Rigid Animations illustrated

Impact:

Rigid Animations are typically used to animate mechanical parts. In this example, the door of this 3D model of a microwave can be interactively opened or closed, using a rigid animation that gradually changes the 3D transformation of the door. Without support for this feature, in this example, the door will just stay in place and won't move.

What's the best way to get Creo files into my 3D applications, and are there alternatives to using IFC?

Doing 3D conversion right, especially at scale, can be tricky, as 3D data is in general a rather complex (yet very powerful!) medium. This also applies to Creo and IFC files - the conversion guide above provides a rough first idea about that. Once you know what you would like to do, tools like RapidPipeline can help you perform the necessary steps, and to even automate the process for thousands or even millions of files.

Especially when introducing pipelines and workflows at scale in an enterprise context, it is usually good to rely on dedicated tools and expertise, making sure you do not introduce any steps into your 3D workflow that are detrimental to the final output's quality, or that take your team too much time (and money).

If you're interested to hire dedicated expertise from the best in the field to help your company reach your goals fast and reliably, please do not hestitate to contact DGG. Being the creators of RapidPipeline, and ambassadors for open 3D standards for more than a decade, we have been building some of the world's most advanced 3D pipelines, having processed many millions of 3D assets.

Therefore, our expertise will help you to reach your goals faster, at scale, and with the least possible friction, since we are focused on maximum interoperability.

To get started with 3D data conversion and optimization today, sign up for a free account!

If you have any questions, feel free to chat with our human team.

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3D Knowledge Team

3D Technical Artists

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