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IGES to STEP Converter
Got an IGES file (often .igs) and need a STEP? You are converting from an older neutral CAD format to the modern one most tools and machine shops prefer today. The good news: both are solid/surface formats, so the conversion is usually clean. Here is why you’d convert, what changes, and how to do it in a browser. To check the file first, open it free in the online IGES viewer.
IGES vs STEP, in one minute
IGES (1980s) was the original neutral format for moving CAD data between programs. It works, but it often travels as a collection of surfaces rather than one watertight solid, which can leave tiny gaps a downstream tool has to heal. STEP (newer) carries a clean solid with its topology intact — which is why it’s the default exchange format now. The full comparison is in STEP vs IGES.
So “IGES to STEP” is usually an upgrade: same geometry, a more robust and widely accepted container.
What the conversion changes (and what to check)
- Geometry — stays the same; the converter re-expresses the surfaces/solid in STEP’s schema.
- Stitching — if the IGES was loose surfaces, a good converter heals them into a closed solid. Check that the result is watertight before sending it to a shop.
- Units — confirm millimeters vs inches survived the trip; a units mix-up is the most common conversion bug.
The safest check is simple: open the converted STEP and look at it in 3D. If the part is whole and the dimensions read right, the conversion was clean.
Where this fits the file-format picture
STEP is what you want for CAD edits and machining; for 3D printing you’d then convert STEP to a mesh. The directions worth knowing: STEP to STL (for printing), STL to STEP (the hard direction), and the full toolbox in CAD file conversion tools. For a shop, the answer is almost always STEP — see best file format for a machine shop.
Convert IGES to STEP in your browser
With PartWork.ai you upload the IGES file, view it in 3D to confirm it’s the right part, and export STEP — no CAD install. It runs in the browser on desktop or phone, and viewing is free. See importing and exporting files.
Free to upload & view — sign up to download
Open the studio, upload your IGES (.igs) file, and view it in 3D free. Sign up (free) to export the STEP; credits to generate a new part — 50 for $4.99 (~10¢ each).