FIELD MANUAL / IGES / IGS

How to open an IGES file on iPhone, iPad or Mac

IGES is a neutral CAD exchange format used for curves, surfaces, wireframes and product geometry. CadRoam tessellates supported B-Rep and curved surface entities locally so you can inspect them without converting the file online.

PROCEDURE / 03

Open. Verify. Inspect.

A short workflow that preserves the original engineering file and makes the format limits visible before you rely on the result.

  1. 01

    Keep the original IGES file

    Save the .iges or .igs file in Files, iCloud Drive or a location available through the Apple document picker. Keep an untouched copy for reference.

  2. 02

    Import it into CadRoam

    Select the file in CadRoam. Detection and inspection happen on the device; the engineering file is not sent to a developer-operated conversion service.

  3. 03

    Check the reported result

    Inspect the rendered geometry and any import warnings. If the file cannot be fully rendered, compare it in the source CAD system or request an STL/OBJ review export.

FORMAT CHECK / HONEST SCOPE
RecognisedIGES and IGS engineering files
Supported geometryB-Rep and curved surfaces tessellated on device
Compatibility limitNot every entity or exporter record is supported
Best fallbackTessellated STL or indexed OBJ

Why IGES often needs tessellation

IGES can describe trimmed surfaces, NURBS curves, wireframes and other precise geometric entities. A real-time 3D renderer needs those entities converted into triangles before it can draw them.

That conversion is called tessellation. CadRoam performs it on device for supported IGES entities. A preview approximates precise surfaces with triangles; use the source CAD system for exact engineering checks.

Choose a practical fallback

Ask for STL when you need a straightforward triangle mesh for visual review. Ask for indexed OBJ when object or group divisions matter. Keep the original IGES file alongside the review copy so engineering data is not lost.

If exact surfaces, tolerances or manufacturing features must be checked, use the source CAD application or a validated engineering workflow instead of relying on a tessellated preview.

Keep sensitive geometry local

Uploading an IGES model to a browser converter can disclose customer geometry or unreleased product details. CadRoam performs its supported inspection locally and does not upload model contents to Eutopix Labs.

A sender should still remove confidential or irrelevant components before distributing any derivative mesh to another person.

QUESTIONS / SCOPE

Before you rely on the view.

Why did my IGES file render only partially?

Supported B-Rep and curved surfaces can render directly. Unsupported entities, exporter records or malformed geometry may still produce an incomplete result. Check the import warning and compare with the source model.

Should I convert IGES to STL?

For visual mesh review, an STL export from the source CAD system is a practical fallback. Retain the IGES original because STL does not preserve precise surfaces or design structure.

Is an online IGES converter required?

No. Ask the sender or source CAD system for a review export when possible, especially for confidential engineering data.

NEXT / FIELD MANUALS

More CAD workflows.

Choose the guide that matches the format or review environment you actually have.

STEP / STP

How to open a STEP file on iPhone or iPad

Open STEP and STP models on iPhone or iPad. Inspect supported curved surfaces, B-Rep and tessellated geometry locally, with clear import warnings.

Open field manual →STL / MESH

A private STL viewer for iPhone and iPad

Open binary or ASCII STL files locally, inspect mesh geometry and check dimensions, triangle count, area and enclosed volume on iPhone or iPad.

Open field manual →MAC / DESKTOP

How to view STEP, STL and OBJ files on Mac

Use a lightweight local CAD viewer on Mac to inspect supported STEP, STL and OBJ geometry, isolate parts and create a compact PDF report.

Open field manual →