The Complete IGES to Solid Edge Conversion Guide.

August 01, 2025

General Information

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

Converting and Optimizing IGES Files to Solid Edge

There are various ways to convert between IGES and Solid Edge. With RapidPipeline, you can easily convert and and optimize IGES files, at scale. It supports Solid Edge, as well as many other file formats (examples: FBX, glTF, OBJ, PLY, STL, USD, USDZ, VRM), at high quality.

Below you can find a video explaining how to convert your files:

What are IGES and Solid Edge files commonly used for?

The IGES file is a format mostly used for CAD data exchange and interoperability.
The Solid Edge file is a format mostly used for Comprehensive 3D CAD software with synchronous technology for mechanical design and product development.

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Comparison of Features Supported by IGES and Solid Edge

FeatureSupported by IGESSupported by Solid Edge
Morph TargetsNoNo
Rigid AnimationsNoYes
Skinned AnimationsNoNo
AnimationsNoYes
Free-Form SurfacesYesYes
Geometry CompressionNoNo
Quad MeshesYesYes
Basic 3D GeometryYesYes
PBR MaterialsNoPartial0
Transparent MaterialsNoYes
Vertex ColorsPartial1Partial2
MaterialsPartial3Yes
Scene CompositionPartial4Yes
Hierarchical Scene GraphPartial5Yes
Scene NodesYesYes
Standardized FormatPartial6Partial7
Embedded TexturesNoPartial8
Multiple UV ChannelsNoPartial9
Normal MappingNoNo
Procedural TexturesNoNo
Texture CompressionNoNo
Texture TransformsNoPartial10
TexturingNoPartial11

0 - Basic PBR material support through appearance properties and visualization capabilities, primarily for realistic rendering and presentation purposes.
1 - Limited color support for visualization
2 - Limited vertex color support, mainly through part coloring and display properties rather than per-vertex color data manipulation.
3 - Basic material properties and annotations
4 - Assembly relationships with limited constraints
5 - Basic entity relationships and grouping
6 - Legacy format, superseded by STEP in 1994
7 - Solid Edge uses proprietary file formats but provides extensive import/export support for industry-standard formats like STEP, IGES, and others for interoperability.
8 - Textures can be included with material definitions but with limited embedding capabilities compared to graphics-focused formats.
9 - Limited multi-UV support, mainly through basic material assignments rather than complex UV mapping workflows typical in graphics applications.
10 - Basic texture mapping capabilities through material and appearance properties, but not as advanced as dedicated 3D graphics applications.
11 - Limited texture support primarily through material properties and appearance definitions for visualization purposes, not extensively used in typical mechanical engineering workflows.

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Limitations of IGES Files to Solid Edge Conversion Workflow

The following limitations should be taken into account when converting IGES files to Solid Edge format:

IGES Feature (not supported by Solid Edge)Limitation Details

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

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 IGES and Solid Edge 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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